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Belgium 01-10-2026 Squad Only Virtual english

Letting Teams Build Safely with Low-Code, No-Code, and AI Tools. ; How to enable business-led development while keeping security, architecture, and support under control.

Low-code, no-code, and AI tools are giving business teams more ability to build solutions themselves. The challenge is setting the right boundaries before fast local solutions become important operational assets. Three pressure points need attention. - Boundaries must be clear: teams need to know what they can build alone and what requires IT, security, or architecture review. - Supportability matters when a quick solution becomes business-critical. - Risk control remains necessary around data access, compliance, security, process dependency, and maintenance. The working question is simple: how do we enable business-led development while keeping security, ownership, and support under control? If you are trying to enable this safely, let’s compare approaches with others facing the same balance.

Belgium 06-10-2026 All Members Physical english

The Token Trap: Reclaiming Control of Enterprise AI

As enterprise AI transitions from experimental Proofs of Concept (POCs) into real implementations, digital leaders are encountering a shared challenge: consumption-based public cloud token billing models do not fit neatly into traditional IT budgeting. Daily token consumption can rise unexpectedly, pushing expenses through the roof while arbitrary caps quickly kill momentum for innovation. For many CIOs, this raises an open strategic question: How do we keep costs under control while further stimulating innovation? During this interactive CIONET roundtable, we will explore among peers how to navigate AI tokenomics. Rather than treating public cloud LLMs as the default path, we will investigate how different execution environments, ranging from hybrid cloud setups and targeted on-premise models to specialised edge hardware, can help balance cost with performance. This session is intentionally designed as an open peer-to-peer exchange; a space to compare notes, challenge current ways of working and architectural setups, and discuss practical approaches to building predictable, scalable AI models.

Belgium 08-10-2026 All Members Physical english

The Permanent (R)evolution

Every large organisation has been through a major transformation, and most through several. The word transformation is misleading because it suggests a beginning and an end. But organisations that do well are the ones that have given up on the idea of arriving and realise that constant change has become the new norm, and missing a single cycle leaves you permanently behind. This evening, two leaders will share how they think about this, coming from opposite directions. John Porter led Telenet through a sustained period of reinvention spanning the pandemic, a full reorganisation into tribes, M&A, and a shift to a performance driven culture. Along the way, the IT department was dissolved and technology was embedded inside autonomous tribes that run as small businesses. There is no CIO at Telenet. It is Telenet Group’s purpose to become a digital-first, customer-centric organisation. To deliver on this ambition, it has embarked on a transformation journey built on three pillars: (i) the implementation of a scaled-agile operating model (organisation), (ii) the acceleration of digitisation and automation underpinned by optimised IT systems, platforms, and strategic technology partnerships (digitisation), and (iii) a performance leadership culture focused on accountability, ownership, and a change mindset (culture). Kris Vervaet, on the other hand, has just become CIO at KBC, the bank whose mobile app has been ranked best in the world three times and whose AI assistant Kate now handles 70% of customer queries on its own. But Kris is no ordinary CIO: he ran DPG Media Belgium as CEO, and KBC went looking for someone who has led transformation rather than someone who manages technology. So while one organisation got rid of the CIO role, the other reinvented it, and both are thriving. The conversation will range across organisational and IT redesign, the rise of digital-first customer experience, the impact of AI on how every business is run, and the harder questions of culture, talent and leadership. The question for every leader in the room is what that tells you about your own role, your own operating model, and the pace at which you are prepared to keep evolving.

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URUS adopts Trend Micro central dashboard, policies, and machine learning to strengthen global security

URUS Group, a global leader in agricultural genetics, has streamlined its security operations with Trend Micro Apex Central. By providing a unified platform for managing diverse IT environments, Apex Central offers real-time visibility and control, enabling URUS to effectively protect its valuable data and systems.

OVERVIEW

URUS Group was established to meet the needs of dairy farmers and beef farmers worldwide. As a holding company with cooperative and private owners, URUS Group connects renowned organizations such as Alta Genetics, GENEX, Jetstream Genetics, PEAK, SCCL, and VAS. Each of these organizations has its own identity and unique products and services. These companies provide cutting-edge genetics for genetic progress, tailor-made livestock reproduction services, and sophisticated livestock management software and services.

"We have minimal management, so Trend Micro Apex Central offers a real-time overview of the complete client environment, at all times."

Egbert Nijboer- IT / Security Manager URUS

CHALLENGES & WHY TREND MICRO

To support these activities optimally, the IT environment has been centralized. The step to the cloud was also taken in that process. The Dutch branch of the URUS group has been using Trend Micro technology to protect all layers of the IT environment since 1998. As a long-time Trend Micro™ OfficeScan ™ customer, URUS has now migrated to Trend Micro Apex One ™ for their endpoints worldwide. The organization has secured their cloud server environment with Trend Micro Cloud One - Workload Security and their on-premises environment with Trend Micro Deep Security software. In addition to the high level of security, the possibility of central management that Trend Micro provides is important to URUS. “Although we have also tried other products for antivirus and malware, they were not at the same level as Trend Micro”, says Egbert Nijboer, IT / Security Manager at URUS. “The contacts were very good and I was involved in the pilot project for the development of Trend Micro Apex One ™ as a Service at an early stage”.

"With Trend Micro Safe Lock we can continue to use our human interface machines in a safe manner and without major risks."

Egbert Nijboer - IT / Security Manager URUS

SOLUTION

Trend Micro Apex One was ready for installation in 2019. However, URUS saw the number of ransomware attacks rapidly increase worldwide and decided to speed up the installation of Trend Micro Apex One to ensure they were sufficiently prepared.

URUS uses Trend Micro Apex One to protect all endpoints, including clients, laptops, and the Microsoft® Windows® servers in Azure and on-premises. “It is a great advantage for us that we can control everything centrally from the cloud, both from our private cloud and from Azure”. Nijboer also saves time with patching without having to compromise on security. “With Trend Micro Apex One, patches are automatically planned and rolled out, and zero-day risks are also closed immediately. In addition, virtual patching prevents us from running risks because a supplier does not deliver patches on time. So we know for sure that we are optimally secured”. With the addition of Trend Micro Apex Central, which acts as the dashboard of Trend Micro Apex One, Nijboer now benefits from direct insight into possible vulnerabilities within his organization.

RESULTS

With Trend Micro Apex One, URUS has the ability to apply policies centrally and roll out adjustments in one go. “We have minimal management efforts and Trend Micro Apex Central offers an up-to-date overview of the complete client environment at all times”, says Nijboer. “Previously, management was divided by region. Now we can apply and adjust policies centrally, and patches are immediately widely rolled out. We use nine policies, and if there is a new client, we link the correct policy to it. This way we can be sure that all clients comply with the policy that we have set up for this”.

Due to their success using Trend Micro Apex One the Netherlands and Canada, URUS has made the decision to expand the solution across their environments in the US.

To protect their servers and lab equipment, URUS decided to deploy Workload Security. “This was a new solution for us. Together with Trend Micro, we have set up a dashboard and rolled it out on the servers for Microsoft 365 and our ERP system, among others. We immediately had better insight into the functioning of the servers. Through indepth analysis, we can now see whether there are vulnerabilities, but also, for example, unauthorized connections between servers”.

Application controls and virtual patching have given URUS more control over security, while the use of machine learning also offers predictive options. “With Workload Security, we not only have a good overview of all communication in the network, but also at server level. The ® dashboard provides insight into everything that is happening, and what applies to the clients now also applies to the servers”.

In addition, Nijboer is pleased by the fact that Trend Micro has made Workload Security also available for AWS, opening doors for URUS to work across multiple cloud platforms without having to organize their security differently. “We therefore maintain maximum control over the security of our entire environment. We can effectively monitor all signals via the central dashboard. Moreover, the rollout and patching is fully automated based on policies. This allows us to fully concentrate on our core tasks and to continue to grow flexibly, while security automatically grows.”

Technologies

Apex One™ Cloud One – Workload Security Trend Micro Cloud One Trend Micro™ Deep Security™

CIONET Business Circles

Cyber Circle

CIONET’s Cyber Circle: a new three-event programme exclusively focusing on the most urgent, complex, and high-impact challenges in cybersecurity today. Launched in 2026, this initiative brings together CISOs, CIOs, and senior IT executives with a strong interest in cybersecurity for three curated gatherings each year. As part of CIONET’s trusted executive community, the Cyber Circle provides a confidential, peer-driven environment to exchange insights, share real-world experiences, and address evolving cyber threats. Each session is designed to foster strategic dialogue, strengthen resilience, and elevate cybersecurity as a core driver of business value.

Telenet Business Leadership Circle

The Telenet Business Leadership Circle powered by CIONET, offers a platform where IT executives and thought leaders can meet to inspire each other and share best practices. We want to be a facilitator who helps you optimise the performance of your IT function and your business by embracing the endless opportunities that digital change brings.

Les Rencontres

Découvrez la dynamique du leadership numérique aux Rencontres de CIONET, le programme francophone exclusif de CIONET pour les leaders numériques en Belgique, rendu possible grâce au soutien et à l'engagement de nos partenaires de programme : Deloitte, Denodo et Red Hat. Rejoignez trois événements inspirants par an à Liège, Namur et en Brabant Wallon, où des CIOs et des experts numériques francophones de premier plan partagent leurs perspectives et expériences sur des thèmes d'affaires et de IT actuels. Laissez-vous inspirer et apprenez des meilleurs du secteur lors de sessions captivantes conçues spécialement pour soutenir et enrichir votre rôle en tant que CIO pair. Ne manquez pas cette opportunité de faire partie d'un réseau exceptionnel d'innovateurs numériques !

Female Leadership Circle

CIONET is committed to highlighting and celebrating female role models in IT, Tech & Digital, creating a leadership programme that empowers and elevates women within the tech industry. This initiative is dedicated to showcasing the achievements and successes of leading women, fostering an environment where female role models are recognised, and their contributions can ignite progress and inspire the next generation of women in IT. Our mission is to shine the spotlight a little brighter on female role models in IT, Tech & Digital, and to empower each other through this inner network community.