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Belgium 01-10-2026 Squad Only Virtual english
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.
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Belgium 06-10-2026 All Members Physical english
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.
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Belgium 08-10-2026 All Members Physical english
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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CIONET Trailblazer: CISO: The Shift from Prevention to Resilience: Turning Visibility into Execution
Published on: January 28, 2026 @ 9:48 AM
CIONET Trailblazer: AI Transformation: Bridging the Cultural Divide to Achieve Competitive Advantage
Published on: December 17, 2025 @ 9:16 AM
Recognized by Trend Micro for their diligent, digitally transformative cybersecurity efforts
OVERVIEW
With a history of innovation spanning over a century, Panasonic Holdings Corporation is a global electronics manufacturing group renowned for introducing cutting-edge technologies to the market. Deeply entrenched in a diverse array of business sectors including appliances, automotive devices, housing equipment, and energy-related products such as automotive batteries, they have seven operating companies, 523 group companies, and over 100 offices worldwide with more than 230,000 employees.
Panasonic Holdings Corporation is the latest recipient of our Trend Global Customer Award, a testament to the hard work, care, and dedication of their teams in helping to make the world a more secure place.
“We are thrilled to have received the Trend Global Customer Award and extend our gratitude for the dual recognition, one for our Japan headquarters and the other for North America,” says Executive Officer and Group Chief Information Officer Hajime Tamaoki.
We are thrilled to have received the Trend Customer Award and extend our gratitude for the dual recognition, one for our Japan headquarters and the other for North America. The information system departments, particularly those involved in security often operate behind the scenes. Many overlook the complexity and dedication required to keep our system safe, assuming that “nothing is wrong, or nothing will happen.
CHALLENGES
Risk mitigation is a complex, multifaceted process that remains essential amidst the ever-changing threat landscape, with new vulnerabilities and risks emerging on a regular basis. “The information system departments, particularly those involved in security, often operate behind the scenes,” says Tamaoki-san. “Many overlook the complexity and dedication required to keep our system safe, assuming that ‘nothing is wrong’ or ‘nothing will happen.’ This perception can make it challenging for these teams to receive the recognition they deserve.”
In addition, there is the vital need to maintain a balance between the DX initiatives promoted by the group and cybersecurity needs. Tamaoki-san notes that effective cybersecurity measures extend beyond technical solutions, requiring the integration of cybersecurity into corporate culture and internal procedures. Panasonic Holdings Corporation therefore places great importance on prompt response to environmental changes and comprehensively addressing cybersecurity needs through collaboration and human resource initiatives.
“In alignment with [our] commitment to innovation and adapting to changes in the workforce, Panasonic has recently embarked on implementing DX initiatives throughout the Group, culminating in the launch of PX—Panasonic Group’s DX Strategy—in 2021,” Tamaoki-san adds. “The success of DX is contingent upon robust cybersecurity measures given the escalating risk of cyberattacks accompanying the rise of digital transactions.”
WHY TREND
“The Panasonic Group has decades of experience using Trend solutions. We appreciate their ability to provide support from the customer’s perspective and respond globally and in Japan,” says Tamaoki-san. “We are excited about the future of ‘cybersecurity platforms’ that integrate security data, using them as sensors, in addition to individual product features such as endpoint, email, network, server, and cloud workloads. We have great confidence in Trend [assisting] us with appropriate solutions and support based on understanding our group’s challenges.”
RESULTS
Panasonic Holdings Corporation is poised for continued growth and success, primarily owed to their ongoing commitment to digital transformation and risk mitigation. Through the ongoing support and cybersecurity solutions from Trend—along with recognition for their dedication in these areas—their teams are equipped, enabled, and encouraged to continue their innovation journey.
“This award serves as significant encouragement to our team members who diligently work to protect our group and affiliated entities from security breaches on a daily basis,” says Tamaoki-san. “We look forward to keeping our strong relationship with Trend Micro to further enhance our security measures.”
WHAT'S NEXT
“Future information systems will be intricately linked, and data will become increasingly voluminous,” says Tamaoki-san. “In this context, improving visibility across our digital assets and accurately identifying and proactively addressing risks are critical to protecting our digital infrastructure and ensuring business success. We believe that it is necessary to constantly examine and update the latest and most suitable cybersecurity [solutions] for our group.”
“We look forward to working with industry-leading partners like Trend and to continue promoting business growth through innovation with cutting-edge solutions, both continuously and safely,” says Tamaoki-san.
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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.
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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.
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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 !
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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.
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