BE-CEC-2026 Q1 by Pointury, March 12, 2026

BE-CEC 2026 Q1, Belgium’s Cybersecurity Executives Conference

BE-CEC brings together Belgium's top cybersecurity executives, CIOs, CISOs, infrastructure managers, etc. for an exclusive, invitation-only conference. The third gathering is scheduled for March 12, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., at Technopolis in Mechelen, is designed to foster strategic discussions, insights, and collaborative efforts among the leaders responsible for safeguarding Belgium’s digital landscape.

Purpose

The conference will provide a platform for C-level executives to discuss the latest cybersecurity challenges, share best practices, and explore innovative solutions that enhance organisational resilience against evolving cyber threats. With a focus on executive-level concerns, BE-CEC aims to inspire and connect.

Agenda Highlights

Inspiring presentations
Networking with top IT and cybersecurity executives.
A lively reception and walking dinner

Who Should Attend?

This event is exclusively for Belgium’s senior cybersecurity and IT leaders: CIOs, CISOs, Infrastructure Managers, Cyber Program Managers, Lead Architects and Senior Cyber Experts.
This event is not for consultants, advisors, board members, coaches, representatives (except for selected sponsors)

AGENDA

14:00 - 14:30 The illusion of the finish line
From NIS2 compliance to the geopolitical realities of the Cybersecurity act 2

Many organisations treat NIS2 as the ultimate finish line for cybersecurity compliance. They are wrong. While NIS2 fundamentally changes who carries the risk by introducing strict management liability, the European Commission's new proposal for the Cybersecurity act 2 (CSA2) proves that the regulatory horizon is moving.

In this keynote, Joris Deene, partner at Everest Attorneys, confronts CIOs and CISOs with the uncomfortable reality of the Belgian NIS2 enforcement and the upcoming geopolitical shifts. This session moves beyond basic compliance theory to tackle urgent strategic questions: Who is personally accountable when an incident strikes? What decisions will regulators scrutinise? And crucially, what happens to your IT architecture when the EU mandates the phase-out of "high-risk" foreign suppliers from your supply chain?

Through a pragmatic legal lens, this keynote challenges cyber leaders to rethink their security governance, documentation, and 'regulatory exit clauses' in vendor contracts, ensuring your strategy is defensible both on paper and in practice.

Joris Deene
Attorney & Partner at Everest Attorneys

Joris Deene is a leading expert in technology, cybersecurity, and intellectual property law. He advises organisations and their boards of directors on complex digital matters, IT compliance, and corporate liability. Alongside his work on regulatory frameworks like the NIS2 Directive, he has authored over 100 legal publications. Joris is also a recognized decision-maker for .be domain name disputes, a guest lecturer at Ghent University, and a member of several advisory and professional bodies, including the Intellectual Property Council (FPS Economy).

14:30 - 15:00 Fifty shades of CISO

Iwona Muchin explores how the modern CISO operates in a complex grey zone between authority and influence, independence and collaboration. The keynote highlights the many roles today’s CISO must master: an independent risk authority like an auditor, a trusted advisor and “shrink” to the ExCom, a whisperer to Legal, a protective yet pragmatic guide for employees, a best friend and challenger to IT, and a strategist capable of outsmarting sophisticated attackers. Drawing on real-world experience, the talk argues that true CISO effectiveness requires independence from the CIO, not to weaken IT, but to strengthen accountability, trust, and informed risk-based decision-making at the highest level. This session shows how effective CISOs do not choose one role, but master all fifty shades of CISO.

Iwona Muchin
CISO & DPO at Ageas Group

Iwona Muchin is CISO and Data Protection Officer at Ageas Group, with over 25 years of experience in information security, IT risk management, and data protection in the financial services sector. Having held senior roles across Europe and internationally, she is known for translating complex security and regulatory challenges into pragmatic, business-driven solutions. She brings a strong strategic perspective, combining executive leadership with deep expertise in cybersecurity, risk, and compliance.

Hariharan Narasiman
Cybersecurity Solutions Consultant @ ManageEngine

Hariharan is a Cybersecurity Expert at ManageEngine with deep expertise in Identity and Access Management (IAM) and cybersecurity. He works closely with organizations across industries to design, implement, and optimize identity-driven security strategies. At ManageEngine, he plays a key role in technical consulting, product training, and enterprise implementations. Hariharan is also an active public speaker, regularly presenting at global conferences and industry events on topics related to identity security, governance, and modern cyber-defense strategies.

17:00 - 18:00 Artifhacking Intelligence

Think AI systems are unbreakable? Think again. In this eye-opening session, Inti will take you behind the scenes and show you exactly how anyone can hack AI. Through live, self-crafted demos, you’ll learn how to beat the (artificial) odds, anticipate AI behavior, and subtly influence outcomes in your favour.

This hands-on experience not only teaches you how to ethically manipulate AI algorithms, but also how to detect and defend against such tactics in the real world.

Inti De Ceukelaire
Ethical hacker & cybercrime investigator

Inti De Ceukelaire is a renowned ethical hacker and cybersecurity specialist. With a deep passion for digital security, he has built an impressive track record in international hacking competitions and vulnerability disclosure programs. His work has earned formal recognition from leading organizations including Google, Meta, Yahoo, the U.S. Department of Defense, Airbnb, Dropbox, PayPal, and Amazon for identifying and responsibly reporting critical vulnerabilities. He is an enthusiastic public speaker who shares his insights on cybersecurity in an accessible and engaging way.

BE-CEC 2026 Q1

Belgium’s Cybersecurity Executives Conference

Interview of experienced CISOs, focusing on their daily responsibilities and key lessons learned in the field of cybersecurity. If you want to be inspired by how others do it and challenge the way of working in your own organisation, don't miss this opportunity.

Drawing on real-world use cases, this session highlights how a unified identity-first approach helps organizations reduce risk, simplify audits, and stay continuously compliant in an evolving regulatory landscape.

Our sponsors will briefly share who they are and how they support organisations in strengthening their cybersecurity posture.

Register here