Conference Description
Key Takeaways
- Executive forum designed exclusively for CISOs, CIOs, CTOs, and senior information security leaders
- Peer-driven roundtable format addressing emerging threats, risk management, and leadership challenges
- Focus on strategic cybersecurity governance and operational decision-making
- In-person event held October 13, 2026, in Santa Monica, California
- Organised by ISSA Los Angeles for the Southern California security leadership community
Introduction
The ISSA Los Angeles Security Summit 2026 CISO Forum brings together senior cybersecurity executives for a day of structured dialogue on the strategic and operational challenges facing security leaders. Scheduled for October 13, 2026, at the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, the forum offers CISOs, CIOs, CTOs, and Information Security Directors an opportunity to engage with peers navigating similar organisational pressures. As threat landscapes grow more complex and boards increasingly scrutinise security investments, events that facilitate candid executive exchange have become essential for leaders seeking to benchmark their approaches and refine their strategies.
About This Event
Organised by the Los Angeles chapter of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), this forum is structured around interactive roundtable sessions rather than traditional conference presentations. The format encourages participants to share real-world experiences, discuss specific challenges they face within their organisations, and collaboratively develop actionable approaches to common problems. Sessions are designed to be peer-led, with attendees contributing directly to the conversation rather than passively receiving information from speakers.
The event targets executives and their direct reports from large enterprises, technology companies, and organisations with substantial cybersecurity requirements. This focus on senior decision-makers ensures discussions remain at a strategic level, addressing governance, resource allocation, and organisational alignment rather than purely technical implementation details.
Strategic Themes and Discussion Areas
The forum’s agenda centres on several interconnected themes that reflect the current priorities of cybersecurity leadership. Emerging threat identification and response remains a core concern, as security teams contend with increasingly sophisticated attack vectors and the operational burden of maintaining defensive postures across expanding digital estates.
Risk management features prominently in the programme, reflecting the growing expectation that security leaders articulate cyber risk in business terms that resonate with executive committees and boards. This shift requires CISOs to function not merely as technical specialists but as business executives capable of translating security investments into measurable risk reduction.
Leadership and organisational challenges also receive significant attention. Security executives frequently face difficulties securing adequate resources, building effective teams, and maintaining influence within organisations where cybersecurity competes with other strategic priorities. The roundtable format allows participants to discuss these dynamics openly and learn from peers who have successfully navigated similar situations.
The Value of Peer-Driven Executive Forums
Executive cybersecurity forums have gained prominence as security leaders recognise the limitations of traditional conference formats. While vendor presentations and technical sessions serve important purposes, they rarely address the strategic isolation many CISOs experience within their organisations. Peer forums provide a confidential environment where executives can discuss sensitive topics, including board relationships, budget negotiations, and incident response experiences, without the constraints that apply in more public settings.
For Southern California’s security leadership community, the ISSA Los Angeles chapter provides an established network through which these connections can develop over time. Regional forums offer particular value because participants often share regulatory environments, talent markets, and industry concentrations, making the insights exchanged directly applicable to their own contexts.
Who Should Attend
The forum is designed for senior security and technology executives responsible for information security strategy and governance. This includes Chief Information Security Officers, Chief Information Officers, Chief Technology Officers, Information Security Directors, and Heads of Cybersecurity, along with their direct reports who participate in strategic decision-making. Attendees typically hold accountability for security programmes at organisations where cybersecurity represents a significant operational and financial commitment.
The executive focus ensures that discussions address the challenges specific to leadership roles, including stakeholder management, strategic planning, and organisational influence, rather than technical implementation concerns better suited to practitioner-level events.