The rapid advancement of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has ushered in a new era of technological innovation, offering unprecedented capabilities in content creation, problem-solving, and dare we say decision-making. 

However, this transformative technology also presents complex ethical challenges that must be navigated with utmost care and responsibility. 

As GenAI systems become increasingly integrated into various aspects of our lives, fostering consumer trust rises in importance. Organizations are thus being asked to prioritize transparency, accountability, and ethical governance to ensure GenAI is developed and deployed in alignment with societal values and expectations. 

In this PodChats for FutureCIO, we cover key topics that are coming to the fore in the race to harness the value of AI technology without losing our humanity in the process.

Proactive measures, such as mitigating biases, protecting user privacy, and engaging diverse stakeholders, are crucial to building public confidence and maintaining the integrity of these powerful technologies. 

By embracing ethical principles and establishing robust frameworks, we can harness the immense potential of GenAI while safeguarding the well-being of individuals and communities.

Helping us explore the ethical boundaries of GenAI is Philip Madgwick, Regional Vice President, Asia, Alteryx.

Transparency: How can we ensure transparency in our genAI systems to build trust with consumers?

Data Privacy: What measures are in place to protect consumer data used by genAI technologies?

Bias and Fairness: How do we address potential biases in genAI algorithms to ensure fairness across diverse Asian demographics?

Regulatory Compliance: Are our genAI practices compliant with Asia’s varying data protection and privacy laws?

Ethical Standards: What ethical standards guide the development and deployment of our genAI solutions?

Accountability: Who is accountable for decisions made by genAI systems, and how is this communicated to consumers?

Security Measures: What security measures are implemented to safeguard genAI systems from misuse or malicious attacks?

Cultural Sensitivity: How do we ensure our genAI applications are culturally sensitive and respectful of Asian values?

Innovation vs. Ethics: How do we balance the drive for innovation with ethical considerations in the use of genAI?

Consumer Education: How do we educate consumers about the benefits and risks of genAI?

Finally, what is your advice for enterprises looking to deploy genAI to reduce risk and improve success in adopting/benefiting in the use of the technology?

Gartner discourse with finance leaders reveal that these very same leaders see a future for finance that is digital, scalable and data-rich. At FutureCFO conferences around Asia, a common thread keeps coming up in discussions about digital transformation, delivering value and becoming partners to the business – the importance of upskilling finance teams. Gartner says CFOs must redefine the digital function to attract and retain the next generation of finance talent.

In this PodChats for FutureCFO, we are joined by Ms Giselle Arellano-Geronimo, Vice President, Head of Finance Accounting & Procurement at Shearwater Health.

1.       In reviewing today’s finance teams via-s-via an organisation’s digital transformation and the call for finance to enhance its value to the organisation and its shareholders, in your view what areas do finance professionals do well today?

a.       What are the key skills that our finance team needs to develop to better understand and drive business value?

2.       How can we leverage AI and other advanced technologies to enhance the team’s financial analysis and decision-making processes?

3.       How can we identify and address skill gaps within our finance department to ensure we have the necessary capabilities?

4.       What strategies can we implement to ensure that our upskilling efforts align with our overall business strategy and goals?

5.       How can we foster collaboration between finance and other business functions to maximize the value derived from upskilling?

The proliferation of synthetic identities, which are fabricated identities created by combining real and fictitious personal information, has fuelled a surge in fraud across various industries. These synthetic identities are often used to open fraudulent accounts, obtain credit or loans, and engage in other illicit activities. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has exacerbated this issue, enabling criminals to generate highly realistic fake identities with ease, including fabricated names, addresses, and even biometric data like facial images and voice recordings.

Organizations must adopt advanced techniques, such as behavioural analytics and biometric authentication, to detect and prevent synthetic identity fraud effectively. Failure to address this threat could result in substantial financial losses, damage to reputation, and erosion of customer trust.

In this PodChats for FutureCISO, we are joined by Johan Fantenberg, Principal Solutions Architect, APJ, Ping Identity, to walk us through what synthetic identity is, how it is evolving with AI assistance, and measures CISOs can implement to counter the rising threat.

1.       What are synthetic identities, how are they created, and who (businesses/industries) are threatened most by these?

2.       Given all the experiences against fraud, all the technologies available today including AI-driven identity management solutions, and measures like AML/KYC, why should synthetic identities remain a concern for enterprises?

3.       Why is it challenging to detect synthetic identities during the account creation process?

4.       How can an organisation protect against synthetic identities created through the combination of legitimate and fake data?

5.       How can behavioural assessment and bot detection techniques be used to identify and prevent synthetic identity fraud?

6.       Who should be in charge of strategies to combat the threat of synthetic identity?

For years, we’ve been told that consumer behaviour is changing and that businesses must adopt or go out of business. PwC says the pandemic accelerated workforce transformation even as digital adoption became one of the central tenets of our lives.

Fast forward to 2024, we see a workforce that demands empowerment from their employers. Talent has reached new levels of mobility and workers know this.

In this PodChats for FutureIoT, we look at how technology is reshaping the workforce, and in particular those at the frontlines. To give clarity on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, we are joined by Steven Kramer, CEO and Co-founder, WorkJam.

1.       Define for us frontline workforce?

2.       How has this frontline workforce evolved from before the pandemic, during the pandemic, and now post-pandemic?

3.       WorkJam worked with Forrester on a study in 2023 that revealed digital transformation initiatives were not reaching the frontlines. Can you elaborate more on the research findings? 

4.       What are the true business costs/ consequences of poor frontline employee experience (EX) to businesses, particularly in industries like retail, healthcare, manufacturing and logistics?

5.       What tends to be the characteristics of organisations that have more mature digital frontline practices versus those that have low awareness or maturity? Can you highlight industries, particularly in the Asia Pacific region that has higher or lower maturity? 

6.       The Forrester study was done from late 2022 to 2023, what has changed since then? What are the main drivers for the digital transformation of the frontlines today? 

a.       What impedes companies’ adoption of frontline operationalization technologies? 

7.       What is the number one motivation for companies to invest in employee communication, scheduling, task management and learning? 

8.       What are some of the tangible business benefits (top and bottom lines) for customers/employees? (Dollars and Hearts) 

9.       Who should drive this frontline transformation?

10.   What are your thoughts about AI and its use in technologies for the frontline? 

11.   What is your advice for organisations that want to put frontline transformation as an imperative? In addition to the CEO driving this, how should the organisation come together to make it happen?

The Singapore Parliament passed the Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill (the Bill) on 7 May 2024, amending the Cybersecurity Act 2018 (the Act). The Act is Singapore’s legal framework for the supervision and maintenance of national cybersecurity by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), setting out measures to prevent, manage and respond to cybersecurity threats and incidents, and the Bill seeks to extend the scope of the Act over new technologies and business models that have emerged over the past few years.

In this PodChats for FutureCISO, Gaurav Keerthi, head of Advisory and Emerging Business at Ensign InfoSecurity, shares his views on what the amendment bill means to organizations in Singapore, and perhaps to those that operate in the ASEAN region.

1.       Can you give us a background of the CSA-proposed Cybersecurity Amendment Bill? What are the main regulatory changes proposed and new requirements?

2.       What will be the projected effects (both positive and negative) of this new law on Singapore enterprises? [Singapore CCOP]

3.       Outside of the banking and financial services industry who follow stringent cybersecurity regulations, what kind of enterprises (type of businesses) will be most affected by such regulatory changes?

4.       Speaking of compliance, what steps can enterprises take to comply with new requirements and regulations? To what extent will the amendments require changes in how organisations currently cybersecurity practices? 

5.       Singapore has led the ASEAN region when it comes to cybersecurity readiness. How do you see these developments in Singapore influencing other regulators in ASEAN?

6.       Finally, what is your advice for CISOs and CIOs as it relates to processing cybersecurity regulations in the years to come?

Despite early apprehensions about an economic recovery in 2024, we continue to see continued investments in digital transformation initiatives by the financial services sector in Asia. We continue to see digital services rising on the back of maturing understanding and adoption of technologies like analytics, cloud and mobility. Targeted outcomes continue to be efficiencies, convenience and accessibility.

However, some innovations like artificial intelligence and even digitalization bring with them new risks in areas like cybersecurity, operational resilience and ethics.

In this PodChats for FutureCIO, we are joined by Joseph Lo, Head of Enterprise Platforms at Broadridge, who will share his views on what he sees are key financial services transformation trends in Asia in 2024.

1.       Give us a state of the financial services industry (FSI) in Asia today? To what extent has digital transformation become the norm for these?

2.       How are FSIs balancing the aspiration to go digital against the need to deepen customer connection?

3.       As banks evolve (and mature in their use of technology), some risks get amplified. How are banks addressing the risks that come as a result of going digital/modernization?

4.       The FSI is one of the most regulated sectors. How do FSIs push the boundaries of innovation using emerging technologies like AI while recognizing that any new innovation needs to be aligned with regulation.

5.       Speaking of technology, there is genuine interest in adopting new technologies like AI. How should FSIs, particularly those with legacy systems and technologies in place, safely address the issue of integrating new technologies with legacy ones, while minimizing any potential disruption?

6.       In recent years, we’ve seen a spate of disruptions at major banks in Asia. A number of these due in part to technology and/or process issues. Are systems and processes today so complex, they are leading to unplanned disruptions? What can be done to minimize/mitigate these?

7.       What do you see will be key issues and trends that CIOs need to be aware of in 2024 and beyond?

Gartner predicts more than 70% of government agencies will use AI to enhance human administrative decision making by 2026. Machine learning, analytics and generative AI will mature over the next two years and combine into a suite of tools that will support improved government service delivery.

Gartner VP analyst Todd Kimbriel says government CIOs must find new ways to meet citizen demands for modern, accessible and resilient services, by focusing on sustainable and scalable technology.

In this PodChats for FutureCIO, we are joined by Keith Nelson, senior industry strategist for the public sector at OpenText, to share us his views on how to put the smart in government services.

1.       What is Artificial Intelligence in the context of government/public services?

2.       Name some use cases among early adopters of AI in the government/public sector.

3.       What will be the primary challenges of government CIOs in the AI adoption journey?

4.       Some governments (in Asia and around the world) are drafting AI governance frameworks. Can you name three best-in-class frameworks to date?

5.       Gartner’s Dean Lacheca says “a lack of empathy in service delivery and a failure to meet community expectations will undermine public acceptance of GenAI’s use in citizen-facing services.” Do you agree or disagree with this assessment? How should governments go about addressing this?

6.       In the AI adoption journey, should governments focus on deploying AI on backend processes first or citizen services?

7.       What is your advice for government CIOs as they look to adapt/adopt AI-centric solutions and practices in the delivery of government services?

The CIMA Foundation says “disaster don’t discriminate, but people do”. The journey to gender parity remains obstructed by a myriad of factors including culture, bias, misconceptions and attitudes. But if the Paris 2024 Olympics is any indication of the possibility, we may have hope that someday, there will be parity between the genders across the finance function, if not the rest of the enterprise, all the way to the C-suite and the Board. 

The 2024 International Women’s Day theme of inclusion may be an appropriate starting point in the journey towards parity. Joining us on PodChats for FutureCFO is Marisa Azman, regional chief financial officer for ENGIE South East Asia, for her perspective on the topic.

1.       Looking at the finance function today, how have women participation across the function evolved?

a.       What are the three most common barriers faced by women in corporate finance?

2.       Is gender diversity a real cause for concern in the finance function? 

3.       In which areas are women least visible/prominent and why? (unconscious bias)

4.       Our topic is Filling the Gender Gap. In your experience where are women finance leaders excelling, and how should these successful professionals hone the next generation of women professional leaders?

5.       Can you share an inspirational story of a woman leader in finance?

6.       Going forward, how can/should organisations measure progress towards gender equality?

The accelerated digitalisation of business processes arising from the pandemic of 2020-2022 has proven that humans are resilient, responsive and creative when the situation calls for it. In ASEAN, 8 out of 10 members are in some stage of implementing a national ID program. 

How will these developments, on top of developments around identity security, and AI in security among other things.

In recognition of Identity Management Day, FutureCISO spoke to Chern-Yue Boey, senior vice president, Asia-Pacific, SailPoint, on the latest trends impacting identity management strategies in 2024.

1.       What is identity management? (identity security)

a.       Why is identity management important to organisations, and to security professionals?

2.       In recent years, how have organisations evolved in their adoption of identity management?

3.       In your opinion, what factors influenced how organisations adopt identity management?

4.       Speaking of looking back, what were the three most important challenges organisations faced in keeping their identity management strategies/practices in step with changing regulations, practices and technologies?

5.       (Speaking of what we don’t know or know little of) With AI now making its influence felt across many parts of the organisation, how should security professionals revisit identity management strategies to reflect the growing influence of AI?

6.       What is your advice/view on how security professionals should bring AI into the cybersecurity practice in 2024 (and beyond)?

A Gartner 2023 Gartner CIO and Technology Executive Survey revealed that even before ChatGPT, one-third of CIOs say their organization had already deployed artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, and 15% more believe they will deploy AI within the next year. 

Recognising the high expectations CEOs and business unit leaders have on AI puts a heavier burden on the CIO to manage expectations and the reality of integrating an emerging technology into existing operational processes – ensuring that in the interim nothing is disrupted and the company remains compliant with existing regulations.

But deciding how best to proceed means factoring AI into business value, risk, talent and investment priorities? In this PodChats for FutureCIO, Simon Ma, senior director & regional manager for ASEAN at Freshworks, offers his take on how CIOs can best manage AI deployment across the enterprise.

1.       What is your assessment of AI adoption in ASEAN in 2024?

2.       As I understand it, business leaders are expecting much from AI. How should CIOs respond to this perhaps hype-driven expectation of the technology?

3.       In ASEAN, what are the most challenging aspects CIOs will face as they put in place (and execute) their AI roadmap?

4.       Any recommendation for how to integrate AI into existing technologies? And scale AI where it is deemed most impactful?

5.       Speaking of change, given the current worker concerns about AI potentially replacing jobs, any suggestions for how CIOs, HR and functional leaders ensure adoption of AI?

6.       Every new technology will likely have areas of hiccups, including AI adoption. Any suggestions on how to respond to such hiccups?

7.       Looking ahead, beyond the AI hype, what are the trends for CIOs to prioritize in 2024?

The Internet of Things remains a top priority. Market research firm IoT Analytics says IoT remains a top-three corporate technology priority even AI has taken over as the top technology priority. In surveys from PWC, KPMG, and BCG, respondents ranked IoT second or third after AI in terms of investment prioritization for emerging technologies, with AI coming in first across the board.

In the Asimily report, IoT Device Security in 2024: The High Cost of Doing Nothing, it was concluded that breach tactics continue to evolve, that routers have become the favourite attack vector accounting for 70% of IoT infections, and manufacturing continues to be the top target among industries.

In this PodChats for FutureIoT, we revisit the topic of how to reduce IoT risks. Joining to discuss the matter is Barry Mainz, CEO at Forescout.

1.       Can you give the key points of The Enterprise of Things Security Report by Fourscout Research Labs?

a.       What do we don’t know already about the insecurity of IoT devices and technologies?

2.       There are those that claim that breaches can occur by way of unsecured IoT devices. Can you confirm or elaborate on this?

3.       Given the rising level of awareness of the risks associated with enterprise IoT, what is being done? And if none, why?

4.       Where are the areas of IoT that present the greatest risks?

5.       Name 3 questions CIOs/heads of OT and security, need to ask as part of an IoT deployment.

6.       Recapping: Our topic is reducing IoT risks. Given what we know about IoT adoption trends, evolving cyber threat landscape specific to IoT, and innovations in areas like machine learning and artificial intelligence, do we have any hope of reducing IoT risks, and can you name three action items for whoever should be responsible for securing enterprise IoT?

7.       You mentioned about Fourscout coming in to look at an organisation’s asset to check for possible vulnerabilities. How receptive are businesses to this approach?

PodChats for FutureCIO: Fast tracking the people side of doing business in Asia

Finding and retaining talent poses significant challenges and opportunities in Asia and around the world. One of the main challenges is the increasing competition for skilled professionals in the global job market. As economies grow and industries evolve, the demand for highly qualified candidates often exceeds the available supply. This talent shortage can make it difficult for companies to find, attract and retain the right talent for their specific needs. Additionally, cultural and language barriers, as well as differences in labour laws and regulations, can further complicate talent acquisition and management processes.

These challenges present opportunities for companies to explore innovative solutions such as the Employer of Record (EOR) model. An Employer of Record is a service provider that acts as the legal employer of workers on behalf of client companies. This model can help organizations fulfill their talent needs anywhere in the world by leveraging the EOR's expertise in navigating local labor markets, compliance requirements, and administrative tasks. By partnering with an EOR, companies can access a global talent pool, streamline their hiring processes, and ensure compliance with local employment laws. This not only expands their reach but also enables them to focus on core business activities while leaving the complexities of HR and employment administration to the EOR. Ultimately, the Employer of Record model offers a flexible and efficient solution to finding and retaining talent on a global scale.

Jim McCoy, CEO of Atlas HXM reveals the nuissances organisations will face in the quest to acquire the right talent anywhere in the world, and how EORs like Atlas fill those needs.

1. How would you typify or describe the international expansion activities of APAC companies? Are there any distinct trends that you can observe in markets like Hong Kong, China, or Singapore?
2. In terms of challenges. So for enterprises that are on expansion mode, whether global or regional, there's almost always a shortage, crunch in skilled people. With the hybrid work environment, has it complicated the model of acquiring or are using an organization such as yours, the EOR, to fill in the roles that they need?
3. In terms of similarities, or differences in how enterprises in markets like, like Hong Kong, or Singapore, or the less developed markets, like Malaysia, for example, as they start to look at these expansion strategies that they have, are there any unique elements, traits that you're noticing that are unique in the sense that it's unique to Asia, or it's the doesn't matter whether it's a European company trying to expand even within the same region? 
4. Are there any emerging risks that as an organization, Atlas, encounters these days, as you try and employ become as you already are for other organs for your clients, that you're observing in the market now? 
5.  On technology – you mentioned automation, partly to help with the process, but you still need to have the human interface in there.  These days, there's a lot of chatter around AI, for example. And of course, automation is starting to mature a little bit in software automation. What technologies have you observed are becoming more prominent in us as augmenting IE or supporting your atlases business, globally oriented?
6. When you onboard a new client or new customer, what's the most challenging aspect of onboarding a new client to the Atlas way of doing business?
7. So you said, if you have a large multinational customer, client that's expanding the market. And they have existing systems and processes in place where in terms of talent management, and it doesn't sync very well with the way you've set up? How do you negotiate or make the two compatible? 
8. what's your biggest challenge these days? As you know

In Asia, the importance of inclusion in enhancing customer experience cannot be overstated. With its diverse population comprising various ethnicities, cultures, languages, and traditions, creating an inclusive environment is crucial for businesses to effectively cater to their customers' needs and preferences. 

By embracing diversity and fostering inclusion, companies can better understand the unique perspectives and requirements of their customers, leading to more personalized and tailored products and services.

In this PodChats for FutureCIO, we look at how inclusive practices play a significant role in building trust and loyalty among customers in Asia. And how by incorporating inclusive strategies in their operations, businesses can tap into new market segments and reach a wider customer base. 

Ultimately, prioritizing inclusion not only enhances the overall customer experience but also contributes to the long-term success and sustainability of businesses in the diverse and dynamic market landscape of Asia.

Joining us on PodChats for FutureCIO is Ms Jacqueline Guichelaar, SVP & GM, Customer Experience, APJ & GC, Cisco.

1.       The IWD2024 theme is inclusion. How would you relate “customer experience” and inclusion?

2.       Specific to IWD2024, to what extent does this sense of belonging, relevance and empowerment exist in your organisation? In your role? In the society/community you live in?

3.       What is the most prevalent obstacle to inclusion (narrowing to CX)?

4.       Drawing from your experience, what can learn in terms of achieving inclusion (narrowing to CX)?

5.       Your role has two faces: internal (marshalling your team) and external (customers and partners) How will you inspire inclusion (in your function/in the enterprise)?

6.       How do you plan to elevate your commitment to inspiring inclusion?

KPMG asserts that with all the focus around modernization and/or transformation over the last few years, there is growing recognition that perhaps employees are feeling exhausted. They’re facing one modernizing initiative after another—or multiple initiatives simultaneously—often with competing timelines and priorities.

This is known as digital transformation fatigue, and it’s a growing trend as companies grapple to keep pace with constant change.

In this PodChats for FutureCIO, we are joined by Peter Man, General Manager, Red Hat Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, to get his perspective on overcoming digital transformation fatigue.

1.       Why are we seeing digital transformation (DX) fatigue?

2.       What are the signs and symptoms of DX fatigue?

3.       What are the most common causes of DX fatigue?

4.       Name some proven metrics for identifying and measuring DX fatigue particularly on employee morale and productivity?

5.       Name three strategies to prevent or minimize DX fatigue in the workplace?

6.       Speaking of leaders, what role does leadership play in addressing this DX fatigue?

7.       Insert Melinda question here

8.       Into 2024, we anticipate continued acceleration, if not updating, what steps do you recommend leadership implement to counter the development of DX fatigue?

IDC predicts that in 2024, 50% of APAC cities and states will pilot GenAI to improve efficacy in community outreach and customer service, procurement, staff recruitment and training, and software development.

The latest IDC FutureScape report predicts that AI and automation technologies will remain central to tech investment initiatives. 

According to Dr Lily Phan, Research Director, Intelligent Automation at IDC Asia/Pacific AI is needed to lower operational costs, reduce staffing pressure, revamp end-user experience, and democratize decision-making power. The adaptability and efficiency offered by AI and automation solutions can provide the technologies that can mitigate staff shortage and economic challenges," she added.

With AI hype still high, Asia-Pacific businesses that are dipping their finder into the technology, they must ask themselves: how do they move beyond experiments and unlock real business value with AI? 

In this PodChats for FutureCIO, we are joined by David Irecki, director of solutions consulting for APJ with Boomi, to share with us his views on the “secret path” to practical AI.

1.       What is the problem that organisations will face as they implement AI?

2.       What do we mean by “practical AI”?

3.       Can we use this practical approach generative AI to accelerate current digital transformation initiatives?

4.       What happens when an organisation is integrating AI into their transformation journey only to realise it's not as easy as marketing makes it out to be?

5.       Looking ahead, what key considerations should businesses prioritize to "future-proof" their AI initiatives and remain competitive in the rapidly evolving AI landscape?

6.       This 2024, what are your expectations around AI including how it is evolving, and the approaches organisations are taking to operationalise the technology into current and evolving business processes?

A GitHub report on the growth and impact of AI on software development, including claims pf a 55% faster coding when using an AI-assisted automation tool. GitClear published a separate report to determine how AI Assistants influence the quality of code being written.

Just as important, as development teams start to include automation tools in the development cycle, how can they maintain control over the quality of the software, including keeping code secure.

In this PodChats for FutureCIO, we are joined by Kelvin Lim, Senior Director of Security Engineering, Synopsys, to talk about navigating the complexities of AI-generated code.

1.      Give us the state of in-house software development today. 

2.      How is software development evolving in response to the rise in AI-generated code?

3.      What are the primary security vulnerabilities inherent in AI-generated code?

4.      What are the key considerations that teams/organisations should consider when integrating AI-generated code into their software?

5.      How will AI-generated code impact DevSecOp cycle? (report Stanford 2022 – development teams code written by GenAI is less secure)

6.      Given the rapid pace of tech innovation, what do you anticipate in the future evolution of GenAI and its implications for software development practices?

7.      Ask Mel – data poisoning impact AI code generation.

8.      What is your advise for use of Gen AI?

Mordor Intelligence estimates the Asia-Pacific data centre market at around 14.27 thousand MW in 2024, predicting it to reach 23.20 thousand MW by 2029. JLL projects continued increase in rank density particularly among hyperscalers in response the growing demand for computational power. 

With sustainability and climate change high on the agenda for many businesses, a multi-prong challenge of data centres is meeting customers’ net zero emissions goals, and their own targets. What can data centre operators do to save energy while keeping equipment operating on optimum environments?

In today’s PodChats for FutureCIO, we are joined by Terry Miaolo, VP & GM, APAC, OVHcloud, to talk about operational strategies to meet sustainable data centres.

1.       Please give us a State of the Data Centre in Asia today.

2.       Focusing specifically on the operational aspects of data centres, what are the key environmental issues that all data centre operators must overcome?

3.       We’ve seen Governments in Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and almost everywhere around the region, including Australia, proposing, if not accelerating national AI strategies. For data centre operators, particularly in Asia, how are they responding to this demand? At the same time, how do you see them fine-tuning their operations so that they can remain on point when it comes to their own net zero emissions targets?

4.       For data centre operators and hyperscalers, what is your recommendation for them to stay ahead, and on course around sustainability practices, while at the same time supporting new business needs and new opportunities such as AI?

5.       What does OVHcloud bring to the table?

6.       For data centres wanting to be more sustainable, what can be their first practical step towards their sustainability journey?

7.       Since we're talking about data centres, the ability to operate them more efficiently and all that, anything that you think we should include?

8.       With the proliferation of new data centres to meet the demands, introduced by a greater need for AI and sustainable operations, what's your forecast like for the data centre market? What will it look like in 2024 and going ahead?

126 business emails (per person) go out daily or 124.5 billion work emails get sent and received every day. The Email Statistics Report of Radicati Group claims that customers are most likely interested in interacting with a brand from the email notifications they receive from brands instead of using email as an interpersonal communication tool, showing value in emails outside of the usual open and reply rates.

At 62.86%, email remains the preferred communication channel among businesses. According to Statista, people check their work emails 172 minutes a day while Harvard Business Review claims professionals check their emails an average of 15 times a day.

With so much information, undoubtedly, many business-critical and with the proliferation of tools to illegally tap or hack those messages, how are companies such critical assets?

In today’s PodChats for FutureCISO, we are joined by Robert Holmes, group VP of sender security and authentication at Proofpoint to talk about once such approach to protecting such assets.

1. In the context of today’s business environment, what is a DMARC? It sounds very technical. What does it mean for the non-technical expert? Why should they care?

2. In your view, what is the percentage of emails currently using this DMARC protocol? 

3. How do we prepare for this evolving digital landscape? 

4. When it comes to emails, who is in charge of border controls?

5. Is incorporating DMARC going to be an expansive initiative?

6. With AI a force for good and bad, can we rely on DMARC alone to protect email?

7. What is your message to technology, security and business leaders in 2024?

Artificial Intelligence continues to drive discussions across the enterprise. From the Board down to the workforce. C-suites are being asked to drive not just the discussion but strategies on how to best tap the technology before the competition does.

Gartner warns that AI poses unique challenges for governance that must be directly addressed to mitigate risks and take advantage of opportunities. How are organizations developing AI governance frameworks, and what benefits and challenges have they experienced around AI governance?

To give us greater clarity on how organisations can safely tap AI now and into the future, we are joined by Ms Heather Gentile, Executive Director of Product watsonx.governance, IBM DATA AND AI.

1.       What is AI governance?

2.       What has given rise to AI governance?

3.       What is involved/included in AI governance?

1. Who should be involved in drafting/managing an organisation's AI governance strategy?

4.       Are all AI governance approaches equal? (i.e., can enterprise use the same template to build their AI governance?

5.       What are the critical components of an enterprise-grade AI governance?

6.       Can you cite notable learnings for C-suite leaders and the Board in the pursuit of an AI governance strategy?

7.       Where does AI ethics fit into an organisation’s AI governance strategy?

8.       Can you elaborate on the urgency to build an AI governance framework?

9.       What does IBM bring to the table when it comes to AI governance?

10.   How would an organisation approach vendors, like IBM, to better plan and manage their AI governance strategy?

11.   What is your advice for C-suite leaders when it comes to AI governance into 2024?

It can be argued that business leaders and organisations face major shifts in the workplace, not the least of which are inflationary pressure on both employer and employee budgets, increased tension over return-to-office mandates, shifting legal and societal landscape concerning DEI initiatives, as well as the impact of client change.

On the topic of sustainability, Gartner says in 2024 organizations will begin to highlight and promote direct climate change protections as a key part of their benefit offerings. Just how will organisations address the concerns of employees while complying with shifting regulations around sustainable business practices, as well as execute and sustain their own net-zero strategies? 

Can we finally harness the data we are collecting about employees, customers, business partners, and government regulations to create an environment that is supportive of everyone’s interests? 

Joining us today on PodChats for FutureIoT is Haran Shivanan, CEO of iviva.

1.       Describe the modern workplace in the digital present (post-pandemic).

2.       The concept of a more efficient, more user-friendly work environment has been around for years. What is different about the situation facing employers and employees today?

3.       How do you see sustainability and commitments to net zero impact how businesses plan and operate their work environments?

4.       How can landlords and building operators support tenants’ sustainability objectives?

5.       Property consultant Knight Frank says 2024 will continue to favour tenants as companies prioritise optimising space. What is your advice for landlords and building operators?

6.       What questions to ask when evaluating the technology/solutions towards achieving?

From the greek word authentikos, authentication, the act of verifying an identity, continues to evolved. Depending on the context, authentication might involve validating a person’s identity through identity documents, verifying the authenticity of a website with a digital certificate or determining the age of an artefact by carbon dating or ensuring a product is genuine.

For decades passwords have been the most popular mode of authentication when accessing computing resources including applications and data. However, in recent years, its effectiveness has been called into question given its susceptibility to phishing, brute-force attacks and insider threats. 

Today, it is widely recognised that passwords, even the use of multifactor authentication, alone are not enough to secure users, networks and systems.

In this PodChats for FutureCISO, we are joined by Johan Fantenberg, Principal Solutions Architect, APJ, Ping Identity, to talk about how technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence maybe be influencing the evolution of authentication.

 Johan, welcome to PodChats for FutureCISO.

1.      What are the different types of authentication that have a potential to displace or augment current password methods?

2.      Set a baseline: What is passwordless?

3.      What are the challenges with going passwordless?

4.      How do you address concerns about the feasibility and practicality of implementing passwordless security solutions across different industries and sectors?

5.      Is there a role for AI in the passwordless security marketplace? 

6.      How should CISOs incorporate AI-embedded practices and technologies to enhance their security posture?

7.      Can you cite examples of passwordless authentication?

8.      You mentioned FIDO 2 Alliance early on. 

9.      Cost of deploying passwordless authentication technology.

10.  Looking ahead, what trends do you foresee shaping the future of cybersecurity, particularly in the realm of authentication and access management?

A 2023 Deep Instinct report claims that the increased adoption of emerging technologies like generative AI is a cause for concern among cybersecurity professionals with 46% concerned that AI will increase their organisation’s vulnerability to attacks. 

Stress levels are also increased among 55% of respondents to the study, with 86% of respondents who have experienced an increase in attacks over the past 12 months attributing the attacks to the use of generative AI.

To help understand how CISOs and SOC leaders can raise the level of efficiency through insights, we are joined by Nick Lim, VP of APAC for Tanium.

1. In your view, what are the hurdles to SecOps efficiency?

2. Do you see AI (identify which AI variant) can improve SecOps efficiency? Briefly describe how.

3. How does an organisation integrate AI into SecOps without adding further risks with the runaway use of AI tools like GenAI?

4. What are the top 3 areas to consider before bringing AI into SecOps?

5. Summing it up? How do you see AI transforming SecOps?

The WEF Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2024 reveals a divide between those who are resilient and those who aren’t. Emerging technologies will only widen this gap. Vivek Gullapalli, global CISO for APAC at Check Point Software Technologies opines that in the digital world, most “everything is highly interconnected, with the seemingly singular exception of cyber security, which remains locked in isolation, and bridging this gap will be critical to business success.

In this PodChat for FutureCISO, Check Point Software Technologies’ president for APJ, Sharat Sinha, summarises the region’s cybersecurity landscape, its leaders’ concerns and some options for moving forward.

1. How has cybersecurity in Asia evolved since the end of the pandemic?

2. As I understand it, cybersecurity is now an all-of-enterprise concern. And yet, different personas view their involvement and responsibility differently. Among leading organisations in Asia, what is the best practice when it comes to ensuring participation in cybersecurity matters?

3. Given the increased concern around escalating costs (particularly in the use of cloud and now AI), how should CISOs work with CIOs and CFOs to better manage the rising cost of cybersecurity? 

4. Given the many options and pathways to securing the business, what is your advice for CISOs and Boards looking at their cybersecurity options in 2024 and beyond?

Securing IoT in the enterprise is complex because of the varying of IoT devices and their diversity in form, function and purpose. While some IoT devices like smart devices may have some form of memory and computing, therefore operating system, others like sensors and telemetry modules merely capture data and pass this to other technologies in the workflow.

It is this diversity of form, function and technology, and the proliferation of multiple standards or protocols that has limited the ability of IT and security teams to integrate the security of IoT technologies into the enterprise.

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is the convergence of connectivity and security helping organizations to achieve a consistent security posture by implementing a decentralised concept where security is provided directly at the source, with the management of all involved components done in the cloud.

SASE promises to bring IoT into the security framework of the organisation. Amit Bareket, VP for Secure Service Edge at Check Point explains the possibility in the following dialogue with FutureIoT.

1. What are the top challenges faced in OT security in 2024?

2. What are the key components of OT security?

3. Should OT security be outsourced? (not sure if relevant to the overall story)

4. For a long time, the security of operational technology has been kept out of the IT’s portfolio. Given the recent rise in attacks against critical and industrial systems, do you see a convergence of IT and OT security and who will lead the charge?

5. How does IoT fit into SASE (and vice versa)?

The Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2024 paints a grim picture: there is a growing inequity between cyber-resilient organisations and those that are not. Among 120 executives attending the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting on cybersecurity, fewer than one in 10 respondents believe that in the next two years, generative AI will give an advantage to defenders over attackers.

It doesn’t help that cyber-skills and talent shortages continue to widen, with 52% of public organisations citing this lack of talent and resources as the biggest challenge when designing for cyber resilience.

In the race to develop the next generation of tools and techniques, FutureCISO spoke to Gil Shwed, founder and CEO, of Check Point Software Technologies, for his thoughts on the next evolution of cybersecurity.

1. In your view, what are the three biggest developments in cybersecurity in 2024?

2. How will these developments impact cybersecurity practice and profession in the years ahead?

3. With the maturing of AI, is it time to practice offensive cybersecurity? 

                a. How will this offensive strategy impact the CISO’s team in the performance of their duties?

4. There is an expectation that AI will be embedded in many of the critical business applications. How will this impact SecOps? Any suggestions for CIOs and CISOs to ready their respective teams for this inevitability?