S4 E15: The Quantum Readiness Challenge: Protecting Digital Trust and Preparing for Q-Day - Arvid Vermote, CISO at GlobalSign
How prepared are organisations for the arrival of quantum computing, and what does it mean for the future of cybersecurity and digital trust?
In this episode of CXO Secrets, David McClelland speaks with Arvid Vermote, CISO at GlobalSign, about the growing quantum threat, the reality of Q-Day and why organisations need to start preparing for the post-quantum era now.
Arvid explores the risks of harvest now, decrypt later attacks, the importance of post-quantum cryptography and how businesses can build a Cryptographic Bill of Materials (CBOM) to understand their exposure.
Topics covered include:
The reality of quantum computing and how close we are to Q-Day.
The risks of harvest now, decrypt later attacks.
Why digital identity, certificates and trust are vulnerable to future quantum threats.
Post-quantum cryptography and the role of Merkle Tree Certificates (MTC).
Building a Cryptographic Bill of Materials (CBOM) to map organisational exposure.
How technology leaders can prioritise quantum readiness and secure board-level investment.
Leading through major cybersecurity incidents and protecting your team under pressure.
How AI is changing organisational structures and the future of leadership.
Arvid also shares his personal leadership philosophy, explaining why a leader should be the first to step forward during a crisis and take responsibility so their team can focus on what matters.
26 Oct 2026
S4 E14: The Rubik's Cube Approach: Simplifying Complexity and Raising the Bar - Serge Lengagne, Group CIO & Director of Technology, Data & AI at KRYS GROUP
Technology transformation isn't just about replacing outdated systems or adopting the latest innovations. It's about building the right foundations, connecting technology to business priorities and making sure every investment delivers real value.
In this episode of CXO Secrets, David McClelland sits down with Serge Lengagne, Group CIO & Director of Technology, Data & AI at KRYS GROUP, to explore how he is transforming the technology foundations of one of France's leading optical retail groups. With close to 2,000 points of sale, its own lens manufacturing capabilities and a complex operation spanning retail, manufacturing and supply chain, Serge shares how he is aligning technology and data with the group's wider business ambitions.
Serge discusses why transformation must go beyond updating legacy systems, how a strong ERP foundation supports everything from inventory management to customer experience, and why organisations should focus on building the capabilities that differentiate their business rather than reinventing existing technology. He also explores the practical application of AI, explaining why organisations should start with business problems, make the most of capabilities already available in their technology platforms and avoid confusing impressive demonstrations with scalable transformation. Throughout the conversation, Serge reflects on the importance of communication, engineering discipline and breaking complex challenges into manageable steps.
Topics include:
Transforming technology from a support function into a driver of business performance
Modernising legacy ERP systems and building stronger technology foundations
Aligning technology and data strategy with business ambitions
Managing complexity across retail, manufacturing and supply chain operations
Using ERP to improve inventory visibility, procurement and operational efficiency
Building a transformation roadmap around business capabilities rather than a shopping list of technologies
Why sequencing matters when delivering long-term transformation programmes
Communicating transformation priorities and progress across the organisation
Deciding what to build internally and what to buy from established technology providers
Focusing internal development on the capabilities that differentiate the business
Applying AI to real business problems rather than pursuing innovation for its own sake
Making the most of AI capabilities already built into existing enterprise platforms
Why a successful AI demonstration doesn't necessarily translate into scalable transformation
Improving prescription recognition accuracy through AI
Using data intelligently to improve business operations and customer experience
Breaking complex problems into smaller, manageable steps
Why simplifying, challenging and benchmarking solutions helps raise the bar
Applying engineering discipline and structured thinking to technology leadership
19 Oct 2026
S4 E13: The AI Access Problem: Why Zero Trust Matters More Than Ever - Michael Jenkins, CTO at ThreatLocker
As AI becomes embedded in everyday business operations, technology leaders face a growing security challenge. Attackers can use AI to scale their operations, identify vulnerabilities and launch more attacks, while employees are using it to write code, build applications and automate tasks without always understanding the risks. For CIOs, CTOs and CISOs, the challenge is knowing how to embrace AI without giving it access to information, systems and networks it shouldn't reach.
In this episode of CXO Secrets, David McClelland sits down with Michael Jenkins, Chief Technology Officer at ThreatLocker, to explore how AI is changing the cybersecurity landscape and why zero trust is becoming increasingly important. Drawing on his experience in email security, IT and ransomware prevention, Michael shares how the threats facing organisations have evolved and why preventing attacks is more effective than repeatedly recovering from them.
Michael explains why the biggest risk with AI isn't necessarily its intelligence, but the level of access organisations give it. He discusses how employees can unintentionally introduce vulnerabilities by using AI-generated code, why banning AI can drive people towards unapproved tools, and how businesses can establish the right controls to support adoption safely. He also explores the importance of least privilege, the practical challenges of implementing zero trust, and why security needs to be embedded across an organisation rather than applied selectively.
Throughout the conversation, Michael shares his perspective on the future of AI-powered attacks, the importance of educating employees and why building a strong security culture requires consistency, collaboration and a willingness to challenge established ways of working.
Topics include:
How AI is increasing the scale and volume of cyberattacks
Why attackers can exploit AI-generated code even when it isn't perfect
The security risks of employees building applications with AI
Shadow AI and the dangers of using unapproved tools
Why banning AI can create greater risks for data protection
Why the real AI security problem is access, not intelligence
Applying zero trust principles to AI agents, applications and employees
Using least privilege to limit access to sensitive data and systems
How organisations can enable AI adoption without compromising security
Why AI-generated code still requires human review
Moving from ransomware recovery to proactive attack prevention
Lessons from investigating organisations repeatedly hit by ransomware
Implementing zero trust without unnecessarily disrupting employees
Why security education and clear communication are essential to successful change
Preparing for an increase in AI-powered attacks and less predictable threat actors
Why effective technology leaders encourage their teams to challenge established practices
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