Kerissa Varma, president of Women in Cybersecurity Southern Africa.
Kerissa Varma, president of Women in Cybersecurity Southern Africa, will lead a fireside chat at the ITWeb Security Summit Cape Town 2026 on 26 May. The session will focus on the realities CISOs face when engaging with fellow board members.
Varma will be joined by a panel of CISOs, including Chris Vermeulen, group information security officer at Sanlam. They will discuss challenges unique to their role that other security practitioners seldom encounter.
Challenges to be explored include:
- Communicating risk levels to the board.
- Techniques for negotiating budget.
- Demonstrating the ROI and tangible benefits of major security investments.
“I will be hosting a fireside chat to unpack the conversations that CISOs have with their businesses – conversations many security practitioners don’t get to hear. We will delve into how CISOs manage board discussions, the key trade-offs they consider for programmes of work and financial investments, and how they navigate talks with insurers and regulators,” said Varma.
She stressed that the session would focus on delegate engagement, with an opportunity for the audience to pose questions to the panel.
“The aim is to upskill future CISOs in the audience so they understand the skills they need to develop for the role,” Varma added.
Lisa Lawlor, events director at ITWeb, said the CISO is instrumental in developing and implementing an effective, outcomes-based cyber security strategy. However, this important responsibility brings significant challenges.
“We know CISOs are under pressure, particularly during boardroom discussions about cyber security strategy. They must explain the rationale, ensure everyone fully grasps the objectives, and secure the necessary backing. The CISO’s role is a strong component of the ITWeb Security Summit, which is why we have also organised the 2026 CISO Retreat in March as a lead-in event. This reflects the market’s demand for more insight and expert opinion on cyber security, building resilience and zero trust positioning,” said Lawlor.
For more information on sponsorship opportunities at ITWeb Security Summit 2026, contact Debbie Visser at debbiev@itweb.co.za. To pre-register and benefit from early-bird pricing, contact Lindiwe Sibeko at lindiwe@itweb.co.za.
For more information and to register for the ITWeb Security Summit Cape Town 2026, click here.
