The role of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) has reached a definitive inflection point. Once tasked primarily with technical defense and boundary setting, the modern CISO now operates at the absolute epicenter of business strategy, regulatory liability, and market trust. In 2025, the CISO’s job is defined by a single, powerful word: Resilience.
It is no longer enough to build high walls; the CISO must now engineer the entire organisation to withstand, absorb, and quickly recover from inevitable disruption. This mandate is intensified across Europe by a dynamic landscape of sophisticated threats—including state-aligned cyber espionage and prolific ransomware—set against the backdrop of landmark regulations like NIS2, DORA, and the EU AI Act.
The CISO Power 100 Index – Europe 2025, presented by #RISK Europe, is the honour roll for the leaders who have mastered this strategic balance. It celebrates the architects of modern resilience and strategic players who are leading their organisations through the complex, interconnected risk landscape of the future.
The Evolution: From Technical Gatekeeper to Architect of Digital Trust
The CISO has fundamentally transformed from a technical gatekeeper to an Architect of Digital Trust and a Chief Risk Storyteller. Their value proposition now extends directly across the entire Profit & Loss (P&L) statement. This evolution is driven by four core mandates:
Cyber Resilience is the Core Mandate
For the first time, the primary functional priority for CISOs is not prevention, but Cyber Resilience. This critical shift prioritises the ability to maintain and rapidly resume operations—a non-negotiable standard set by regulations like the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) for finance and NIS2 for critical infrastructure. Compliance is now measured by your ability to recover, not just your ability to defend.
The AI Governance Imperative
The rapid adoption of Generative AI creates massive efficiency, but also massive liability. CISOs are the lynchpin for governing its use, ensuring that AI systems are deployed securely, ethically, and in compliance with stringent European regulation, most notably the impending EU AI Act. Their mandate is to enable innovation while strictly managing the new attack vectors AI introduces.
Leading the Extended Enterprise
Cyber risk is inextricably tied to the supply chain. The CISO’s perimeter now extends far beyond the corporate firewall. Leaders must exert influence and implement controls far beyond their company’s perimeter to manage vulnerabilities introduced by third-party dependencies, effectively mitigating the single greatest source of modern operational risk.
Translating Risk into Strategy
To secure board buy-in and justify necessary resource allocation, the CISO must excel at translating technical threats (like an increase in AI-powered phishing or ransomware) into quantifiable, business-centric financial and operational risks. This strategic storytelling ensures that risk is viewed as an investment in assurance, rather than a cost.
CISO Excellence: The Strategic Alignment at #RISK Europe
The CISO Power 100 Index is more than just a list; it is a live blueprint of strategic leadership. As Nick James, CEO of GRC World Forums (Presenters of #RISK Europe), states:
“The CISO’s job is no longer just cyber defense; it’s about connecting the dots, integrating cyber risk with compliance, AI governance, and crisis leadership.”
The dedication of the CISO Power 100 Class of 2025—including distinguished names like Rebecca Cox (HSBC), Paul Shaw (Aviva), and Helen Rabe (BBC)—is a testament to making European business both secure and strategically resilient.
The Exclusive Keynote: The Evolving Value Proposition of Cyber Leadership in 2025
This session, celebrates the executives shaping the future of European cyber resilience. This fireside conversation will explore what it means to lead in the NIS2/AI era and what separates the good from the truly great in cyber leadership today.
Delegates attending #RISK Europe gain direct access to this crucial intelligence, exploring key discussion points:
- Integrated Compliance: Practical, measurable steps C-level leaders are taking to achieve simultaneous readiness for DORA, NIS2, and The AI Act.
- The Boardroom Compass: How to translate technical risk into quantifiable financial assurance (P&L protection) and secure resources for strategic resilience programs.
- Enabling GenAI Securely: Debating the most effective, scalable guardrails CISOs are building to allow AI innovation while strictly managing data and liability risk.
- The Extended Perimeter: The critical role of the CISO in managing the volatility of the supply chain and geopolitical shocks that cascade into local operational failure.
The CISO Power 100 is critical because it highlights the executives driving this integrated GRC agenda. It provides the definitive insight necessary for any leader—from Audit to Legal—to benchmark their own organization’s resilience strategy against Europe’s elite.
Secure Your Blueprint for Resilience
The modern CISO is no longer defined by firewalls or frameworks, but by foresight, resilience, and the ability to translate cyber risk into strategic action. This Index is your opportunity to absorb that intelligence directly.
Don’t miss out: By registering for the FREE #RISK Europe expo, you unlock access to both the CISO Power 100 Index PDF and a guaranteed seat at the exclusive CISO Power 100 Panel on November 12th. Join us in London to gain the knowledge and connections that will safeguard your reputation, operations, and bottom line.
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