CISO Exec Connect · Melbourne · By Invitation

CISO in the Hotseat.

One CISO takes the hotseat. The room asks the questions. An executive think-tank bringing Melbourne's IT and Security leaders together for the next instalment of Delinea's CISO Exec Connect series.

Date Wednesday 20 August 2026
Time 5:00pm to 7:30pm
Venue Ototo, Flinders Lane
Format Closed-door, by invitation

Security leadership, off the record.

It's been quite a recent history for the CISO. A role shaped by the increasingly digital nature of business, security has moved from an afterthought to a key pillar of risk mitigation and business continuity.

In 2025, the conversation was about earning a seat at the table. In 2026, it's moved again. Agentic AI, autonomous systems acting with minimal human oversight, has changed what "securing the business" means. AI has become a double-edged sword: the same capabilities driving faster detection and leaner teams are also powering more sophisticated, harder-to-detect attacks. Frontier AI models are lowering the barrier for adversaries while expanding the attack surface CISOs must defend.

Executing an IT security strategy in 2026 now means building the right culture, maintaining oversight across an increasingly autonomous IT environment, and governing AI itself as both tool and risk.

Join Delinea and Innovatus Media as we unpack these challenges and opportunities at our Executive Think Tank: CISO in the Hotseat, at Ototo on Wednesday 20 August, 5:00pm to 7:30pm. Following on from last year, we're once again putting a CISO in the hotseat, sharing first-hand how they're navigating the AI-driven shift in security leadership, live in front of the room. Chatham House rules apply, so the conversation goes where it needs to.

What's shaping the conversation.

25 security and ITOps leaders will come together to explore these evolving pressures, and what the future holds for the community. Talking points include:

01
The CISO role in the age of agentic AI.
What oversight looks like when systems act on their own.
02
Securing the "moat".
How legacy meets modern IT as attack surfaces expand beyond human-operated systems.
03
AI as a double-edged sword.
Strengthening defence while facing increasingly sophisticated AI-powered attacks.
04
The culture of security.
Succession and scaling the right culture as teams adopt AI-assisted workflows.
05
Rise of the machines, revisited.
How endpoint and agentic applications are reshaping the perimeter.

This session isn't about one area alone. It's about how people, process and technology evolve together to build a more sustainable security function.

Ototo, underground bar and eatery beneath Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Underground, on Flinders Lane.

Ototo is a modern Japanese speakeasy tucked beneath Akaiito at 349-351 Flinders Lane. Moody, intimate, and built for conversation, it's the kind of room the Hotseat format is made for: close quarters, good food, and no one listening in.

Address 349-351 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Arrival From 5:00pm, session close 7:30pm
Food & drink Served throughout
Nearest station Flinders Street, 4 min walk

The details.

Date Wednesday 20 August 2026
Schedule 5:00pm to 7:30pm Arrive from 5:00pm for a prompt start.
Venue Ototo Beneath Akaiito, 349-351 Flinders Lane, Melbourne.
Format Executive Think Tank Closed-door, Chatham House rules. One CISO in the hotseat, peers around the table.
Audience 25 security and ITOps leaders Melbourne's senior security community, by invitation.
Registration By invitation Register your interest below and the Innovatus Media team will confirm your place.
"

In 2025, the conversation was about earning a seat at the table. In 2026, it's moved again.

CISO Exec Connect · Delinea & Innovatus Media

Who's in the room.

Delinea helps organisations secure identities, human and machine, across the modern enterprise. The CISO Exec Connect series is Delinea's by-invitation networking programme for Asia Pacific's security community, now in its second year and running across five cities in ANZ and SEA.

Innovatus Media produces closed-door executive roundtables, dinners, and workshops for C-suite audiences across ANZ, EMEA, NAMER, and SEA. Every session is peer-to-peer, Chatham House, and built around conversation rather than presentation.

Request your place.

Places are strictly limited and held by invitation. Complete the short form below and the Innovatus Media team will confirm your place.

Request received.

Thank you. The Innovatus Media team will be in touch to confirm your place at Ototo on 20 August. If you need anything sooner, email events@innovatusmedia.com.

Questions before you commit?

If you'd prefer to reply directly or learn more about the format before registering, the Innovatus Media team is happy to talk.