Yesterday we celebrated the next generation of cybersecurity talents at the "Empowering the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Talent" event, co-organized by SANS Institute, Allianz Technology and The Charter of Trust. This event was a pivotal gathering focused on addressing the critical shortage of skilled professionals in the cybersecurity field. It was a formidable opportunity to bring together industry leaders, educators and public authorities to celebrate the graduation of aspiring cybersecurity youngsters from the CyberTalent programme and discuss future opportunities in cybersecurity education and careers.
🚀 We had the pleasure of welcoming our new graduates from diverse backgrounds and hear about their journey and ambitions in becoming skilled cybersecurity professionals.
The graduation ceremony was followed by a high-level panel discussion moderated by MarĂa del Pino González-Junco with the experts from both industry and public sector Maria Manuela Catrina, Patrick Zeitz, Ian R., Dimitra Liveri and Dr Sumit Chanda who shared insights on bridging the cybersecurity skills gap and fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce. The main takeaways from this exchange:
Different ways of thinking - "Cybersecurity skills can be taught, but the strategic mindset and the hunger to learn more certainly not". This shows the value of such initiatives like the CyberTalent, different backgrounds, different forms of tackling problems and the desire to excel can get you everywhere in cybersecurity.
Soft skills - "What we need in Cybersecurity right now are not only hard technical skills, but soft skills like communications, public affairs, public relations, creativity". Back in the day, almost everyone in cybersecurity had a degree in computer science, but those times are long gone. Talents like we have them gathered here today are the future and build the backbone of our security systems tomorrow.
Human-centred - "2/3 of all data breaches involve some form of human element". This shows that cybersecurity must go a long way to make it more human-centred. A culture of failure must be embraced and openness to constructive knowledge sharing after attacks. This is what the Charter of Trust stands for and wholeheartedly welcomes this new generation of open-minded cyber-talents.
We thank SANS Institute and Allianz for organizing this wonderful event and congratulate everyone graduating from the CyberTalents academy. We cannot wait to see, where your journey will lead you, but we are sure that your contributions to cybersecurity will be most needed.
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External Engagement
Advancing Regulatory Alignment at RSA Conference 2025
In the face of rising global cyber threats, over 50 CISOs have called for greater international alignment of cybersecurity regulations to strengthen defenses and reduce fragmentation. This message was echoed at RSAC 2025, where experts from the OECD, European Commission, academia, and industry emphasized the need for principle-based collaboration. The Charter of Trust, a long-time advocate for regulatory harmonization, continues to support coordinated, effective approaches that prioritize clarity over complexity.
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May 01, 2025
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External Engagement
Richards Skalt takes over the Advocacy Workstream
We are delighted to welcome Richard Skalt, Advocacy Manager at TĂśV SĂśD, as the new Leader of the Advocacy Workstream at the Charter of Trust. Richard steps into the role following MarĂa del Pino González-Junco, who recently assumed the position of Chair of the Global External Engagement Working Group.
With a strong background in advocacy and a forward-looking vision, Richard brings renewed energy to our mission of shaping a secure digital future. As he puts it:
“My motivation is to preserve and build upon the strong foundation of advocacy activities we’ve developed over the past years. At the same time, I’m committed to ensuring we’re in a position to shape the policies that will define how our business model and operations evolve in the future – including the cybersecurity of products and systems, the use, deployment, and distribution of robust AI solutions, as well as cloud security and secure datacenters.”
In a world defined by accelerating digital transformation and increasingly complex regulatory challenges, principled leadership and effective collaboration are more vital than ever. Under Richard’s leadership, the Advocacy Workstream will continue to engage policymakers, raise public awareness, and strengthen education around key issues such as cybersecurity, AI governance, and secure digital infrastructures.
With a strong background in advocacy and a forward-looking vision, Richard brings renewed energy to our mission of shaping a secure digital future. As he puts it:
“My motivation is to preserve and build upon the strong foundation of advocacy activities we’ve developed over the past years. At the same time, I’m committed to ensuring we’re in a position to shape the policies that will define how our business model and operations evolve in the future – including the cybersecurity of products and systems, the use, deployment, and distribution of robust AI solutions, as well as cloud security and secure datacenters.”
In a world defined by accelerating digital transformation and increasingly complex regulatory challenges, principled leadership and effective collaboration are more vital than ever. Under Richard’s leadership, the Advocacy Workstream will continue to engage policymakers, raise public awareness, and strengthen education around key issues such as cybersecurity, AI governance, and secure digital infrastructures.
Read more
April 29, 2025
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External Engagement
New Chairwoman for the Global External Engagement Group
The Charter of Trust is proud to announce MarĂa del Pino González-Junco, Cybersecurity Alliances Manager at Siemens, as the new Chairwoman of the Global External Engagement Working Group. Her appointment marks a significant step forward in our shared mission to advance cybersecurity through strong international collaboration.
Pino’s election follows a dynamic Collaboration Week in Denmark, where Charter of Trust partners from around the world came together to align on strategy, strengthen partnerships, and reaffirm our commitment to a secure digital future. As a longstanding leader within the advocacy workstream, Pino has been instrumental in fostering open dialogue with key external stakeholders and promoting cybersecurity awareness across industries and institutions.
“A reliable digital world can only thrive if public and private institutions build trust and cyber-resilience together, share their expertise, and support society in this digital journey. Those are our goals at the Charter of Trust,” says Pino.
She takes over the role from Sumit Chanda, COO/CISO at Atos, who has guided the working group with vision and energy. We are pleased to share that Dr Chanda has since been elected Co-Chair of the Charter of Trust by the Board of Directors in February—ensuring his continued impact on the initiative’s strategic direction.
We extend our sincere thanks to Sumit for his outstanding leadership and warmly congratulate Pino on her new role.
Pino’s election follows a dynamic Collaboration Week in Denmark, where Charter of Trust partners from around the world came together to align on strategy, strengthen partnerships, and reaffirm our commitment to a secure digital future. As a longstanding leader within the advocacy workstream, Pino has been instrumental in fostering open dialogue with key external stakeholders and promoting cybersecurity awareness across industries and institutions.
“A reliable digital world can only thrive if public and private institutions build trust and cyber-resilience together, share their expertise, and support society in this digital journey. Those are our goals at the Charter of Trust,” says Pino.
She takes over the role from Sumit Chanda, COO/CISO at Atos, who has guided the working group with vision and energy. We are pleased to share that Dr Chanda has since been elected Co-Chair of the Charter of Trust by the Board of Directors in February—ensuring his continued impact on the initiative’s strategic direction.
We extend our sincere thanks to Sumit for his outstanding leadership and warmly congratulate Pino on her new role.
Read more
April 24, 2025
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