CIO & CISO Think Tank

Royal Bank of Canada and its subsidiaries operate under the master brand name RBC. Founded in 1864, Royal Bank of Canada provides personal and commercial banking, wealth management services, insurance, corporate and investment banking, as well as transaction processing services on a global basis. RBC is headquartered out of Toronto, Ontario.

Thomas Rizzo is a seasoned IT professional with over 20 years of experience across various sectors and is currently serving as the Chief Architect at Lazard. His diverse background spans finance technology, digital services, utilities, social media, legal, and education sectors. Prior to joining Lazard, Thomas made significant contributions to companies like Zebra, where he helped shape their digital services and SaaS offerings, and Con Edison, where he drove technological advancements in the utilities sector. In his current role at Lazard, Thomas leads the design and architecture of technology solutions that drive the company's digital transformation journey. His strategic vision and ability to foster an engaging work environment have earned him the reputation of an 'IT Rock Star'. He is committed to driving business growth through digital transformation, and he does so by fostering a creative and enjoyable workplace atmosphere as part of his leadership approach.

Mr. Swope brings over 20 years of experience in IT Project Management, BI Solutions Development, IT Security, IT Controls (CoBIT, SOX 404/MAR, etc) IT Risk Management, and HealthCare Compliance, to both the public and private sectors. His focus is on identifying gaps relating to key IT security processes and the implementation of IS Security and Risk Management programs to Health Care, Pharmaceutical and various commercial clients. Has a proven track record of delivering the following: • Interpreting and applying 21 CFR Part 11, GLP, GMP, GCP, and QSR regulations • MDM and Data Governance • Identity Access Management • HIPAA Risk Assessments and GAP analysis • Information Assurance Program Management - SCRUM, AGILE, SDLC, Six Sigma • Implemented large security, risk and compliance initiatives of SOX-404 IT, HIPAA/HITECH, including security policies, procedures and controls. • "Big Data", Data Management and Health Care Data Analytics • Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) Compliance Reviews • Implemented the security standards - 45 CFR Parts 160, 162, and 164 Health Insurance Reform: Security Standards; Final Rule He has supported these Information Assurance and IS Security initiatives for organizations that include: Excellus BCBS, Medimmune/Astra Zeneca, ENDO Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk, Daiichi-Sankyo Solutions, Catalent Pharma Solutions, Johnson and Johnson, District of Columbia Government office of the Chief Financial Officer, District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, City of Richmond, Virginia Department of Public Utilities, Virginia State Department of Health, and the Kentucky Department of Health Services, as well as the U.S. Department of Labor.

Founded in 2016 from the merger of Willis Group and Towers Watson, WTW provides data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk, and capital that make your organization more resilient, motivate your workforce, and maximize performance. WTW is headquartered in London, England.

Alaa Moussawi serves as Chief Data Scientist for the New York City Council, where he oversees the operations of the data and web development units. Under his leadership, the data operations unit promotes the utilization of data to shape legislative initiatives aimed at addressing the diverse needs of NYC's residents. Utilizing advanced statistical and technological tools, they analyze a broad spectrum of issues pertinent to the city, ranging from pay equity to school bus delays. Their objective is to empower policymakers with data-driven insights, ensuring transparency and reproducibility in their models and research. Simultaneously, the web development unit designs and implements technologies aimed at enhancing the efficiency of council staff while reducing cognitive load. By leveraging algorithms and natural language processing (NLP) technologies, they streamline user interfaces and automate complex tasks. Their solutions, developed exclusively using open source technology, are customizable and include CRMs, internal websites for streamlined processes like paperless hearings, dashboards, and machine learning models deployed to facilitate daily council operations.

Ivan Durbak is CIO at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center. In this role he leads an IT organization that supports the Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center community, including two major hospitals, two nursing homes, a large emergency room and a large clinic ambulatory environment that sees nearly one million patients a year

AI Executive and Technology Optimist

An accomplished Executive Informatics Nurse focused on improving the clinician and patient experience with healthcare information technology solutions Julie is instrumental in engaging clinical leaders with healthcare information technology projects to ensure a successful implementation which improves clinician workflow, quality, and safety while meeting regulatory requirements. Julie has worked with Nursing, Physicians, Ancillary teams in the acute care and ambulatory settings.

Amit Basu is the head of IT and IT Security at International Seaways (INSW). INSW, headquartered in New York City, is one of the largest tanker companies providing energy transportation services worldwide. Amit is a proven IT leader with over 25 years of experience in maritime IT and has pioneered several technology innovations in maritime. Over the last decade, Amit has led a digital transformation in INSW with a Cloud-Only IT strategy and is instrumental in designing a multi-layered cybersecurity framework promoting a cyber resilience culture. Amit holds an MBA as well as a Master of Science degree in Information Management from the Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey. He is also a Certified Information Security Manager from ISACA, certified in Cybersecurity Risk Management by HarvardX, Cybersecurity Oversight by Carnegie Mellon University, Maritime Cybersecurity by Lloyds Maritime, and Artificial Intelligence by MIT Sloan School of Management. Amit is an advisory board member for the Cybersecurity program at Pace University and Ithaca College, on the advisory board of Exium, and a member of the Governing Body of New York CIO Executive Summit.

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Trustwave Holdings Inc. operates as a holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, provides data security, threat, vulnerability, and compliance management solutions, as well as offers qualified security assessor, approved scanning vendor, and qualified payment application security solutions.

Established in 1884 and headquartered in The Bronx, New York, Montefiore Medical Center provides medical care and emergency services.

Daan Gheysens is the CEO of Cyberwolf, a global cybersecurity firm with offices in the United States and Belgium. Cyberwolf delivers all-in digital protection for wealthy families and corporate VIPs, delivered in a private and convenient experience. Before Cyberwolf, Daan served as Head of Sales & Marketing at Robovision, where he built and scaled the go-to-market for AI-powered solutions in medical imaging and industrial automation. He began his career at Accenture, advising Fortune 500 companies on AI strategy and helping them establish their first AI teams and programs.

Derrick A. Butts is the CEO/Founder of Continuums Strategies LLC. Derrick helps organizations develop enterprise cyber-resilience and risk management strategies to secure their business culture before the AI driven cyber-attacks. With 20+ years of strategic enterprise resilience experiences, he’s digitally transformed enterprise environments with up to 700,000 employees and supported winning contracts up to $3.2B. As an Enterprise Cyber-Resilience Advisor |SME, and former CIO/CISO, he’s been entrusted by CEOs, boards of directors, C-Level executives, financial directors, Navy Captains/Directors, federal/state technology directors, university CIOs/CTOs, and non-profits. He’s proactively addressed the adoption/integration of enterprise innovations through IT/security challenges while aligning cyber-resilience strategies with operational survivability requirements to meet mission compliance objectives. Additionally, he’s worked with business cultures to logistically embrace enterprise digital transformations and necessary vendor services to support their eco-system's resilience strategy. Recognized as a Top Cybersecurity Leader - 2021/2020.

Visionary, results and solutions-driven professional with 20+ years of experience in progressively responsible Cyber Security and IT leadership roles in the financial services, insurance, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, consumer goods,and chemical manufacturing industries. Adept in building and leading global Cyber Security, IT technical and support functions. Creative, resourceful problem solver with a track record of success in delivering cost-effective and value-added services to his customers. Additional experience in industrial engineering and process improvement. Specialties: Areas of expertise include: Cyber Security, Network Security,Application Security, Infrastructure Management and Security Incident Management, Disaster Recovery, Forensic Investigations, Operations Management, Financial Management, Project/Portfolio Management, Policy/Procedure Development, Budget Preparation, Strategic Planning, Process Design/Implementation, Risk Mitigation, Enterprise Architecture, IT Governance, Manufacturing/Laboratory Automation, Organizational Design, Vendor Audits, System, Start-Up Operations, Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), Talent Development/Mentoring, International Team Management, and Regulatory Compliance