The Future of IT & Cybersecurity
CIO & CISO Think Tank
May 28, 2026 - Miami, FL
Past and Present Visionaries
Jairo Riveros
Managing Director and Global Head of Strategy
Paysend
Edgar Escobar
COO
Grupo ALTO
Ivneet Kaur
CIO & CTO
Sterling
Gavin Hupp
VP IT
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
Wolfgang Latino
Senior Director IT Executive
Florida Crystals
Margarita Rivera
Global CISO
Carnival Corporation
About Me
As the Global Chief Information Security Officer of Carnival Corporation & plc, Margarita Rivera brings over 20 years of expertise in safeguarding digital ecosystems for Fortune 50 and Fortune 200 companies across diverse industries. Her leadership has been pivotal in implementing cutting- edge cybersecurity frameworks, fostering a culture of security, and ensuring adherence to international standards across the organization. In her role as Global CISO, Margarita oversees the enterprise-wide information security strategy, aligning it with Carnival’s mission and global operations. Collaborating closely with senior executives, Margarita supports top-line growth, drives operational efficiencies, and enables secure innovation within Carnival’s technology-driven environment. She is instrumental in mitigating risks, ensuring compliance, and enhancing cybersecurity capabilities across Carnival’s nine world-class cruise line brands. Guided by a servant leadership philosophy, Margarita empowers her teams and cultivates a culture of collaboration, transparency, and innovation. Her extensive expertise spans the design of advanced cybersecurity frameworks, management of complex incident response protocols, and the protection of critical operations, positioning her as a trusted leader in the cybersecurity field. Margarita holds a Master’s Degree in Information Systems from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Florida International University. She is also certified as a C-CISO, CISSP, CISM, CRISC, CISA, and CIPT. A recognized thought leader, author, and speaker, Margarita has received numerous accolades, including the 2024 Authentic Leadership Award from the National Diversity Council. In her personal life, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, reading, and exploring culinary and cultural experiences.
Paulo Nunez
VP, Head of Global Customs Operations
DHL International
Gisela Novoa
CISO
Pacific National Bank
Johann Balaguer
CISO
Hard Rock
Romeo Siquijor
CIO NA /IT Head of North America
CEMEX
May 28, 2026
Attend this event
Agenda
All times Eastern Time
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Registration
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Registration
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Morning Networking
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Morning Networking
9:30 AM - 9:40 AM
Opening Remarks
9:30 AM - 9:40 AM
Opening Remarks
9:40 AM - 10:05 AM
Vision Voices Keynote
Bridging the Gap: Mastering the Art of Business-Technology Harmony
9:40 AM - 9:55 AM
Vision Voices Keynote
Generative AI in 2026: Transforming Business and Technology
Explore the transformative potential of Generative AI in this forward-looking session, where we will delve into how this cutting-edge technology is set to revolutionize business and technology landscapes. We will discuss emerging trends, anticipated advancements in the next 12-24 months, and their impact on various industries. Learn about practical applications of Generative AI, from enhancing customer experiences to driving innovation and operational efficiency. Our experts will also address the ethical considerations, regulatory challenges, and best practices for successful AI integration. Join us to gain insights into how Generative AI can unlock new opportunities and shape the future of your organization.
10:00 AM - 10:25 AM
Keynote
The Pivotal CIO: The Helm of Modernization for Strategic Value
10:10 AM - 10:35 AM
Keynote
Data Revolution Leadership: CIOs at the Helm of Modernization for Strategic Value
10:30 AM - 11:05 AM
Fireside Chat
Cybersecurity Resolve: Mental Fatigue, Burnout & the Human Risk Factor
Cybersecurity isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s a human one. With mounting pressure, 24/7 threats, and increasing accountability, today’s workforce is under immense stress. This leadership roundtable explores the intersection of mental wellness, organizational resilience, and insider risk. Topics include burnout detection, human error trends, building psychologically safe teams, and fostering a culture where security isn’t just enforced—but owned. Learn how executives are rethinking workforce sustainability in security, with practical strategies for retention, performance, and mental clarity at every level.
10:35 AM - 10:55 AM
Coffee Break
10:55 AM - 11:40 AM
Panel
Elevating Agility: The Strategic Imperative for CIOs in Prioritizing Cloud Engineering
11:05 AM - 11:25 AM
Coffee Break
11:15 AM - 11:30 AM
Vision Voices
Unleashing Innovation: CIOs Driving New Business Models through Scalable GenAI
11:25 AM - 12:10 PM
Panel
The Next Wave Agentic AI: Control, Collaboration, and the Future Frontier of Automation
Agentic AI, autonomous systems that perceive, reason, and act with minimal human intervention is poised to redefine how work gets done. As these intelligent agents move beyond experimentation into enterprise-scale deployments, organizations must prepare to fundamentally rearchitect their digital environments.
This panel will explore how leaders can operationalize agentic AI to drive efficiency, creativity, and strategic advantage while preserving oversight, governance, and trust. Discussion topics will include designing workflows around autonomous decision-making, managing human-agent collaboration, and navigating emerging risks such as bias, security, and operational drift. Join us as we unpack what it truly means to lead in an era of intelligent, action-oriented AI and how to ensure these agents serve both your innovation goals and core business values.
11:35 AM - 11:50 AM
Vision Voices
Internet of Things (IoT) integration
11:50 AM - 12:50 PM
Lunch & Disruptor Showcase
12:15 PM - 12:30 PM
Disruptor
From Chaos to Control: Solving Data Sprawl & DSPM at Scale
Sensitive data is everywhere—stored, shared, and duplicated across environments without clear ownership. Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) has emerged to help organizations regain control. In this roundtable, leaders from heavily regulated industries walk through their DSPM implementations: how they located hidden data, prioritized risks, and implemented policy-based protection at scale. Expect real-world lessons on mapping data flows, minimizing blast radius, and integrating data security into DevOps and compliance workflows. If you're struggling with data chaos, this session shows how to take charge.
12:15 PM - 12:30 PM
Disruptor
From Chaos to Control: Solving Data Sprawl & DSPM at Scale
Sensitive data is everywhere—stored, shared, and duplicated across environments without clear ownership. Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) has emerged to help organizations regain control. In this roundtable, leaders from heavily regulated industries walk through their DSPM implementations: how they located hidden data, prioritized risks, and implemented policy-based protection at scale. Expect real-world lessons on mapping data flows, minimizing blast radius, and integrating data security into DevOps and compliance workflows. If you're struggling with data chaos, this session shows how to take charge.
12:30 PM - 12:45 PM
Lunch & Disruptor Showcase
Innovation Unleashed: Navigating the Future through IT Evolution with CIOs at the Helm
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Lunch & Networking
12:50 PM - 1:35 PM
Vision Voices
Revolutionizing Tomorrow: A Deep Dive into Innovation through Emerging Technologies
1:30 PM - 2:05 PM
Fireside Chat
The Future of Cyber Resilience: Winning in a World of Constant Threats
In an era of escalating cyber threats, evolving attack surfaces, and accelerated digital transformation, traditional security models are no longer enough. This keynote will explore what it means to build cyber resilience in today’s complex environment—where speed, adaptability, and business alignment are paramount. From securing hybrid and multi-cloud environments to integrating AI-driven threat intelligence, we’ll examine how leaders can future-proof their security strategies while enabling innovation. Learn how to shift from reactive defense to proactive resilience, ensuring your organization can not only withstand but thrive amid disruption.
1:40 PM - 2:15 PM
Disruptor
Fostering Digital Trailblazers: A Strategic Imperative for CIOs in 2024
2:10 PM - 2:55 PM
Panel
Agentic Security: Trust, Control, and Resilience in Autonomous Systems
As agentic AI systems evolve from experimental tools to enterprise-grade digital workers—capable of making decisions, taking actions, and adapting in real time—they introduce a new paradigm of both possibility and risk. Unlike traditional automation, agentic AI operates with greater autonomy, raising urgent questions for security leaders: How do we ensure control? How do we manage risk when systems learn, act, and adapt independently?
This panel will explore the security implications of deploying agentic AI across business operations—from data privacy and decision integrity to real-time threat mitigation and adversarial AI risks. We'll dive into the intersection of governance, identity management, and AI observability, and how CISOs can build frameworks that safeguard both the systems and the outcomes.
2:20 PM - 2:35 PM
Vision Voices
The Future of Digital Strategy in a Rapidly Evolving Landscape
2:35 PM - 2:55 PM
Networking Break
2:55 PM - 3:10 PM
Disruptor
What’s AI Doing for You?
3:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Disruptor
What’s AI Doing for You?
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Vision Voices
Modern Pioneers: Navigating Digital Transformation in 2024
3:15 PM - 3:35 PM
Networking Break
3:35 PM - 4:10 PM
Vision Voices
Strategic Shifts: Reimagining Engineering Talent Deployment and Management in the Age of GenAI
3:35 PM - 3:50 PM
Disruptor
2026 Business-Tech: Aligning Business Goals with IT Innovation
In a world of rapid digital disruption, the most successful organizations are those where business strategy and IT execution move in lockstep. This panel brings together business and IT leaders to explore how to align long-term growth objectives with the right mix of emerging technologies—from AI and cloud platforms to data-driven decision-making and modern application architectures.
Panelists will discuss how to break down silos between departments, drive innovation through collaborative planning, and build agile digital infrastructures that scale with evolving business needs. Expect insights on joint KPIs, governance frameworks, and the cultural shifts required to turn IT from a support function into a strategic growth enabler.
3:55 PM - 4:30 PM
Fireside Chat
The Human Side of Tech: Why Soft Skills Are the Real Superpower
In a world obsessed with digital transformation, AI, and automation, it’s easy to forget the power of human connection. But the truth is—technology doesn’t lead, people do. As roles evolve and teams become more cross-functional, the ability to listen, influence, adapt, and collaborate has become just as critical as technical expertise.
Today’s CIOs, CISOs, and tech leaders are expected not only to drive innovation, but to communicate across departments, manage diverse teams, and navigate uncertainty with empathy and clarity. Emotional intelligence, storytelling, active listening, and resilience are no longer “nice to have”—they’re essential for anyone leading in a fast-moving, high-stakes environment.
Nowhere is this leadership shift more relevant than in the US particularly in NYC, a city built on creativity, reinvention, and cultural diversity. Here, the ability to connect across perspectives isn’t just a professional skill—it’s a way of life. As tech and business worlds converge, NYC’s unique blend of innovation and human-centered thinking offers the perfect backdrop to explore how soft skills are reshaping the future of leadership.
This session dives into why the most successful executives are blending EQ with IQ to inspire trust, build alignment, and drive lasting impact.