CIISec LIVE 2026

CIISEC LIVE 2026 COMES TO MANCHESTER EMIRATES OLD TRAFFORD
CIISec LIVE, our flagship annual conference, will take place at Emirates Old Trafford on Tuesday 24 November 2026
This is the must-attend event for cyber security professionals, bringing together over 400 industry professionals and leaders, experts, and innovators for a day packed with:
✅ Cutting-edge insights from top speakers
✅ Lively panel debates tackling the biggest challenges in cyber
✅Interactive, delegate-driven discussions shaping the future of security
✅ Choice of workshop streams
✅Unparalleled networking opportunities with senior decision-makers
Whether you're looking to connect, collaborate, or showcase your brand, CIISec LIVE 2026 is the place to be.

Absolutely not! If you're a CIISec member, this is your event - your community, your home. If you're not yet a member, this is your chance to discover how CIISec can elevate your career. At CIISec, we’re dedicated to raising the bar for professionalism in cyber and information security. CIISec LIVE is more than just a conference - it’s an opportunity to gain the knowledge, insights, and connections you need to thrive in this fast-moving industry.

As the natural home for cyber professionals, we work with our members to curate an agenda that inspires, educates, and empowers.

Sponsoring CIISec LIVE enables you to showcase your organisation to key personnel and decision makers in the cyber and information security industry.

Our sponsorship packages are not just about presence at the event, it is about an ongoing relationship with the wider CIISec community. We will create visibility for your brand both before, during and after the event.

Download our sponsor packages brochure and if you are interested in finding out more about the opportunities available please email [email protected].

CIISec LIVE begins on Monday 23 November with a networking reception (from 19:00) to be held in the Members Suite Emirates Old Trafford. The evening will include bowl food, free bar and entertainment. Attendees will include CIISec members, industry professionals, speakers, sponsors and more.

Our networking reception offers the perfect opportunity to start the conference by meeting key figures across the cyber community, making new connections and rekindling existing ones.

To get involved or find out more email [email protected]

Info: This keynote explores the world we are now facing as geopolitical shifts reshape the cyber threat landscape. It will examine what genuine national readiness requires, the role of offensive cyber capability, and whether organisations and governments can move beyond reacting to threats to get ahead of them. It will also consider digital sovereignty—not simply as a compliance issue, but as a strategic modernisation imperative central to resilience, autonomy and future competitiveness.

Info: A lot has changed recently for Manchester and the North West. GCHQ are developing a strong base in the area, as are the National Cyber Force. There is extensive investment from industry within the area and academia are making great strides in leading research. All these forces are developing a new cyber workforce and strategies to counter cyberwarfare and the changing threat landscape. The panel will share their activity in the North West, how the local cyber environment is changing and how we can all get involved.

Info: "People are our most important asset" is a phrase we hear often, but in a world increasingly shaped by AI and autonomous agents, is it still true? As AI transforms cyber tradecraft, automates routine tasks, and introduces digital colleagues into the workforce, many cyber security professionals are questioning where human value fits and what will remain uniquely ours.
This keynote explores how the cyber security profession is evolving beyond technical expertise towards the capabilities that machines cannot replicate: judgement, leadership, trust, ethics, resilience, risk management, and business decision-making. Attendees will gain insight into the future skills required for success, the changing design of cyber teams, and how humans and AI agents will work together to deliver outcomes neither could achieve alone. Ultimately, the session challenges every practitioner to consider their own personal and professional evolution, ensuring th

Info: Cyber security is often viewed as a technical challenge, yet many of today's most successful attacks exploit human behaviour rather than technological weaknesses. As artificial intelligence enables increasingly sophisticated social engineering, misinformation and manipulation, understanding the psychology behind cyber risk has never been more important. This panel session explores why traditional awareness approaches are struggling to keep pace with modern threats and examines how psychological principles can be used to strengthen cyber resilience. The panel will share practical insights into how people make security decisions, the biases attackers exploit, and how organisations can design cultures, policies and technologies that better support secure behaviour.

Info: Cyber security leaders face an increasingly complex landscape of threats, regulations, board expectations and business pressures. In this candid panel discussion, senior CISOs share the challenges they are discussing behind closed doors, from emerging threats and resilience concerns to talent, AI, third-party risk and securing investment. Join us for an honest conversation on what matters most to security leaders today and how they are responding.

Info: This panel explores how organisations can secure critical infrastructure beyond the physical perimeter. Industry leaders will discuss emerging threats, lessons from recent incidents, the convergence of IT and OT security, and the role of resilience, monitoring and threat intelligence in protecting the systems society depends on most.

Info: Delegate can choose to attend one of the following workshops:

Info: AI is rapidly moving from experimentation to enterprise deployment, bringing new challenges for governance, security and operational resilience. As organisations adopt AI assistants and autonomous agents, security leaders must balance innovation with accountability, manage emerging risks, and establish controls that enable AI to be used safely at scale.

This interactive workshop will explore what organisations are learning as AI becomes embedded in critical business processes. Through discussion and practical examples, delegates will examine how human oversight, governance frameworks, security controls and operational experience combine to create trustworthy AI systems.

Event venue & nearby stays

Emirates Old Trafford, Talbot Road, Manchester, United Kingdom

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.

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