Collaboration Week 2025: Strengthening Bonds, Shaping the Future

Charter of Trust partners unite in Denmark for a three-day deep dive into cybersecurity collaboration.

Collaboration Week 2025 brought together representatives from all Charter of Trust member organizations for an intensive three-day summit hosted in Denmark. This event serves as a cornerstone of our alliance—an opportunity to connect, align, and advance our shared mission of building a safer digital world.

This year’s agenda was designed to elevate our collective efforts in tackling today’s most urgent cybersecurity challenges. From artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to supply chain security, harmonized regulations, security-by-default practices, and future-focused education and advocacy, the sessions sparked meaningful dialogue and strategic alignment across working groups.

What emerged from these discussions was a powerful reminder: coordinated, purpose-driven collaboration is essential to building and sustaining digital trust. The impact of our joint efforts continues to grow as we share expertise, synchronize our actions, and lead by example.

A heartfelt thank you to Danfoss for hosting this year's event and offering an inspiring behind-the-scenes tour of their data centre. Their hospitality and commitment to innovation set the perfect tone for our discussions.

Strengthening Global Cybersecurity: Charter of Trust’s Thematic Dinner at MSC
At this year’s Munich Security Conference, the Charter of Trust hosted its annual Thematic Dinner, focusing on the theme: “From Cyber Fences to Defences: Reversing Cyber Policy Fragmentation.”

With cybersecurity at the forefront of global security discussions, the event brought together high-ranking representatives from NATO, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), the European External Action Service, national cybersecurity authorities, military leaders, and parliamentary officials. Their expertise contributed to a series of insightful discussions on strengthening international cyber resilience.

Key Takeaways from the Discussion

The increasing threat of cyber-attacks and disinformation poses a significant risk to economies and democracies. There is an urgent need for a coordinated and robust global response to mitigate these threats and establish clear consequences for malicious cyber activities.

Public-private cooperation plays a crucial role in cyber defence. The private sector possesses essential technological capabilities that must be leveraged to enhance the security of information systems, economic infrastructure, and democratic institutions.

Artificial intelligence is emerging as a critical battleground in cybersecurity. Protecting critical infrastructure with quantum-cryptographic security will be essential to counter evolving cyber threats effectively.

This event marked the conclusion of an exceptionally productive month for the Charter of Trust, which included:

This dinner was the perfect end for a very successful month in which the Charter of Trust held its Board of Directors meeting electing new co-chairs, the Security by Default working group published its sixth report (available on our website) and held a high-level panel discussion at Hashtag#MCSC, and several CISOs and CSOs from the Charter of Trust Partners published a playbook talking about cybersecurity and hybrid threats.

Cyber Resilience Took Center Stage at Munich Cyber Security Conference 2025

The Charter of Trust is proud to have organized a panel discussion on cyber resilience at this year's edition of the MCSC, bringing together some of the brightest minds in cybersecurity for a high-impact panel discussion: "A Practitioner’s Guide to Resilient Infrastructure Today & Tomorrow."

A Power-Packed Session

The session kicked off at 10 AM with Dr. Sumit Chanda, Group CISO at Eviden and Co-Chair of the Charter of Trust, introducing the alliance and setting the stage for an insightful discussion.

Next, the Charter’s latest report, "Security by Default in View of Major Cybersecurity Regulations," was presented by Sudhir Ethiraj, Global CSO & CEO Business Unit Cybersecurity Services (CSS) at TÜV SÜD. This report provides critical insights into aligning security practices with evolving regulatory landscapes.

One of the highlights of the session was a keynote from Mikko Hyppönen, Chief Research Officer at WithSecure and a global leader in the fight against cybercrime. With decades of experience at the frontlines of cybersecurity and IoT security, Mikko offered a compelling perspective on the rising threats we face today.

Joining him on the expert panel were:

- Lars König, Technical SOC Lead at Allianz

- Natalia Oropeza, Chief Cybersecurity Officer at Siemens

- Sudhir Ethiraj, Global Head of Cyber, TÜV SÜD

The panel, moderated by Dr. Ralf Schneider, Senior Fellow and Head of Cybersecurity & NextGenIT Think Tank at Allianz and Co-Chair of the Charter of Trust, explored the evolving cyber threat landscape and strategies for building resilient digital infrastructure.

Key Takeaways from the Experts

🔹 Mikko Hyppönen: "Cyber attacks aren’t just bad luck; they target vulnerabilities. Ransomware gangs have grown into cybercrime unicorns, while nation-state attackers focus on espionage and sabotage—with North Korea being the only country using cybercrime for financial gain. In today's world, data is the most valuable asset, and if data is the new oil, AI is the new refinery."

🔹 Sudhir Ethiraj: "Security by Default is more than just products—it’s about processes and organizational strategy. The Charter of Trust has set baseline cybersecurity requirements aligned with global regulations and OECD standards. Our biggest challenge? The explosion of overlapping cybersecurity regulations worldwide, none of them harmonized. We work together to bridge this gap."

🔹 Natalia Oropeza: "You cannot protect everything equally. Identify your most critical infrastructure—factories, IT applications, and business-driving processes—and prioritize their defense. Assume breaches will happen and prepare for infrastructure disruptions."

🔹 Lars König: "Understanding an adversary’s intent is crucial. Cyber threats range from espionage to financial attacks and pure disruption—each requiring a different response. The good news? We have more infrastructure and visibility than our adversaries. Our NetWatch community deploys attack sensors worldwide, tracking attackers in real time to take proactive action."

A Call to Action

This discussion made one thing clear: cyber resilience is a collective effort. To stay ahead of threats, organizations must collaborate, innovate, and implement proactive defense strategies.

With over 60 industry leaders in attendance, this session was a milestone in strengthening the global external engagement of the Charter of Trust, which remains committed to leading the charge in securing the digital future.

Navigating Cybersecurity in an Era of Hybrid Threats

As hybrid threats continue to evolve, cybersecurity has never been more critical. The latest Charter of Trust report, launched at the Munich Security Conference, presents exclusive insights from leading CISOs and CSOs across our Partner network. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the shifting threat landscape and the strategic actions necessary to enhance global resilience.

Key Insights from the Report

- The Growing Threat Landscape: Cyber adversaries are emerging across the globe, leveraging increasingly sophisticated tactics. Advanced threat detection and multi-layered defense strategies are no longer optional but essential.

- Breaking Down Security Silos: Cyber threats are constantly evolving—organizations cannot afford to wait. A proactive, collaborative approach is critical, fostering open dialogue across industries and sectors.

- Leadership in Collective Defense: Multinational corporations have a unique responsibility to lead in both technical defense and talent development, while also advancing zero trust architectures to mitigate risks effectively.

Collaboration as the Foundation of Cyber Resilience

The experiences of Charter of Trust partners highlight the importance of collective action in addressing the complexities of hybrid threats. Operating in high-stakes environments, these organizations provide valuable lessons for improving industry-wide preparedness.

A Call for Unified Action

Hybrid threats do not recognize national or industry boundaries—our response must be equally interconnected. As both prime targets and key defenders, multinational corporations are uniquely positioned to drive unified, strategic action. Initiatives like the Charter of Trust serve as a model for global collaboration, strengthening the cybersecurity ecosystem and paving the way for a more secure future.

We extend our gratitude to the CISOs and CSOs who contributed their expertise to this publication, including: Kyle Oetken (AES), Haydn Griffiths (Allianz), Paul Bayle (Atos), Christoph Peylo (Bosch), Morten Pors Simonsen (Danfoss), Koos Lodewijkx (IBM), Raphael Otto (Infineon), Natalia Oropeza (Siemens), Norbert Vetter (TÜV SÜD)

The Charter of Trust has kicked off its most pivotal week of the year with a high-level meeting of its Board of Directors in Munich. This influential gathering brought together key decision-makers to reflect on the past year’s successes and set the strategic direction for the future of global cybersecurity.

Under the leadership of Chairwoman Natalia Oropeza, the Charter of Trust has strengthened its internal structure, successfully integrating new Partners and Associated Partners while enhancing collaboration through four dedicated working groups. Externally, the alliance has made a significant impact, engaging global audiences through media, conferences, panel discussions, and key industry events.

Looking ahead to 2025, the Charter of Trust enters a new chapter with a co-chair leadership model. Dr. Sumit Chanda, Global CISO at Eviden, and Ralf Schneider, Head of Cybersecurity at Allianz, will take the helm, bringing a dynamic vision focused on building resilient ecosystems, harmonizing frameworks, and advancing cybersecurity education.

A special thank you to Benedikt Franke, Vice-Chairman & CEO of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), for his insightful keynote on the evolving cyber threat landscape and the vital role the Charter of Trust plays in shaping global cybersecurity solutions.

With a bold vision for 2025, the Charter of Trust continues to drive innovation, collaboration, and trust in the digital world.

CyberTrust Talk Returns to Brussels

Following the resounding success of its inaugural event, the CyberTrust Talk is making a much-anticipated return for its second edition. This exclusive gathering brings together renowned experts, influential industry leaders, and key policymakers to delve into some of the most pressing issues in the world of cybersecurity. The focus of this year’s event is centered on “Bridging the Regulatory Gap – Industry Challenges and Solutions for Aligned Cybersecurity Regulations Globally.”

With an increasingly interconnected world, harmonizing cybersecurity regulations has become a critical challenge. This event provides a platform for exploring innovative solutions and fostering dialogue on how to address these challenges effectively. Participants engage in the exploration of real-world case studies and actionable approaches designed to bridge the regulatory divide, particularly between Europe and the United States.

The CyberTrust Talk is more than just a discussion—it is a unique opportunity to engage with leading minds who are shaping the future of cybersecurity. Guests hear from distinguished speakers offering their expertise and perspectives, as well as gain insights into the latest trends and strategies shaping global cybersecurity policies. Beyond the thought-provoking conversations, the event also provides a space for meaningful networking, with a standing lunch offered during the first half of the day to encourage connections among attendees.

This year’s exceptional lineup of speakers includes Christiane Kirketerp de Viron, Acting Director at DG CNCT of the European Commission; Paul Timmers, Research Associate at the University of Oxford; Jean-Marc Leclerc, Director of IBM EU Policy; and Sudhir Ethiraj, Global Head of Cybersecurity Office at TÜV Süd. The discussions will be guided by the experienced moderation of Dr. Sumit Chanda, Global CISO at Eviden and Chair of the GEE Working Group of the Charter of Trust. Opening remarks will be delivered by Jeremy Rollison, Senior Director of Microsoft European Government Affairs, setting the stage for an inspiring and impactful afternoon.

We're thrilled to announce that our Charter of Trust Chairwoman Natalia Oropeza has been featured in the annual IT edition of the brand eins magazine!

In an interview with Dorit Kowitz, Natalia dives deep into the pressing issues facing the cybersecurity landscape, explaining how the Charter of Trust bundles the expertise of different businesses across several regions to stay resilient in the face of evolving threats. As Natalia Oropeza says: "We all win if cybercrime doesn’t win."

Here are three key insights from her interview:
🔑 Collaboration is essential: No single organization can tackle cyber threats alone. The Charter of Trust is a prime example that businesses nowadays are more transparent when it comes to attacks and that sharing information in this field can be beneficial.
🔑 Addressing the digital skills gap: The Charter of Trust is working to address the global shortage of cybersecurity professionals by encouraging diversity and actively promoting opportunities for women to join the field.
🔑 Unified regulations: Harmonizing global cybersecurity standards will reduce vulnerabilities, helping businesses and governments combat threats more effectively.

The full interview is available here: https://lnkd.in/gRm6ZDGC

We are in the middle of Hashtag#CyberSecurityAwarnessMonth and many of our Charter of Trust Partners are promoting it with great initiatives. One of the programs that we want to highlight is last week’s panel organized by Allianz talking about “Security in light of (gen)AI”.

The complexity and urgency of this topic gathered a lot of interest, with 600+ attendees throughout the whole panel, which was composed of Jon-Paul Jones, COO at AZ Commercial, Firas Ben Hassan, GenAI expert & Manager of AllianzGPT at AZ Technology, Dr. Martin J. Krämer, External Security Awareness Advocate at KnowBe4, and Dr Sumit Chanda, Global CISO at Eviden & Chair of the Global External Engagement Working Group at the Charter of Trust.

We are pleased to see Dr. Sumit Chanda from Eviden bringing in his unique CISO insight on what these emerging technologies mean in day-to-day cybersecurity practices and bringing in the Charter of Trust perspective on this topic as well.

Thank you, Ervin Cihan and Haydn Griffiths for inviting other CoT Partners and for the great initiatives that Allianz is putting together within this year’s Security Awareness Month. And special thanks to Heather Armond for the great moderation.

In response to rising cyber threats, governments are enacting new cybersecurity laws and regulations, with some, like the United States (US), moving from voluntary public-private partnerships to more stringent regulatory approaches, while others, like the European Union (EU), are updating existing regulations (e.g. the Network and Information Security (NIS) Directive 2, or NIS 2) and creating new ones (e.g., Cyber Resilience Act, CRA). These efforts often set precedents for other nations, but the lack of international coordination in cybersecurity regulation remains a challenge. This fragmentation, coupled with shortages of cybersecurity talent, risks diverting resources from essential cyber defense to compliance, potentially increasing costs, complexity, and undermining resilience and innovation. Some solutions include reciprocity agreements, adopting international standards, and leveraging third-party assessments to streamline regulations and improve global alignment.

To read the full publication, see the download link below.

Detlef Houdeau, Senior Director, Business Development at Infineon Technologies was a speaker at the inaugural UK/EU Summit organized by our newest Associated Partners Shared Assessments.

💡Under the theme “Risk to Resilience” the first event of this series was held in London and brought together professionals from different industries and regions. Detlef participated in the panel about the complex regulatory landscape and emphasized that new legislation like the EU AI Act, DORA and Hashtag#NIS2 continue to push the standard of care on cybersecurity and other risks.

Thanks to Shared Assessments for organizing such an amazing event and inviting the Charter of Trust to participate in this high-class panel alongside Andrew Moyad, CEO at Shared Assessments.

Strong networks and effective cooperation are the key to successfully shaping the digital future in Germany. Cybersecurity is a team effort, and that was again visible last week at the 36th Cyber Security Day in Berlin.

🌐On 26 September 2024, the Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI), Alliance for Cyber Security, and the DIHK invited experts, companies, authorities and political decision-makers to jointly strengthen Germany's cyber resilience.

The event was a great mix of policy debate, practical exchange, workshop and networking under the motto ‘Stronger Together: Greater Resilience through Cooperation’.

✨ One of the highlights of the day was the closing panel with Claudia Plattner, President of the BSI, Dr. Stefan Saatmann, Deputy Head Berlin Office at Siemens, Konstantin von Notz, Member of the Bundestag for B90/Greens, and Alexander von Gernler, German Informatics Society, interchanging ideas to foster resilience through collaboration. Initiatives like the CoT baseline requirements and its huge potential for international harmonizing cybersecurity regulations were discussed as well.

Let’s all work together so that closer cooperation between the BSI and businesses bring more tangible effects to increase digital resilience. Special thanks to Nils Hasenau for providing the excellent photos and also to Simon Ulmer and Ralf König for attending the event.

The Charter of Trust at the Nordic Cyber Summit
What a great opportunity for Morten Kromann, Head of Industrial Security Denmark at Siemens, to present the Charter of Trust perspective on cybersecurity regulations like Hashtag#NIS2 at the Nordic Cyber Summit in Copenhagen.

This year the summit was again a formidable event to engage with top cybersecurity experts, share insights, and discuss strategies to navigate the ever-evolving threat landscape in the Nordic region with the theme “Fortifying the Future: Building Cyber Resilience in a Transformed World”.

A main aspect highlighted by Morten was the discrepancies between the NIS2 directive’s incidents reporting timeframe and related provisions adopted in other legislations. These regulatory overlaps create difficult compliance environments for industry and costly operational pressures which add to the fragmentation of the market instead of harmonizing it. That is why the Charter of Trust emphasizes streamlining reporting requirements stemming from these different legislative frameworks and developing single entry points for reporting on the national level.

These and more points have been discussed during our Security-by-default Webinar on the 29th of October. See the events section on this website to find the recording of the webinar.