PECB Conference 2025: AI, Cybersecurity, and Memories from Barcelona

¡Hola, hola! We did pick up some Spanish while there, but let’s leave that for another time.

As you may have heard and seen, yes, the PECB Conference 2025 is over, and we are still strolling down memory lane, remembering how amazing it was. Over two days, we learned so many new things, made great connections, and deepened our understanding of how important the role of AI is these days, how easily a cyber breach can occur when you are unprepared, and how quickly you can manage it when fully trained.

We started the day with a very European focus. Punit Bhatia, Jetro WILS, Stefan Mathuvis, and Roman Krepki explored the EU Data Act and Cybersecurity, bringing together many minds in one room while sharing their perspectives. On the other hand, Jan Carroll explained the EU Cyber Laws and what’s next for us. While some were focused on data ownership, others were “fighting” AI-driven deceptions, with Mahsa Alimardani leading a keynote on Synthetic Media and Social Engineering.

But it wouldn’t be a conference without a dose of games… and that’s where Rinske Geerlings came in, leading a two hour hands-on workshop to teach everyone how to survive a cyber breach. While she kept the hackers in check, Peter GEELEN was “hacking” the future with some burning questions during the Ask Me Anything session on AI’s Role in Cybersecurity.

In the afternoon, the spotlight shifted to Nathalie Claes, who presented what PECB does best – ISO! But this time with a twist, explaining the implementation for EU AI Act compliance. Since we are living in the AI era, our panelists held a discussion in Spanish to honor our time in Spain. Jorge Edo, Ramiro Pulgar, Manuel Collazos, and Jorge Garibay explored digital fault lines and where everything collides.

The first day ended with many new connections, valuable information, and a session about PECB Skills, a platform that helps you upskill your career and stay aligned with technological advancements.

Then… then came Thursday, with fresh energy, new sessions, and panels to inspire us. At 10 AM, Rinske Geerlings, Silvana Tomic Rotim, and Alexandra Hanig discussed women in the industry, the challenges they face, and their journey toward leadership. On the other hand, Tamara Baydoun, Jacques Folon, and Ahmed Fawzy held a deep conversation on NIS2 and Cyber Resilience, engaging attendees on navigating EU compliance.

Intermission: People love interactive workshops, which is why we invited Christophe to bring his A-game.

The Stopping Zero-Day Attacks: AI-Driven Security in Action workshop took two hours, with Christophe Mazzola guiding the audience through an interesting session.

Everyone wants a shortcut to excellence, which is why we let the DORA playbook guide our next moves. Think of it as our backstage pass to thriving in a regulated digital world. Silvana Tomic Rotim, Ralf Schadowski, Andrey Prozorov, and Christian De Boeck ensured this was delivered to the audience.

And as they say, humans are wonderful and wonderfully unpredictable. That’s why Nick Van den Bergh was there to show how even our slip ups can become actionable intelligence with a keynote on Human Error and Cyber Hygiene. By afternoon, the mood shifted, two armies of algorithms entered the room… and we got to watch them spar. Adrian Resag, Tymoteusz Olszewski, Soenil Soebedar, and Sabrina Aly explored AI fighting AI, and why sometimes human intuition is the ultimate wildcard.

As the day came to a close, Liese Kuyken guided us through the ripple effects of U.S. deregulation, showing how events in the States can shake systems worldwide. And that’s how we arrived at the closing speech. Believe us, we didn’t want it to end, but the agenda called for it. That’s why we packed everything, went home, and started writing this piece, so you have one last memory from your time in Barcelona.