When the world’s cybersecurity and governance leaders gathered in London for ISACA Europe 2025, there was a palpable sense of urgency. Across three packed days from 15–17 October, the message was clear: digital trust has become the new currency of business.

In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing are rewriting the rules of risk and resilience, ISACA’s annual European gathering served as both a wake-up call and a roadmap for the professionals tasked with keeping our digital lives secure.

A Community Built on Trust

For over half a century, ISACA has built a reputation as one of the world’s most trusted authorities on information security, governance and risk management. With more than 185,000 members across 190 countries, the non-profit continues to define what professional excellence looks like in an increasingly volatile landscape.

Its 2025 Europe Conference brought that mission to life. The event was part technical deep-dive, part strategy summit — a place where auditors, CISOs, and data leaders could exchange hard-won insights on everything from regulatory change to post-quantum cryptography.

One delegate summed up the mood neatly: “This is the conference where you don’t just hear about the future — you realise how close it already is.”

The AAISM Launch: Raising the Bar for AI Security

Perhaps the biggest headline from this year’s event was the launch of ISACA’s latest credential: Advanced in AI Security Management (AAISM).

It’s a significant move. As AI systems begin to make autonomous decisions — from risk scoring to fraud detection — organisations are scrambling to understand how to govern them responsibly. ISACA’s new certification aims to fill that gap.

The AAISM credential is designed for information security managers who want to demonstrate deep, practical expertise in areas such as AI governance, risk management, and control design. It’s also the first qualification of its kind to recognise AI as a distinct domain of enterprise security.

“The AAISM credential validates a professional’s ability to manage AI risk at scale,” explained Goh Ser Yoong, Head of Compliance at ADVANCE.AI. “It’s about integrating AI into security management responsibly — not just technically, but ethically.”

The launch reflects a growing consensus within the cybersecurity community: that AI is now too embedded in business systems to be treated as an experimental technology.

To help professionals prepare, ISACA has rolled out a suite of new study tools — from digital manuals and online review courses to the Questions, Answers and Explanations Database (QAE) — each designed to ensure candidates can translate theory into hands-on capability.

For enterprises, the message is simple: AI security isn’t a niche skillset anymore. It’s a strategic necessity.

ISACA CEO Erik Prusch

During the London event, Silicon UK sat down with Erik Prusch, CEO of ISACA, to explore how AI is changing the very foundation of enterprise security.

In an exclusive Silicon UK podcast, Prusch discusses the organisation’s vision behind AAISM and what it means for global governance. The conversation delves into how AI certifications can close the skills gap in cyber risk management and help leaders balance innovation with compliance.

“We’re at an inflection point,” Prusch said. “The professionals who can speak both the language of AI and the language of governance will define the future of digital trust.”

👉 Listen to the full podcast with Erik Prusch here.

Quantum Computing: Between Fear and Opportunity

If AI was the conference’s main theme, quantum computing was its wild card. Few sessions captured the audience’s imagination like Dr Shahram Mossayebi’s presentation, “The Quantum Apocalypse: Hype vs Reality, and the Risks!”

Mossayebi, CEO of Crypto Quantique, challenged the growing hype around quantum threats, asking whether fears of an imminent “quantum apocalypse” are justified — or overblown.

Quantum computing, he noted, promises extraordinary benefits across sectors like bioscience and logistics. But its real disruptive potential lies in cryptography. With algorithms like Shor’s capable of breaking today’s encryption protocols, quantum computing could one day upend the security systems that underpin the global economy.

The key takeaway? Don’t panic — but preparation. Mossayebi urged organisations to adopt “crypto agility,” the ability to pivot between cryptographic systems as standards evolve, while closely watching the NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography developments.

“It’s not about predicting when the threat will arrive,” he told delegates. “It’s about ensuring you can adapt when it does.”

If Mossayebi’s talk laid out the risks of quantum computing, Dr Tapiwa Chiwewe’s session showed its potential. His presentation, “A Quantum Leap in Technology-Driven Business Transformation,” took the audience on a journey through the science, economics, and strategy of quantum advancement.

Chiwewe’s focus was on collaboration — between academia, startups and industry — to ensure that quantum innovation remains accessible and ethically grounded.

“Quantum computing will redefine industries from logistics to finance,” he said. “The challenge isn’t capability — it’s preparedness.”

His call for upskilling and cross-sector partnerships resonated strongly in a room filled with professionals who know that technological revolutions don’t wait for regulation to catch up.

How to Enhance Your Career

In a field defined by constant change, few topics resonate more deeply than how to build a lasting career in cybersecurity. In his session, “Your Cyber Security Career and You,” industry veteran Alex Holden tackled that question head-on, offering a candid look at what it takes to stay relevant and thrive in an environment where today’s expertise can quickly become outdated.

Holden explored how the rapid pace of technological advancement — from automation to the rise of AI — is reshaping both the nature of cyber threats and the skills professionals need to succeed. He emphasized that future-proofing a career in cybersecurity demands more than technical proficiency; it requires strategic thinking, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous learning.

Far from a purely technical discussion, the session delved into the importance of soft skills such as communication, leadership, and critical thinking — qualities Holden argued are increasingly essential for those seeking to influence and lead in the industry.

For those entering the field or looking to move into leadership roles, Holden’s message was clear: cybersecurity careers are built not just on knowledge, but on the ability to evolve, collaborate, and bring human insight to a rapidly automating world. 

AI in the Real World

If quantum computing represents the next horizon, AI is already reshaping security operations today.

In a compelling talk titled “From Promise to Practice: How AI is Reshaping Cybersecurity,” Jason Lau, Chief Information Security Officer at Crypto.com, explored how machine learning is transforming incident detection, risk analysis and threat response.

Lau’s message was pragmatic: AI won’t replace security teams — but it will redefine them.

“The best AI systems are those that make human experts more effective,” he said. “But governance and accountability must keep pace with innovation.”

He connected his insights directly to ISACA’s own frameworks, noting how the AAIA and AAISM certifications provide the structure and oversight that many AI deployments still lack.

The audience response was telling. What once felt like a futuristic debate has become an urgent operational challenge.

👉 Listen to the full podcast with Jason here.

Leading Through Disruption

The theme of leadership under pressure was carried forward by Robert Clyde, former ISACA Board Chair, in his talk “Emerging Technology Leadership in a Rapidly Changing World.”

Clyde warned that the speed of technological change is outpacing many organisations’ ability to respond strategically. His focus wasn’t just on technical fluency, but on leadership maturity — the ability to embed digital trust into organisational culture.

“Ask yourself,” Clyde told attendees, “does your leadership understand the ethical and operational implications of the technologies it adopts — or just their efficiencies?”

Drawing on new ISACA research, he emphasised that the leaders of tomorrow must be translators as much as technologists — able to bridge policy, strategy and innovation.

👉 Listen to the full podcast with Chris Dimitriadis here.

Cyber resilience was the thread that tied all these themes together — and few people are better placed to discuss it than Chris Dimitriadis, ISACA’s Chief Global Strategy Officer and its European representative.

In a wide-ranging Silicon UK podcast, Dimitriadis examined the state of cyber resilience across the UK and EU, revealing where policy ambition often outstrips operational readiness.

We asked him about the gaps in national and EU-wide strategies, the lessons from recent breaches, and how public–private partnerships can help balance innovation with regulation.

“Resilience is no longer a technical goal — it’s a leadership principle,” Dimitriadis said. “Boards must treat cybersecurity as a strategic asset, not a compliance checkbox.”

👉 Listen to our full interview with Chris Dimitriadis here: [link to podcast]

A Shared Mission for a Trusted Digital World

By the time the final keynote wrapped, one thing was clear: ISACA Europe 2025 wasn’t just about certifications or compliance frameworks — it was about redefining what professional trust looks like in the digital era.

From AI to quantum computing, and from governance to ethics, the discussions in London reinforced a single truth: the technologies transforming our world must be built — and managed — on trust.

And for ISACA’s growing global community, that mission is both a challenge and an opportunity. As the conference proved, the future of cybersecurity isn’t just about defending systems. It’s about empowering the people who protect them.