GovWare tackles the “New Digital Reality” head on this year
By Yogesh Hirdaramani
This year’s iteration of the premiere cybersecurity conference, GovWare Conference and Exhibition, will confront the cybersecurity challenges organisations face in their digitalisation journeys from 17 to 19 October 2023.
-1697256221859.jpg)
GovWare will bring together over 10,000 global security practitioners, policymakers, and trailblazers to discuss pressing cybersecurity matters of the day. Image: Image Engine
Organisations need to ensure they remain secure at every stage of their innovation and digitalisation process – the key theme of this year’s GovWare Conference and Exhibition, held from 17 to 19 October 2023 at Singapore’s Sands Expo and Convention Centre Singapore.
“There is a paradigm shift in which cybersecurity has transitioned from being a mere siloed concern to an integral component that deals with forward-looking organisational survivability. This applies across the board, whether it’s government or industry,” said Mr Ian Monteiro, Executive Director of Image Engine, organiser of GovWare 2023, in a press release.
“While we are still very much connected to our cybersecurity roots, we are moving to a wider narrative of securing the innovation and digitalisation journey for businesses, sectors and governments.”
Securing the digitalisation journey
This year’s conference will convene over 10,000 global security practitioners, policymakers, and trailblazers from the cybersecurity industry to tackle issues of collaboration and resilience that will shape the future of digitalisation.
As part of its expanded narrative, the conference will feature a broader pool of speakers including those in charge of business strategy and operations as well as forums for critical infrastructure like finance and healthcare. Government leaders and end users will also be present.
Some of the key governmental cybersecurity leaders at this year’s GovWare include Juliette Wilcox CMG, Cybersecurity Ambassador of UK Department for Business and Trade and Goh Wei Boon, Chief Executive of Government Technology Agency of Singapore.
A Türkiye delegation will have a dedicated showcase of their cybersecurity expertise and innovations, featuring exhibitors such as STM Defence International, a Turkish defence company that contributes to the country’s defence and national security efforts.
Spotlight on healthcare and finance
This year’s GovWare aims to spotlight challenges faced by healthcare and financial institutions.
There will be a Health Innovation Showcase at the exhibition floor and a track presentation by Dr Alvin Lee, Deputy Director (Analytics and Capacity Building), Health Regulation at the Ministry of Health, on best practices for enhancing the cybersecurity of medical devices on 18 October.
The opening keynote panel on 17 October, moderated by Monteiro, will explore how critical infrastructure owners can balance considerations and reality to ensure security in the face of emerging challenges surrounding geopolitics, sustainability, supply chain disruption and climate change.
This keynote panel will feature healthcare experts such as Leonard Ong, Director, Cyber Defense Group at Synapxe, Singapore’s national HealthTech agency, and Yong Yih Ming, Chief Executive Officer at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
There will also be a by-invite-only forum for leaders from financial entities.
An invitation-only C-suite event will gather public and private sector leaders to discuss how industry leaders, regulators, and end-users can forge trust for today’s new “digital reality”.
Sessions to look forward to
For government cybersecurity officials, one session not to miss will be “How can Collaborative Partnerships Forge Impactful Synergies in Cybersecurity?” on 17 October at 4 pm, where Wilcox will join other public and private sector leaders to discuss how cybersecurity partnerships between the public and private sector can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes.
Day 2’s keynote panel will explore how to manage the cybersecurity risks posed by digital transformation and feature high level government speakers such as Ong Chin Beng, Chief Information Security Officer at Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
Tham Mei Leng, Ministry Chief Information Security Officer – Government Technology Agency, will share her experience on integrating cybersecurity measures into the operational technology and business domains of the Ministry of Sustainability and Environment on Day 2 as well.
Soh Zhi Qi, Assistant Director at Government Technology Agency (GovTech) will be speaking on how GovTech’s Government Cyber Capabilities Centre helps Government CISOs address common challenges.
In his keynote address at the CLOUDSEC @ GovWare event, Henry Chang, Deputy Chief Executive (Services, Governance & Cybersecurity) - Government Technology Agency, will share on vulnerabilities in emerging technologies such as cloud computing and AI and how automation can help mitigate them.
GovWare Conference and Exhibition is part of the Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW), organised by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), with GovWare as the enterprise component in SICW.