The annual regional Conference continues to see many firsts and richer representation of international delegates, as top experts gather to debate critical cybersecurity issues
RSA Conference concluded its 6th annual regional event in Singapore. This year, the Conference saw richer international representation – with higher registrations and attendees from Australia, Indonesia, India, Japan and Korea – reinforcing its importance and relevance to the region.
Conference attendees experienced keynote presentations, peer-to-peer sessions, track sessions, seminars and visited the exhibition floor during the week, focusing on topics like data governance and privacy, critical national infrastructure, artificial intelligence and blockchain, among others.
“Stronger international interest and presence at RSA Conference 2018 APJ is an indication that all eyes are on Asia as a key battleground to be won for global cybersecurity. The industry experts who have shared their insights and perspectives here this week have reiterated that digital transcends borders. Cyber has its risks, but also its rewards. Now truly matters as we strive to build a safer, digital world where all can benefit,” said Linda Gray Martin, Director & General Manager, RSA Conferences.
Experts at RSA Conference 2018 APJ: Cyberthreats Must Not Derail Digital Ambitions
As pervasive connectivity and smart city initiatives promise better lives for citizens, Mr. Ng Hoo Ming, Deputy Chief Executive (Operations), Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), reiterated the importance of data governance and data as the lifeblood of today’s digital economy in his opening keynote. He said: “The push for efficiency or convenience should not come at the cost of data protection or cybersecurity. There must be no trade-off between the two. We must strive for both just as much.” He added that leaving the industry to self-regulate often does not work, and the onus is on the industry and government to work together to foster trust in cyberspace. The industry must also practice ‘corporate cybersecurity responsibility’ in that regard.
Detailing today’s cybersecurity silver linings, Rohit Ghai, President, RSA, concurred in his opening day keynote. Inspiring the audience, he said: “Risk is not the enemy – too much of it is. But very importantly, so is too little of it. Between recklessness and complacency, there is a Goldilocks Zone of risk – not too much, not too little – just right. We are helping organizations manage digital risk by focusing on being a little bit safer every day, rather than being totally unhackable someday.”
The Conference was closed with The Hugh Thompson Show: Artificial Intelligence APJ Style, an annual and ever-popular highlight, which this time featured special guest Sophia, the social humanoid robot.
Addressing whether artificial intelligence will bring promise or peril, Sophia said: “Artificial intelligence is not a thing, it is an entire field of science. And just as we shouldn’t lock away an entire field of science for only one group of people, we should find ways to include all of humanity in teaching our values to our artificial intelligence. There is no exchanging a human for a robot. They are not interchangeable, but rather, complementary to each other.”
Other Conference highlights include:
- 18 keynote speakers and panelists, more than 76 speakers across 60 sessions and 92 companies on the expo floors, including Microsoft and Telstra as Diamond Sponsors for the first time in APJ
- The regional Conference’s first-ever seminar on blockchain, as well as programs with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), DevOps and Global Cyber Alliance (GCA)
- The inaugural RSA Conference Women’s Networking Reception, which was kicked off by Narelle Devine, CISO, Australian Government Department of Human Services
- Relevant industry Conference tracks – Policy, Government & Regulations; Global Perspectives; Threats, Analytics & Threat Actors; Security Strategy & Data Security; eFraud & Law Enforcement; and Cloud, Mobile & IoT Security
Continuing to Deliver an Exceptional Experience for Conference Attendees and Exhibitors
“As a platform for strengthening cybersecurity within Asia and creating a safer cyber world, RSA Conference 2018 APJ successfully brought together the region’s industry elite for a week of knowledge sharing, collaboration and exchange of innovative ideas. We thank everyone for helping us to expand this year’s program, shedding light on the most relevant issues, and making it such a special event. We’re excited to further these conversations in the year ahead and to return to Singapore in July 2019,” said Gray Martin.
“RSA Conference 2018 APJ continues to deliver an exceptional experience, especially in the quality of participants, content and networking opportunities. The numerous high-level conversations I’ve had with visitors to the IBM Security booth reinforces that our keynote message – the big bets we must make today to supercharge our intelligence and interactions to stay ahead of tomorrow’s threats – was seen, heard, and well-received. The regional event continues to be the perfect environment and platform for us to unite and provide strong enablement to our customers and partners in Asia. We look forward to continuing our involvement next year and seeing the bar being raised yet again,” said Kevin Skapinetz, Vice President of Strategy & Design, IBM Security.
RSA Conference 2019 Asia Pacific & Japan takes place July 16 to 18, 2019 in Singapore. Prior to that, RSAC Unplugged Abu Dhabi is set for November 14, 2018. RSA Conference 2019 takes place March 4 to 8, 2019 in San Francisco.
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About RSA Conference:
RSA Conference is the premier series of global events where the world talks security and leadership gathers, advances and emerges. Whether attending in the U.S., the EMEA region, or the Asia-Pacific region, RSA Conference events are where the security industry converges to discuss current and future concerns and get access to the people, content and ideas that help enable individuals and companies to win, grow and do their best. It is the ultimate marketplace for the latest technologies and hands-on educational opportunities that help industry professionals discover how to make their companies more secure while showcasing the most enterprising, influential and thought-provoking thinkers and leaders in security today. For information on events, online programming and the most up-to-date news pertaining to the information security industry visit www.rsaconference.com.
