Cyberwarfare expert to speak at Forge Institute Cyber ​​​​Summit

Jim Richberg, head of cyber policy and global chief information security officer at Fortinet, a California-based cybersecurity firm, will be the keynote speaker at the fifth annual Forge Institute Cyber ​​Summit, Oct. 7 and 8 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.

“The Forge Institute is thrilled to have Jim Richberg join us again for Forge Institute Cyber ​​Summit 2024,” said Lee Watson, president and CEO of Forge Institute in Little Rock. “He brings a unique level of expertise that greatly enhances our ability to build exciting partnerships across the public and private sectors to address emerging threats.”

Richberg is recognized globally as a leader in driving innovation in cybersecurity, threat intelligence, and cyber strategy. At the summit, he will share some of the key questions and guiding principles he has used to advance cyber resilience for federal government and private sector partners.

He brings nearly 40 years of experience to his role at Fortinet. Prior to joining the company, he served as the U.S. National Intelligence Director for Cybersecurity. The senior federal director focused on cyber intelligence for the more than $80 billion, 100,000-employee U.S. intelligence community.

He led the development and implementation of cyber strategy for 17 IC departments and agencies, established integrated cyber threat priorities, and served as senior advisor to the Director of National Intelligence on cybersecurity issues.

He brings a broad, enterprise-level approach to cybersecurity, an approach he honed as a member of the leadership team that oversaw the implementation of a comprehensive U.S. national cybersecurity initiative for two presidents.

“Having partnered with the Forge Institute as a leader in federal cybersecurity, I am proud to continue that partnership as a Fortinet director, as we are committed to public-private partnerships that help advance cybersecurity resilience,” he said. “The cybersecurity challenges we face require both public and private sector action and a focus on current and emerging issues. This summit provides an opportunity to advance these areas on behalf of Arkansas and the nation.”

As a hub for professionals from a variety of sectors, from industry and academia to critical infrastructure, government, military and intelligence, the Cyber ​​Summit aims to not only provide a venue for conversations but also an incubator for ideas and actions that can shape Arkansas’ and, by extension, America’s cybersecurity posture in an increasingly digital world.

Registration for the Cyber ​​​​Summit is open. For more information, visit forge.institute/summit.

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