ECSO CISO Meetup is a closed, European meeting of cybersecurity leaders organized by European Cyber Security Organization (ECSO) – a non-profit organization bringing together over 300 European industry stakeholders. The fifth edition will take place on October 1-2, 2026 in Berlin and will gather over 200 CISOs from all over Europe in the “by CISOs, for CISOs” formula. Unlike open industry congresses, participation requires meeting specific criteria.
Who can take part in the ECSO CISO Meetup and who cannot?
Access to the event is regulated by a clearly defined list of criteria, which distinguishes it from conferences open to anyone interested. CISO, Deputy CISO and members of the CISO Office can participate – regardless of whether their organization is an ECSO member.
People representing solution and product providers must demonstrate that they are responsible for their company’s internal security function, and not for sales or customer contact. Those who do not meet this criterion may participate as event sponsors. A similar restriction applies to consulting companies – only internal CISOs are eligible, not external advisors such as vCISO, fractional CISO or consulting CISO. A limited number of places are provided for sponsors, representatives of public administration and non-profit organizations.
Chatham House Rule – why the meeting is closed
Chatham House Rule means that participants are free to use information heard during the meeting, but they cannot attribute it to a specific person or organization or quote it without permission. At ECSO CISO Meetup it applies along with controlled access to the event.
Such policies have a specific purpose: CISOs rarely speak openly about incidents that actually affect them – reputational and legal risks usually trump the willingness to share knowledge. The Chatham House Rule removes this barrier: participants can describe their own incident of ransomware or a supply chain attack without fear that the details will appear in the trade press with their company’s name.
ECSO CISO Meetup 2026 program and topics
The agenda is built around real problems reported by the CISOs themselves, not a predetermined conference template.
The core of the program is case studies – analyzes of specific ransomware, supply chain attacks or incidents in production environments, conducted by people who actually operated them. They are accompanied bycrisis simulationstesting how emergency plans work under time pressure.
A separate block concerns regulatory compliance – a practical approach to NIS2, CER and EECC, and not the content of the regulations themselves. Artificial intelligence appears in the context of opportunities and risks it brings for organizations, and next to it, quantum threats and the integration of physical and digital security are a permanent item on the agenda.
The program is complemented by industry roundtables, for example for the OT sector, and reverse pitching sessions – CISOs tell technology providers what they actually need, not the other way around.
ECSO CISO Community – organizational context of the event
ECSO CISO Meetup is not an event created solely for the needs of one edition – it is the annual meeting of the ECSO CISO Community, launched in April 2022. The community currently numbers over700 CISOs from 29 European countriesand operates all year round, not only during the two-day meeting in Berlin.
The organization is the European Cyber Security Organization (ECSO) – a non-profit founded in 2016, connecting over 300 European cybersecurity stakeholders:
- large companies,
- SMEs,
- startups,
- research centers,
- universities,
- administration.
Meetup also cooperates with the Women4Cyber foundation, supporting women in the cybersecurity industry through mentoring and education.
When and where will ECSO CISO Meetup 2026 take place
The fifth edition will take place on October 1-2, 2026 at Estrel Berlin, at Sonnenallee 225. This is the fifth edition of the event – the previous one, in 2025, took place in Valencia.
The cost structure is divided: participants cover their own travel and accommodation, while ECSO finances the organization, meals on both days and the networking dinner on the first day. Registration does not mean automatic participation – after registration, the profile is verified and confirmation of acceptance comes within a few business days.
ECSO CISO Meetup and other cybersecurity conferences
There are several meeting formats addressed to CISOs on the Polish and European markets, but they differ in scale, openness and participation model. IN.SE.CON is a large, open state congress organized by the Polish Ministry of National Defense, covering the entire security infrastructure of the country, not only the CISO environment. KSC Forum and Advanced Threat Summit, both organized by Evention, are also open and ticketed – the first one focused on implementation of UKSC and NIS2, the second one on a broader spectrum of threats and technologies, with the participation of solution providers on separate pricing terms.
CSO Meetup is closer to the ECSO CISO model href=”http://secawa.com/en/blog/responsibilities-and-scope-of-the-ciso-cso-role/” data-type=”post” data-id=”7317″>CSO and CISO operating cyclically throughout the year. The difference lies in the scope: CSO Council covers only the Polish market, and meetings are held locally, in Warsaw and the surrounding area. ECSO CISO Meetup operates on a pan-European level, bringing together CISOs from many countries at the same time, and the confidentiality of conversations is formally protected by the Chatham House Rule, valid during the two-day meeting, and not in the form of permanent, local meetings.
ECSO CISO Meetup FAQ
What is ECSO CISO Meetup?
ECSO CISO Meetup is a closed, European meeting of cybersecurity leaders organized by the European Cyber Security Organization (ECSO), operating in the “by CISOs, for CISOs” formula.
Who can take part in the ECSO CISO Meetup?
CISOs, Deputy CISOs and CISO Office members are welcome to participate. Solution providers and external consultants (e.g. vCISO) are not eligible as participants, although they may participate as sponsors.
When will ECSO CISO Meetup 2026 take place?
The fifth edition will take place on October 1–2, 2026 at Estrel Berlin.
What does the Chatham House Rule mean on ECSO CISO Meetup?
Participants can use the information they hear, but cannot attribute it to a specific person or organization or quote it without consent – this allows for an open conversation about real incidents.
How is ECSO CISO Meetup different from other cybersecurity conferences?
Unlike open congresses such as IN.SE.CON, KSC Forum or Advanced Threat Summit, ECSO CISO Meetup is closed and operates at the pan-European level, closest to the Polish CSO Council model, but on an international scale.
