Top Cybersecurity Events in the UK for CISOs (2026 Guide)

Field Marketing conferences Cybersecurity Jan 15, 2026 9:51:30 AM Moaaz Nagori | Head of Marketing 14 min read

Reaching a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is notoriously difficult. Just ask any sales or marketing person. They are often described as the "most guarded" personas in the B2B world. In 2026, this challenge has intensified as CISOs face a perfect storm of AI-driven threats, regulatory pressure, and extreme vendor fatigue.

Marketers and salespeople often have to focus on more relevant and unique strategies to gain their attention. CISO’s are excellent at seeing through the fluff.

The good news is that this audience loves to attend relevant events.

The ConvergeX Connections team hosted 8 events inviting about 80+ information security leaders to our executive dinners and virtual events. So we speak from experience.

Whether you’re a CISO leader looking for events relevant to your space or a marketer / revenue leader looking to sponsor, this article is for you.

In the UK alone there are over 12,000 Information Security decision makers and leaders. The UK is also considered one of the EU's main hubs hosting various relevant conferences. Many InfoSec leaders fly in to all the cybersecurity events and conferences happening in the UK.

Why Cybersecurity Events in the UK

Our criteria for deciding these conferences is as below. If you want to skip to the conferences, feel free to scroll to the list.

Strength of the Agenda (Relevance, Depth, and Time Respect)

Why this is critical for CISOs

CISOs operate under extreme time pressure and constant risk exposure. Every meeting, event, or workshop they attend is evaluated through one lens:
“Will this help me reduce risk, improve resilience, or make better decisions?”

A strong agenda signals to a CISO that:

The content is practical, not theoretical
Topics are mapped to real security challenges (e.g., ransomware readiness, third-party risk, cloud security, AI governance, regulatory pressure)
Sessions go beyond surface-level awareness and into decision frameworks, lessons learned, and implementation realities

What CISOs look for in an agenda

Clear outcomes (what they will leave with)
Advanced discussions, not vendor sales pitches
Evidence the agenda was shaped by CISOs, not marketers

👉 For CISOs, a strong agenda equals efficient learning with immediate operational value. Weak or generic agendas are an instant disqualifier.

Credibility and Certification (Trust, Signal Value, and Professional ROI)

Why credibility matters to CISOs

CISOs are accountable to boards, regulators, and auditors. Attending (or sponsoring) an event reflects on their professional judgment.

Credibility reassures them that:

The event organizers understand enterprise-grade security realities
Speakers are experienced practitioners, not just consultants or vendors
Content aligns with accepted security frameworks, regulations, or industry standards

Why certification strengthens relevance

Certifications provide tangible professional value (CPEs, compliance with continuing education requirements)
They justify time spent away from operational responsibilities
They signal that the event meets a recognized standard of rigor

For CISOs, certification isn’t just a perk—it’s a risk-mitigating justification for attendance.

👉 Credibility and certification turn an event from “interesting” into defensible and board-approved.

Peer Networking Opportunities (Trust, Benchmarking, and Real Insight)

Why peer networking is uniquely valuable to CISOs

Security leadership is often isolating. Many CISOs:

Can’t openly discuss incidents internally
Can’t benchmark strategy with competitors
Can’t rely on vendors for unbiased insights

Peer networking provides:

Safe, off-the-record conversations with others facing similar threats
Real-world validation of decisions (“How are others handling this?”)
Early insight into emerging risks, tools, and regulatory trends

What makes peer networking meaningful to CISOs

Curated attendance (true peers, similar seniority)
Small, trust-based formats (executive dinners, closed-door sessions)
Non-sales, non-sponsored discussions

👉 For CISOs, peer networking is often as valuable as the formal content, because it delivers unfiltered intelligence they can’t get elsewhere.

Let's get down to the list of conferences you need to think about if you're marketing to Cybersecurity executives

1. SANS London (Cybersecurity Training)

Dates: 19–24 January 2026
URL: https://www.sans.org/cyber-security-training-events/london-january-2026
What It Is: A week-long series of hands-on, expert-led training courses by SANS, one of the world’s top cybersecurity training organisations. Sessions include GIAC-aligned courses, immersive labs and practical exercises.