Spies, chips, rules and bots: What geopolitics has in store for you in 2026 and beyond

The world is changing faster, and is more chaotic and conflicted, than ever before. The cyber domain is now at the frontline of international power struggles. This panel will cut through the noise to explain the geopolitical and technological events shaping the cyber sector today, in 2026 and beyond. Attendees will hear what businesses need to prepare for in an increasingly fragmented regulatory and technological world, filled with spies and hackers, and how to rethink resilience.

This panel will dive into the key geopolitical forces reshaping the cyber landscape as we head toward 2026, offering CyberCon attendees strategic insight and practical takeaways. We'll explore the intersection of geopolitics and cybersecurity and show it is no longer a future concern—it’s a current pressing challenge. In 2025 alone, we’ve seen cyber operations evolve into primary tools of statecraft, with ramifications across governments, industry, and civil society.

Moderated by national security and disinformation expert Meg Tapia, the discussion will bring together seasoned practitioners from across government, industry, law, policing and defence to unpack the threats and opportunities at the cyber-geopolitical nexus.

We'll talk about spies, espionage and how nation-state activity—both traditional and cyber—has matured into sophisticated, state-backed operations. We'll explore supply chain vulnerabilities and how attackers are exploiting trust in digital supply chains. We'll cover the growing regulatory fragmentation in our region and across the world, challenging multinationals. Drawing from hands-on experience in military and federal cybersecurity operations, we'll also break down how adversaries are scaling attacks using AI, machine learning, and automation.

This panel offers a rare synthesis of technical depth and strategic foresight, equipping attendees to anticipate threats, adapt policies, and secure critical systems in a volatile geopolitical era.

This session is designed for CISOs, cyber practitioners, policy professionals, legal advisors, and business leaders who want to stay ahead of geopolitical risks and understand what’s next for cybersecurity on the global stage.