High-profile political summits, major public events, and electoral processes present unique cybersecurity challenges, particularly during times of complex geopolitical tensions, which range from disinformation campaigns aimed at creating disruption and fear, or manipulating outcomes and results, to direct attacks on critical infrastructure. This panel will explore how governments, cybersecurity experts, and civil society work to protect these high-profile targets.

Tue Nov 4 / 14:45 - 15:30 EET

OPERATIONAL RESILIENCE UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: DEFENDING HIGH - PROFILE EVENTS
11. Dave Maasland - CEO, ESET Netherlands

Dave Maasland

CEO, ESET Netherlands

Panel moderator

Dave Maasland (1990) is the CEO of ESET Netherlands, one of the largest IT security companies in the country. The ESET brand operates globally and protects over 100 million users. Dave has been active in the world of cybersecurity from a young age, progressing from commercial roles to becoming CEO in 2018. He is driven by the ambition to bridge the gap between technical experts and non-technical audiences, with a mission to embed digital resilience into society.

10. Monica Ratte - Vice Director, NCSC Switzerland

Monica Ratte

Vice Director, NCSC Switzerland

Monica is Vice Director of the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) in Switzerland and is currently co-leading GovCERT.ch, the swiss national computer emergency response team who is responsible for helping swiss critical infrastructures to prepare and react to cyberincidents – in daily business and during special events. Monica has extensive experience in cybersecurity, starting in operative incident management within the Swiss military CERT up to focusing on requirements and advice for federal institutions as an Information Security Responsible at the Federal Information Strategy Unit. Her work in cybersecurity has contributed to enhancing Switzerland’s resilience against cyber threats, especially through her leadership in federal cybersecurity.

Monica holds a Master of Mathematics from the Federal Polytechnical Institute Lausanne (EPFL).


14. Rasťo Kužel - Executive Director, MEMO 98

Rasťo Kužel

Executive Director, MEMO 98

Mr. Rasťo Kužel is a media & election expert with over 27 years of international experience. Since 1998, he has been running MEMO 98, a media-monitoring organisation with extensive experience in delivering analyses and technical assistance to the Council of Europe, the OSCE and many other international organisations. For the last 8 years, Rasťo has focused intensively on the issue of online disinformation in the context of elections and on the role of AI and social media during elections and ways to tackle their negative impact. He co-authored a White Paper on Social Media, Disinformation and Electoral Integrity to guide IFES in this area and the UNESCO/UNDP guide Elections in Digital Times. Drawing upon his experience, Rasťo wrote a media monitoring toolkit, which was developed with the support of the Council of Europe.

15. Mihai Lupascu - Director at Agency for Cyber Security, Moldova

Mihai Lupascu

Director at Agency for Cyber Security, Moldova

Mihai Lupașcu, Director of the Agency for Cybersecurity of Moldova is an IT and cybersecurity engineer with extensive experience across private, public, and non-governmental sectors. Since 2024, he has served as the Director of the Agency for Cybersecurity of Moldova. Previously, he led digital transformation efforts as Secretary of State at the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization. Before assuming this role at the ministry, Mihai lived and worked in France for over 10 years in both private and public sectors. He holds a Master's degree in Cybersecurity from the University of Rennes 1, a Master's degree in Foreign Languages, Business and European Management from the University of Orleans and a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the State University of Moldova.

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