Rik Ferguson keynote speaker

Rik Ferguson is one of the world's most recognized cybersecurity experts, a technology futurist, author, researcher and international keynote speaker with more than 30 years of experience in information security.

He is currently Vice President of Security Intelligence at Forescout, where he helps shape global security strategy and thought leadership across increasingly complex digital environments spanning enterprise IT, Internet of Things (IoT), operational technology (OT), connected infrastructure and cyber-physical systems.

Rik is also a founding Special Advisor to Europol's European Cyber Crime Centre (EC3), bringing together an unusual combination of frontline cybersecurity knowledge, understanding of criminal behavior, technological foresight and experience advising organizations operating in high-risk environments.

Before joining Forescout in 2022, Rik spent 15 years at Trend Micro, ultimately serving as Vice President of Security Research. Earlier in his career, he held security and technology positions with organizations including McAfee and EDS, building expertise across network security, encryption, intrusion prevention, privacy and enterprise security architecture.

His work examines not only today's cyber threats but also what happens next. Rik explores how artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, quantum computing, connected devices and accelerating digitalization are changing both the capabilities of attackers and the responsibilities of defenders.

A recurring theme in Rik's work is visibility. Modern organizations cannot protect assets they don't know exist. As IT, IoT, OT, cloud infrastructure, medical devices and other connected systems converge, cybersecurity must evolve from protecting a traditional perimeter toward continuously understanding and managing an expanding digital ecosystem.

He is equally interested in the human and geopolitical dimensions of cybersecurity. His presentations explore cybercrime economies, ransomware, social engineering, disinformation, digital trust, regulation and the growing relationship between cyber risk, national security and critical infrastructure.

In 2011, Rik was inducted into the Infosecurity Hall of Fame, recognizing his contribution to the cybersecurity industry. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and holds professional qualifications including Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH), CISSP and ISSAP.

Rik has appeared at major international events including RSA Conference, Mobile World Congress, Milken Institute, Infosecurity Europe, Virus Bulletin, RUSI and the e-Crime Congress, and his expertise has been sought by international media including the BBC, CNN, CNBC, Sky News and Channel 4.

On stage, Rik combines deep technical credibility with storytelling, humor and an ability to explain complicated threats without burying audiences in technical jargon. His presentations help leaders understand not only what is happening in cybersecurity, but why it matters and what organizations should do about it.