Speaker Bio
Ms. Gopal is a Director Analyst at Gartner Business & Technology Insights, with nearly two decades of hands-on experience in Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy for Global enterprises. She has shaped and led the agendas of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) in her previous roles, and continues to support CIOs and CISOs in developing their strategic priorities in her current role. Ms. Gopal is recognized for her ability to translate strategic vision into tangible operational outcomes, having successfully led organizations through complex transformations such as mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, IPOs, new business launches, and market expansion initiatives. She has also been instrumental in establishing international subsidiaries to support global growth.
Ms. Gopal specializes in aligning the strategic priorities of Executive Leadership (CEO, Executive, non-executive directors) with the operational demands of Cybersecurity and Information Technology, ensuring that technology and security programs advance overall business objectives. Drawing on her extensive practitioner experience and leadership skills, she now assists clients in designing and implementing effective, outcome-driven cybersecurity and risk management frameworks that are tightly integrated with business strategy. Ms. Gopal champions a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity, viewing it not merely as a technical necessity, but as a strategic asset and value driver that directly supports organizational success. Ms. Gopal promotes a "bi-directional" risk management approach to enhance organizational effectiveness.
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Sessions
Monday, 15 March, 2027
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM AEDT
It's Time for CISOs to Own IAM
Deepti Gopal,
Director Analyst, Gartner
Identity-first security in the age of AI agents requires that CISOs own IAM. IAM is vital for securely, enabling and scaling AI agent automation while guarding against significant risks that agentic AI introduces for enterprise IT environments. CISOs need to enforce accountability, exert influence on controls and securely scale agentic AI. IAM teams must align with cybersecurity and foster a culture of business enablement among cybersecurity teams that have a reputation for being the “office of no.”
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Monday, 15 March, 2027
03:45 PM - 04:15 PM AEDT
AI Cyber Stewardship: 6 Principles for Managing AI Cyber Risk
Deepti Gopal,
Director Analyst, Gartner
The accelerating integration of AI into business processes creates complex and evolving cyber risks that demand strategic, forward-thinking leadership. Embracing AI cyber stewardship principles equips organizations to not only safeguard critical assets and maintain stakeholder confidence, but also to enable secure innovation and adaptability as AI becomes a foundational element of enterprise success.
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Tuesday, 16 March, 2027
01:45 PM - 02:15 PM AEDT
CISOs Must Lead the Charge on Evolving Frontier AI Regulations and Threats
Deepti Gopal,
Director Analyst, Gartner
As frontier AI transforms business and society, CISOs are uniquely positioned to guide both security strategy and AI governance. This session explores the leadership role security executives must play in addressing emerging AI threats, navigating evolving regulatory expectations and ensuring innovation advances responsibly while strengthening organizational resilience and trust.
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