CISOs Connect™ Opens Nominations for the 2027 C100 Awards as the CISO Role Enters a New Era

Peer-judged recognition will select 100 security leaders standing out as AI, quantum, and global disruption reshape the enterprise

NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2026 — CISOs Connect™ today announced the opening of nominations for the 2027 C100 Awards at a time when artificial intelligence, quantum computing, global tensions and rapid business transformation are reshaping the enterprise and fundamentally changing expectations for cybersecurity leadership.

The change is structural, not cyclical. AI is altering how organizations operate, how work gets done and how decisions are made. Quantum computing is moving closer to practical consequence. Geopolitical uncertainty, regulatory complexity and increasingly interconnected technology environments are changing how organizations think about resilience and risk.

As businesses adapt, CISOs are increasingly expected to interpret emerging patterns, understand the business implications of new technologies and help their organizations make decisions that support resilience, innovation and long-term strategy.

The 2027 C100 Awards will recognize CISOs who are distinguishing themselves not simply through what they have accomplished, but through how they are leading at a moment of profound change.

The award is looking beyond what CISOs have already accomplished to a more consequential question:

Who are the leaders defining what the role becomes next?

"The CISO who succeeds in this next era cannot simply be an exceptional security practitioner," said Aimee Rhodes, CEO of CISOs Connect™. "The leaders who are standing out understand the business, anticipate what is coming and know how to enable transformation without losing sight of risk. AI and quantum are accelerating that shift, but they are part of something much larger. The C100 is about recognizing the CISOs who are helping define what leadership looks like as the role itself evolves."

CISO Peers Selecting CISO Peers

At the center of the C100 is its peer judging process. Honorees are selected by an independent Board of Judges made up of accomplished CISOs who understand firsthand the complexity, accountability and rapidly changing expectations of the role.

The 2027 Board of Judges includes:

Mohit Chanana, Global CISO, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company

Ryan Field, CISO, Bank of Hawaii

John Gift, SVP & Global CISO, PepsiCo

Kelly Haydu, CISO and Head of Infrastructure Operations, Chase Corp.

Vaughn Hazen, CISO, Canadian National Railway

Yaron Levi, CISO, Dolby

Phillip Miller, Vice President & CISO, H&R Block

Margarita Rivera, Global CISO, Carnival Corporation

Gregory Wilson, Global CISO, ManpowerGroup

Michael Zachman, VP & CSO, Zebra Technologies

The judges will look beyond titles and traditional measures of success to consider how nominees are leading their organizations, influencing the business, navigating disruption and helping redefine the role of the CISO.

"We are at an inflection point for the CISO role," said David Cass, President of CISOs Connect™ and Chief Risk Officer at Grayscale Investments. "AI and other emerging technologies are accelerating both opportunity and risk, while boards and executive teams are looking to CISOs for judgment on issues that extend well beyond traditional security. The leaders recognized by the C100 should represent where the profession is going, not simply where it has been."

For the CISOs charged with selecting the 2027 honorees, that evolution is already changing what distinguishes exceptional leadership.

"The CISO can no longer operate as a security leader who sits apart from the business," said Margarita Rivera, Global CISO of Carnival Corporation. "We have to understand where the organization is going, enable it to move forward securely and bring a perspective to the table that connects technology, risk and business strategy. The C100 is an opportunity for CISOs to recognize the peers who are demonstrating that kind of leadership."

"The pace of change is requiring CISOs to look beyond the risks directly in front of us and think much more broadly about what could affect the business next," said Ryan Field, CISO of Bank of Hawaii. "The leaders who will distinguish themselves are those who can bring that forward-looking perspective into the decisions their organizations are making today."

Recognizing Leadership and Impact

Now in its seventh year, the C100 Award was conceived by Colin Anderson, SVP & CISO of Dayforce, and established on the principle that exceptional cybersecurity leadership should be recognized by peers through a transparent, independent, and merit-based selection process. Nominees will be evaluated on demonstrated impact, leadership, innovation, influence, and their ability to navigate the changing expectations of the role.

Candidates may be nominated by peers, colleagues, or members of the cybersecurity community, and CISOs may also nominate themselves. There is no fee to nominate, no fee to participate, and no financial obligation associated with being selected.

The 2027 C100 honorees will be announced on December 7, 2026, at CISOs Connect™ Miami, as the cybersecurity community looks ahead to 2027 and the forces that will continue to reshape the CISO role.

The C100 is part of CISOs Connect™'s broader commitment to recognizing and elevating security leaders at different stages of their careers and creating opportunities for CISOs to learn from and engage directly with their peers.

Nominations for the 2027 C100 Awards are now open at https://cisosconnect.awardsplatform.com/.

Black Kite will support the C100 Awards for the seventh consecutive year, continuing a partnership that began with the program's launch.

"As the CISO role continues to evolve, the leaders who will have the greatest impact are those who can anticipate what is coming and help their organizations navigate it," said Paul Paget, CEO of Black Kite. "We are proud to support the C100 and help recognize the CISOs who are shaping what leadership in this profession looks like next."

Media Contact:

Amanda Ortiz

201-835-9205

[email protected] 

SOURCE CISOs Connect