9 Lessons from Our First CSO Club Roundtable: How Security Leaders Are Adapting to a New Reality

When we launched the CSO Club, our aim was simple: create a trusted, invite-only space where senior security leaders could openly discuss the challenges shaping the profession.

Our first roundtable brought together security leaders from technology, manufacturing, logistics, education, data centres, motorsport and philanthropy. Despite their different industries, many were facing the same challenges and pressures.

Here are the nine biggest lessons from the discussion.

1. Doing More with Less Is Here to Stay

Budget constraints are no longer viewed as a temporary challenge. For many organisations, they're now the reality.

The conversation wasn't about cutting corners - it was about redesigning security functions to deliver the same outcomes with fewer resources through automation, smarter processes and better prioritisation.

2. Flexible Resourcing Is Becoming the Norm

Rather than increasing permanent headcount, many organisations are turning to contractors, embedded specialists and retained consultancy models.

These approaches provide access to niche expertise while giving businesses the flexibility to scale security resources around projects and changing priorities.

3. AI Has Become a Practical Tool

AI is no longer being treated as an experiment. It's already improving productivity across areas such as incident reporting, threat monitoring, knowledge management and administrative tasks.

Several organisations have even built internal AI assistants that answer routine security questions, reducing the number of repetitive requests reaching security teams.

The result?

More time spent on strategic work and less time answering the same questions repeatedly.

4. Intelligence Is Seeing the Biggest Impact

One area where AI is delivering clear value is corporate intelligence.

From monitoring multiple information sources to identifying emerging risks and producing initial assessments, AI is helping teams work faster. However, everyone agreed that human oversight remains essential to validate findings and provide context.

5. AI Won't Replace Security Professionals

While AI is improving efficiency, it cannot replace the judgement required during crisis management, intelligence assessment or executive decision-making.

The consensus was clear: AI should enhance experienced professionals, not replace them.

6. Security Needs to Demonstrate Wider Business Value

Security leaders are finding greater success when they position investments as business enablers rather than purely protective measures.

Examples included using security systems to improve occupancy planning, health and safety, manufacturing efficiency and operational analytics - creating value well beyond the security function.

7. Every Industry Is Moving at Its Own Pace

Technology companies are adopting AI rapidly, while manufacturing and other operational environments face greater challenges due to legacy systems and safety-critical processes.

Although the pace differs, organisations across every sector are beginning to explore how AI can improve efficiency.

8. Governance Matters More Than Ever

As AI adoption accelerates, security leaders are becoming increasingly selective about the tools they introduce.

Clear governance, strong business cases and careful vendor evaluation were all highlighted as critical to ensuring AI delivers genuine value rather than becoming another expensive technology trend.

9. Education Is Becoming a Core Leadership Skill

Today's security leaders aren't just implementing technology, they're helping colleagues understand it.

Managing expectations, explaining AI's limitations and building confidence across the business are becoming just as important as deploying new tools.

Looking Ahead

If there was one clear takeaway from our first CSO Club roundtable, it's that corporate security is evolving rather than standing still.

The organisations adapting most successfully are combining targeted AI adoption with flexible workforce models, strong governance and experienced people who can provide the judgement that technology still can't.

As the profession continues to evolve, conversations like these have never been more valuable.