Leading Through the Cyberstorm

Cybersecurity has entered a new era. Threats are evolving faster, attacks are becoming more sophisticated, and disruptions are no longer hypothetical.

Sami Khoury, senior official for cyber security, Government of Canada, will explore the key trends shaping today’s cyber landscape, including ransomware targeting critical services, faster time to exploit vulnerabilities, concentration risk in major technology and cloud providers, and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on phishing, impersonation and vulnerability discovery.

He will outline what these shifts mean for universities, students entering the workforce and leaders responsible for business continuity and trust. The talk emphasizes resilience as a practical strategy, built through strong public-private partnerships, trusted information sharing and coordinated response before a crisis occurs.

The session will also translate cyber risk into leadership decisions, including governance, accountability, incident readiness and organizational culture.

Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of what is changing and a practical view of what to do next.

Concordia students, faculty and staff are invited to attend.

This event is part of the Gina Cody School Distinguished Speaker Series, in collaboration with the Security Research Centre.

serves as the Government of Canada senior official for cyber security, advising deputy ministers and senior leaders across government on cyber risk and national security.

He previously led the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security from 2021 to 2024, providing guidance and support to government, critical infrastructure, the private sector and the public.

Khoury began his career at the Communications Security Establishment in 1992 as a research engineer. He has held a range of operational and leadership roles, including chief information officer and head of research and 24/7 operations.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering and a Master of Applied Science from Concordia, as well as a certificate in public sector leadership from the University of Ottawa. His recognitions include the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal and the APEX Award of Excellence for Innovation.

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Host or Publisher Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science