ProActive CxOs | The Hackers Meetup Vadodara - 24th January 2026
THE HACKERS MEETUP – VADODARA PROACTIVE CXOs CYBER LEADERSHIP MEET-UP
Date: 24 January 2026 Location: Vadodara, Gujarat Duration: 4 hours Format: Closed-door, invite-led, moderated
Purpose Cybersecurity in 2026 is a leadership and decision-making problem, not just a technical one. This forum is designed to bring CXOs, security leaders, hackers, founders, and a limited number of curated students into one room to discuss how cyber decisions are made under real pressure.
This is not a conference. This is not a sales or networking event. This is a working forum focused on outcomes.
KEY THEMES
Cyber Resilience – Moving from prevention to survival and recovery – Operating the business during ransomware or data breach – What resilience actually means at the board level
DPDPA Implementation (India) – Translating law into operational controls – Board, CXO, and personal accountability – Readiness gaps across enterprises and startups
GRC for Tech Startups and Scale-ups – Building governance without slowing growth – Investor, customer, and regulatory expectations – Practical GRC frameworks for early and growth stages
Personal Security in the Era of Cyber Warfare – CXOs and founders as direct targets – Digital identity, reputation, and privacy risks – Personal cyber hygiene beyond corporate security
AI Governance and Responsible Use – AI-driven threats and misuse – Governance, oversight, and accountability – Decision transparency and risk ownership
TENTATIVE AGENDA AND SESSION SCHEDULE
00:00 – 00:10 Welcome and Context Setting – Why proactive cyber leadership matters now – Objectives and closed-door norms
00:10 – 00:40 Special Speaker Session 1 Topic: Cyber Resilience and Leadership Decisions from Real Incidents
00:40 – 01:00 Cyber News Bytes (January 2026 Edition) – Recent breaches, AI misuse, ransomware trends – Regulatory and enforcement developments
01:00 – 01:45 Live Tabletop Exercise (CXO-Led) – Ransomware and data breach scenario – Business, legal, operational, and reputational decisions
01:45 – 02:00 Tabletop Debrief – What failed, what worked, key leadership gaps
02:00 – 02:30 Group Discussion and Debate Battle – CXO vs Hacker perspectives – Topics covering DPDPA, AI governance, and resilience
02:30 – 03:00 Mini Threat Modelling / Response Challenge – Red-Blue style rapid challenge – Attack paths and defense priorities
03:00 – 03:30 Startup Cybersecurity Showcase – Curated startups only – Problem, approach, and real-world impact – No sales pitches
03:30 – 03:50 Special Speaker Session 2 Topic: AI Governance, GRC, and Accountability for 2026 and Beyond
03:50 – 04:00 Closing and Key Takeaways – Leadership lessons – Next steps for the ecosystem
PARTICIPATION NOTES
– Invite-led and approval-based registration – Strict no-sales, no-recruitment policy – Chatham House Rule applies – Students limited to 50–60, curated and moderated – Photography and recording restricted