Brian Wagner
Cybersecurity expert, former AWS CTO and author helping organizations innovate securely and lead digital transformation.
Why book Brian Wagner for your next event
- Learn practical strategies to strengthen cybersecurity, manage cloud risks, and support secure innovation across your organization.
- Gain leadership insights from a former AWS and Cisco executive with experience advising governments and global enterprises.
- Equip your teams with frameworks that connect technology, compliance, resilience, and long-term business growth.
Non-binding request for Brian Wagner
Cloud Security Expert, Former AWS CTO & Digital Transformation Leader
Brian Wagner is one of the most respected voices in cloud security, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. Drawing on more than two decades of leadership experience at organizations including Amazon Web Services and Cisco, he helps businesses navigate complex technology challenges with confidence. As a former CTO, cybersecurity strategist, and author of Redefining Information Security, Brian delivers engaging keynotes that turn technical complexity into practical business value. His presentations equip leaders and teams with the knowledge, frameworks, and inspiration needed to strengthen resilience, accelerate innovation, and build secure, future-ready organizations.
Book Brian Wagner for Your Event
Brian Wagner is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, technology executive, and cybersecurity expert who helps organizations navigate the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly digital world. With more than 20 years of experience leading technology, cloud, and security initiatives across global enterprises, startups, and public institutions, he brings a unique combination of strategic vision and hands-on expertise to every stage.
Organizations today face growing pressure to innovate quickly while managing cybersecurity risks, regulatory requirements, and evolving technology landscapes. Brian helps leaders understand how to balance these competing priorities and create environments where innovation and security work together. His presentations deliver practical insights that help decision-makers strengthen resilience, improve technology leadership, and prepare their organizations for the future.
Whether addressing executive teams, technology professionals, government leaders, or industry audiences, Brian is known for making complex subjects accessible, engaging, and actionable. His ability to connect cybersecurity, cloud transformation, compliance, and business growth makes him a highly sought-after speaker for conferences, leadership events, and corporate gatherings worldwide.
Leadership Experience from AWS, Cisco and Beyond
Brian’s career spans some of the world's most influential technology organizations. During his leadership roles at Cisco and Amazon Web Services (AWS), he worked at the forefront of cloud adoption, digital transformation, and enterprise technology strategy. These experiences gave him deep insight into how organizations can leverage emerging technologies while maintaining security, governance, and operational excellence.
Beyond large enterprises, Brian has also served as a Chief Technology Officer within both the cybersecurity and fintech sectors, including a YCombinator-backed venture. This combination of enterprise and startup experience enables him to provide audiences with a balanced perspective on innovation, agility, and scalable growth.
His practical experience leading transformation initiatives allows him to share lessons learned from real-world challenges rather than theoretical concepts. Audiences gain valuable insights into how successful organizations approach technology investments, risk management, and organizational change in highly competitive environments.
Expertise in Cybersecurity and Cloud Security
Cybersecurity remains one of the most significant challenges facing organizations today. Brian Wagner has dedicated much of his career to helping organizations strengthen their security posture while supporting business objectives and innovation.
His expertise covers a broad range of topics, including:
- Cloud security and secure cloud adoption
- Cybersecurity leadership and governance
- Risk management and resilience
- Compliance and regulatory requirements
- Security transformation strategies
- Digital trust and organizational preparedness
- Emerging technology risks and opportunities
Brian's approach focuses on helping organizations move beyond reactive security measures toward proactive, business-aligned security strategies. He demonstrates how security can become an enabler of growth rather than a barrier to innovation.
Through compelling examples and practical frameworks, he helps audiences understand how to make smarter technology decisions, manage evolving threats, and create cultures that prioritize resilience and accountability.
Author of Redefining Information Security
Brian is the author of Redefining Information Security, a highly regarded resource for executives, technology leaders, and decision-makers seeking a modern approach to cybersecurity and business resilience.
The book challenges traditional thinking around information security and offers a strategic framework for aligning technology, security, compliance, and business objectives. Drawing on decades of experience, Brian presents a practical perspective that helps leaders navigate increasingly complex digital environments.
His work as an author reflects the same philosophy that defines his keynote presentations: making complicated issues understandable, relevant, and actionable. Audiences benefit from insights that help them see cybersecurity as an integral part of business success rather than simply a technical concern.
Trusted Advisor to Global Organizations
Throughout his career, Brian has advised and presented to some of the most influential organizations and institutions in the world. His expertise has been sought by government agencies, regulators, multinational corporations, and industry leaders looking to strengthen their technology strategies and security capabilities.
He has delivered private briefings and strategic insights to organizations including the European Commission, the Financial Conduct Authority, and the Swiss Government. These engagements reflect the trust placed in his expertise and his ability to communicate effectively with senior decision-makers.
Brian has also been featured at some of the world's leading technology and cybersecurity events, including RSA, AWS Re:Invent, and ISC2. His presentations consistently receive praise for their clarity, relevance, and practical value, making him a popular choice for audiences seeking meaningful takeaways they can immediately apply.
Why Book Brian Wagner?
Organizations that book Brian Wagner gain far more than a keynote presentation. They gain access to decades of experience at the intersection of technology, cybersecurity, innovation, and leadership.
Brian delivers presentations that:
- Simplify complex cybersecurity and cloud security challenges
- Provide actionable frameworks for digital transformation
- Help leaders make informed technology decisions
- Strengthen organizational resilience and preparedness
- Connect security strategy with business objectives
- Inspire teams to embrace innovation with confidence
- Prepare organizations for emerging risks and future opportunities
His engaging style, extensive leadership experience, and ability to translate technical concepts into business outcomes make him an exceptional choice for conferences, executive forums, leadership summits, and corporate events.
When you book Brian Wagner for your event, your audience will leave with practical tools, strategic insights, and renewed confidence in their ability to lead through technological change. His keynotes empower organizations to build secure, adaptable, and future-ready cultures capable of thriving in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Keynotes
Keynote by Brian Wagner:
Security Is Dead: Why Trust Is the New Perimeter
In a world without clear digital borders, traditional security perimeters no longer work. This provocative keynote challenges legacy assumptions and explores why adaptive, trust-based models are becoming essential for today’s digital enterprises. Brian unpacks how leading organizations are abandoning rigid controls in favor of real-time identity verification, behavioral context, and zero-trust methodologies to manage risk in an open, hyper-connected environment.
Audience takeaways:
Understand why perimeter-based security models are obsolete in modern IT environments
Learn how to design and adopt trust-centric security architectures using identity and context
Discover tools and frameworks for applying continuous verification across digital ecosystems
Keynote by Brian Wagner:
From Compliance to Competitive Advantage: Rethinking Regulation in the Age of AI and Cloud
Regulation doesn’t have to be a roadblock. In this forward-thinking keynote, Brian reveals how compliance can become a strategic driver of trust, innovation, and market leadership. Drawing on experience from working with regulators and fintech startups, he explains how the smartest organizations are using compliance as a catalyst to differentiate and scale—especially in the AI-driven, cloud-native world.
Audience takeaways:
Discover how compliance can create competitive differentiation and open new markets
Learn strategies for aligning regulatory frameworks with business goals and innovation
Gain practical insights into turning governance into a value-generating function
Keynote by Brian Wagner:
The Cloud Paradox: Innovation at Scale vs. Security at Speed
Cloud platforms accelerate innovation but also amplify complexity and risk. This keynote dives deep into the critical tension between moving fast and staying secure. Brian shares candid stories from high-growth, cloud-first companies and outlines a practical approach to embedding security into development pipelines, without slowing down business momentum.
Audience takeaways:
Understand how to integrate security into cloud-native architectures and DevOps workflows
Learn how to maintain security posture while accelerating product and service delivery
Walk away with a blueprint to scale securely in fast-paced cloud environments
Keynote by Brian Wagner:
AI in the Boardroom: Transforming Security, Risk, and Decision-Making
AI is reshaping the way organizations assess risk, enforce security, and make strategic decisions. In this keynote, Brian brings AI out of the lab and into the boardroom. He breaks down its real-world applications and implications, offering leaders a balanced view on AI’s benefits, blind spots, and the ethical questions it raises for governance and accountability.
Audience takeaways:
Gain a high-level understanding of how AI is impacting cybersecurity and governance
Identify the risks and regulatory considerations associated with AI-powered decision-making
Discover strategies to align AI adoption with enterprise risk frameworks and ethics
Keynote by Brian Wagner:
Zero Trust, Infinite Opportunity: The Future of Secure Digital Transformation
Zero Trust is not just a cybersecurity trend, it’s the foundation for secure innovation. In this keynote, Brian Wagner separates hype from reality and walks attendees through the real mechanics of implementing Zero Trust in enterprise environments. Learn how this model empowers transformation, reduces risk, and drives better user experiences and operational efficiency.
Audience takeaways:
Understand the principles and misconceptions behind Zero Trust
Learn how to roll out Zero Trust architectures across hybrid and multi-cloud environments
Discover how Zero Trust enables both stronger security and smoother digital workflows
Keynote by Brian Wagner:
Resilience by Design: Building Organisations for the Next Wave of Disruption
Crisis is inevitable. The question is whether your organization is ready. In this keynote, Brian outlines how to architect for resilience—not as a last resort, but as a competitive strategy. Leveraging experience with regulatory response, cloud infrastructure, and continuity planning, he equips leaders with the mindset and frameworks to recover fast and adapt faster.
Audience takeaways:
Learn how to design systems and processes for built-in resilience and rapid recovery
Understand the role of scenario planning and business continuity in digital environments
Gain actionable tools for preparing leadership and teams for unpredictable disruptions
Keynote by Brian Wagner:
The Human Factor: Why Culture Eats Security Strategy for Breakfast
Security is not just a technology issue—it’s a people problem. In this keynote, Brian makes a compelling case for culture as the cornerstone of cybersecurity. With relatable examples and proven tactics, he shows how to build an engaged, aware workforce that takes ownership of security and actively contributes to organizational resilience.
Audience takeaways:
Discover how to foster a security-first mindset across departments and teams
Learn how to reduce internal resistance and encourage behavior change
Take away practical techniques to build leadership alignment and employee engagement
Keynote by Brian Wagner:
Redefining Information Security: From Gatekeeper to Business Enabler
Security shouldn't slow down innovation, it should fuel it. In this keynote inspired by his book, Brian shares a transformational framework for positioning information security as a proactive, value-generating function. Attendees will learn how to embed security into the DNA of their organization, helping it scale, comply, and innovate with confidence.
Audience takeaways:
Reframe information security as a strategic enabler, not a blocker
Learn how to align security priorities with business goals and growth initiatives
Gain tools for making security a collaborative partner across product, tech, and leadership teams
