This major cybersecurity event is coming to Montréal (for the next four years)

published on August 16, 2022
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Montréal will be the host city for the International Cybersecurity Forum (FIC) North America. The forum addresses all the themes of cybersecurity and includes a variety of programming, such as technical demonstrations, round tables, plenary sessions, and even “ethical hacking” competitions.

Held every year since 2007 in Lille (France), the FIC is considered the benchmark event for cybersecurity and digital trust in Europe. But this will be the first time that an FIC event will be held in North America. Montréal won the bid to host the conference for not one, not two, but four years: from 2022 through 2025.

What exactly is the FIC?

The International Cybersecurity Forum (FIC) is a leading digital trust event. It focuses primarily on keeping our collective cyber activities safe. Over the past decade, more than 550 international partners of the event have included Thales, BlackBerry, Cisco, Airbus, CGI, KPMG, and many more. Essentially, big names that value cybersecurity are participating in these events. 

The North American FIC will be a hybrid event combining a trade show, a high-level forum, and an international summit. It will bring together players from national and international ecosystems for two days of interactions and business meetings: political decision-makers, business leaders, senior civil and military authorities, CIO/CISO, lawyers, investors, cybersecurity experts, teachers, researchers, students, and ethical hackers.

The themes covered during the event relate both to operational issues (such as crisis management, cybersecurity technologies, threat intelligence, etc.) and to strategic issues (industrial policy, regulation, geopolitical issues, etc.).

In Montréal, the “Forum” component of the FIC will revolve around five pillars:

  • Fight against digital crimes
  • Improve defense postures
  • Prepare for a safer digital future
  • Create policy for the digital spaces
  • Protect content and intellectual property

Why Montréal?

Montréal is the cultural and economic crossroads between the European and American continents. The French-Canadian city is also a hub for research in artificial intelligence, information technology, clean technologies, and neurosciences. Benefiting from the flourishing business environment and the effervescence of the Montréal ecosystem — in terms of both cybersecurity and artificial intelligence — the FIC will bring together the most important stakeholders and the best talents, for an event with international scope.

The FIC event in Montréal will provide an ideal setting for experts to showcase their knowledge in the sector, while also providing a fertile environment for recruitment and networking.

 

Cheat Sheet

Event: FIC North America

Venue: Palais des congrès de Montréal

Dates: 1 – 2 November 2022 (and again in 2023, 2024, and 2025)

Website: america.forum-fic.com/en

Twitter: @FICAmNord

 

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