Global CISO Council launched to steer AI governance

EC-Council has formed a new membership body for Chief Information Security Officers focused on artificial intelligence governance, emerging technology risk, and regulatory pressures affecting security leaders.

The group, called the Global CISO Council, is structured as an independent professional association under the US 501(c)(6) category. It is positioned as a forum for senior security executives to share information, compare governance approaches, and discuss board-level accountability for cyber risk.

As organisations adopt generative AI, automation, and new forms of cloud infrastructure, security leaders have taken on broader responsibilities. Many CISOs now oversee model governance and algorithmic risk alongside established areas such as incident response and security architecture.

Regulatory attention on AI and data governance has also increased across multiple regions. EC-Council pointed to enforcement activity in the United States, the European Union, and parts of Asia-Pacific as factors drawing CISOs deeper into compliance and assurance work that spans jurisdictions.

Remit expands

The council's charter covers AI governance, emerging technology security, and what it calls global regulatory alignment. It also includes enterprise resilience as organisations roll out technologies such as automation and quantum-related developments.

The initiative also reflects growing expectations that CISOs engage directly with boards and executive committees. In many sectors, cyber risk has shifted from an operational concern to a governance issue that can affect business continuity, disclosure obligations, and corporate reputation.

EC-Council said the council will operate with its own governance structure and be led by members. It described the body as independent of EC-Council's commercial operations, while adding that it will provide mentorship and organisational infrastructure.

Jay Bavisi, Founder and Group President of EC-Council, will act as Strategic Advisor to the Global CISO Council.

"Cybersecurity leadership is entering a defining era," said Jay Bavisi, Group President of EC-Council and Strategic Advisor to the Global CISO Council. "Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are transforming the way businesses operate, but they are also reshaping the threat landscape. CISOs must lead from the front, ensuring innovation is secure, resilience is built into every system, and organizations remain prepared for the next generation of cyber threats."

Chapters planned

The Global CISO Council plans a network of regional chapters and expects participation from senior security executives across finance, healthcare, government, energy, manufacturing, technology, and critical infrastructure.

The structure includes working groups, policy forums, and intelligence-sharing initiatives. Members are expected to collaborate on topics such as threat landscape analysis, incident response coordination, and enterprise resilience strategy.

Industry groups and peer networks are now a common feature of the cyber security landscape, but many are vendor-led, region-specific, or focused on particular industries. A cross-sector membership organisation aimed specifically at CISOs signals a push for a more formal peer layer as security leaders confront overlapping challenges in technology governance, regulation, and operational defence.

The council says it aims to provide a peer-driven, executive-level environment without a commercial agenda. Its launch comes as many technology and security communities continue to debate the influence of suppliers and consultancies in forums that shape best practice and policy engagement.

Membership criteria

Membership is open to qualified CISOs and senior cyber security executives with enterprise-level security responsibility. EC-Council said it is seeking leaders focused on governance and cross-industry collaboration, and those who want to elevate cyber security leadership as a strategic discipline.

EC-Council is known for its training and certification programmes, including the Certified Ethical Hacker credential. It said it has certified more than 350,000 cyber security professionals across 174 countries over the past two decades, and that it will not direct the council's agenda or activities.

The Global CISO Council said member-led chapters and ongoing working groups will shape its outputs on AI governance, intelligence sharing, and executive accountability as AI systems expand across corporate functions.