The Futurum Group Announces Shira Rubinoff as President, Cybersphere

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Transcript:

Daniel Newman: Hey, everyone. Daniel Newman here, CEO of The Futurum Group. We are the world’s fastest-growing independent research and analysis firm. I am pretty excited to be joined today by someone I’ve gotten to know very well over the past few months and have been following and admiring for many years. Shira Rubinoff. This is our first time on camera. It’s surprising, given what we do, that this is the first time we are on camera together. Thanks so much for taking some time and joining me today.

Shira Rubinoff: Pleasure to be here. Thank you, Daniel.

Daniel Newman: It is really exciting to be here. For everyone out there that’s watching this… They probably recognize you. If you follow the technology industry and, more specifically, if you follow this cyber security space, you are one of the most sought-after thinkers, advisors, analysts. I think the industry at large, the CISOs, the CIOs, the CEOs. You set such a tremendous stage. You’ve brought so much in terms of energy and insights to an important space and growing space, and something that AI is only further proliferating.

But we’re here because the cybersecurity space is in a major state of flux. It’s dangerous out there. With all of the growth of generative AI, you can be sure that the bad actors are going to be creating more and more problems. The enterprises and the CISOs, the ones that depend on you, Shira… They’re going to have more and more challenges. They’re going to have new vulnerabilities. They’re going to have more threats. There’s so much going on, but you spent day after day working side by side with these leading CISOs. Talk a little bit about what you are hearing out there.

Shira Rubinoff: Definitely. Well, thank you for that there. I’ve had many conversations with CISOs. Actually, recently, even as early as today, I had some conversations with CISOs. They’re pretty nervous. There’s a lot on them now with the new regulations. They’re held liable for quite a bit that didn’t happen before. They’re now dealing with tremendous cuts of their budgets. They have to keep their organization secure, their employees secure, their customers secure, and have to figure out where to buy/what to buy, cutting through the noise of a very noisy industry with incredible security solutions out there. But where do they go? What do they do? Where are the pain points that are sitting there of the need to have now? That’s really cutting through all that and understanding the best of breeds, who to talk to, who to listen to, and also the directions they need to follow.

Daniel Newman: Yeah. There’s so much that every company is up against right now trying to keep up with all the technological trends, which is something we work really closely on at The Futurum Group, and then keeping all that data safe and keeping it secure and available, which is something that you’ve worked very closely on. But of course, we’ve had some overlap. We are at the intersection of technology and business. We can’t completely avoid the cybersecurity space. But we haven’t been nearly as focused as you are. But I mean, just recently, in Davos, I sat down with the CEO of Splunk. I talked to the 28-year CTO of Check Point, a really exciting company, and so many others. Security was on everyone’s mind there. It was on everyone’s mind at CES. It’s a huge topic coming up at MWC. We know that it’s going to be a big one at your favorite and biggest show every year, RSA. With AI implementation and cybersecurity in check, these are going to be things that we can be sure that these CISOs and CEOs that we’re talking to are going to be up against.

But let’s be candid. This wasn’t even a conversation for just you and I to talk about what’s going on in cybersecurity. Now, some might say that a background behind you was a giveaway. “But hey, maybe she was just being generous and giving a little bit of promotion. Who knows?” But yes, it is a big day. I am very excited to announce Shira Rubinoff joining The Futurum Group and leading our newest business unit, Cybersphere, which is going to be The Futurum Group’s practice that focuses in on cyber security. She’s going to be the president of this business. Shira, I’m so excited for you to be here.

Shira Rubinoff: Thank you so much, Daniel. I’m thrilled to join The Futurum group. I’ve also followed you guys for a very long time. To join you is a no-brainer. Really, to lead up the cybersecurity practice of your group is something that just makes sense. One plus one equals 10, I believe, with rocket fuel behind us. Very excited to give back to more of my clients, to open up the ecosystem, and grab new clients, and really show them what we can do as a group together and really propel them to where they need to be, help advise them across all sectors of cybersecurity.

Daniel Newman: Yeah. I’m so pumped. While we’ve been planning this for some time, I can just tell you that as I’ve just opened up the aperture to all of the opportunities for us to take the work that we’re doing together, whether it’s advising, whether it’s the media analysis, the video analysis that we do, the market intelligence, the events that we’re doing, there’s going to be so many great ways that we’re going to work together here. But you’re bringing your broad range of capabilities: the cyber platform that you’ve created, your trusted advisory to so many companies. I just think we’re going to do so many great things.

Let’s talk a little bit about what customers can expect. I mean, it’s going to be bringing together… It is the ultimate one plus one equals way more than three. It’s going to be all about new media products. It’s going to be different, next-level advisory capabilities. We’re going to be bringing new market intelligence. In fact, Shira, as you know, later this spring, we’re going to be bringing out a whole new cybersecurity market intelligence set from Futurum Intelligence that you and your customers and all the CISOs and CEOs you’re advising are going to get access to. We’re going to be bringing new decision-maker data that helps these leaders understand what their peers are doing and what their clients are spending money on. You’ve got some events on the horizon. I know you’ve got a big event that you’re going to focus on, one of the first as part of The Futurum Group and leading Cybersphere. What’s that event going to be, Shira?

Shira Rubinoff: Certainly. Well, I think we can all guess. It’s the RSA Security Show, which is the big cybersecurity security show that happens in San Francisco. I think it’s in May this year. I also wanted to mention we’re going to have a very strong CISO advisory group, part of the Cybersphere group that I’ll be heading up. These are… I’d call them not just the heavy hitters of the CISO group but individuals who could stand on their own two feet, are well recognized, have done tremendous work in the cybersecurity world as CISOs, as individuals, as leaders who will be part of our group and help lead that up from their advisory, from coming to jump on boards to different companies. It’s going to be amazing. But the RSA show. As you mentioned, it’s the biggest one out there. We’re going to be there with our bells on and whistles on and engine fuel out there from media-

Daniel Newman: Jet fuel.

Shira Rubinoff: …interviews. Jet fuel. Interviews, media man on the street, walkthroughs, booth walkthroughs, analyst reports, sitting down across, talking about all these topics with the leading individuals across the Cybersphere.

Daniel Newman: Yeah. I can’t wait. We’re going to be bringing The Six Five, and Cybersphere, and Shira Rubinoff to RSA. That’s not the only thing. We’re going to have a cybersecurity dedicated track at this year’s Six Five Summit. Shira will be leading that for us. Our Tech Field Day business is going to have a new or an expanded cyber field days. Shira. We know you’re going to be instrumental in getting those packed, bringing those CISOs to the table, and really combining that advisory. I mean, something I’ve been so passionate about, Shira, has been bringing the advice that we’re giving to the vendors and to those that are implementing, the practitioners… We brought Keith Townsend in as the CTO Advisor earlier this year. We brought Tech Field Day into the firm because of their relationship with practitioners, and advisors, and influencers to the companies that are doing the work.

Now, you are working so closely with these CISOs that are really up against these challenges and now having the chance to take all the data and the insights that we get working with these vendors and work with these practitioners and vice versa. It’s so exciting. I’m so proud. I feel so blessed/so lucky to have you here.

Shira Rubinoff: Thank you.

Daniel Newman: I can’t wait to have your channels that we can share all your great content on it and, of course, promote all your content on ours. For everyone out there that wants to learn more, of course, head over to futurumgroup.com. We will put more in the show notes that will let you follow Shira, if you’re not already. Of course, we would love to have you following us at The Futurum Group. You can always follow me, danielnewmann, on Twitter or X, or whatever you call it. But Shira, let’s go. Let’s get after it. Let’s start breaking the internet, or at least making a little dent in the universe on behalf of all of our clients, all of our vendors, and all of those CISOs. Can’t wait for what’s ahead for you, for The Futurum Group, and for all of you out there that work with us. Thanks so much for tuning in. Shira, welcome.

Shira Rubinoff: Thank you, Daniel. Thank you so much. Thank you, everybody.