WINNERS

Matthew Murphy is an information security analyst specializing in email security, identity-threat defence, and endpoint detection in healthcare. As Information Security Analyst at Community Health System in Fresno since February 2023, he administers Proofpoint mail and identity controls alongside CrowdStrike EDR and NGSIEM. He spent the previous decade inside the same health system as a workstation engineer and help-desk trainer, then moved into security with CISSP and Proofpoint identity-threat credentials. He is known for stopping phishing and identity abuse inside a working hospital environment, not from a vendor stage.

Jose Castillo is an ICS and OT security lead specializing in SCADA protection for water and wastewater utilities. As ICS/OT Cybersecurity Lead for the City of Fort Wayne since November 2021, he works on OT/IT segmentation, industrial-control security, and AWWA/NIST-aligned roadmaps for municipal critical infrastructure. He previously served as Project Lead at Premier Communications, a division of L-A Electric, and later earned the CISSP after speaking on OT protection at GMIS Meets 2025. He is known for securing live utility control systems rather than treating critical infrastructure as a consulting slogan.

Malik Lockett is an information security architect specializing in federal system security and architecture. As Information Security Architect at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology, since 2013, he has spent more than a decade on security design inside a national research environment. He previously worked as an ISSO and cybersecurity engineer at Northrop Grumman, Apex Systems, Tetrad Digital Integrity, and Vigilant Services, and has held the CISSP since 2008. A Hampton University electrical engineer based in Bowie, Maryland, he is known for long-running federal security architecture rather than public-facing CISO commentary.

Raiana Iakupova is a business consultant and mentor specializing in launching and scaling Amazon businesses through online arbitrage, retail arbitrage, and wholesale strategies. She is the creator of the FontenbloFBA Coaching Program, which uniquely combines business tools with psychological techniques to maximize client results. Since 2016, Raiana has gained hands-on experience in global retail and now trains both aspiring and established entrepreneurs. She frequently speaks at professional seller events and shares practical strategies for building profitable, sustainable e-commerce businesses.

Maik Gottfried is an information security officer specializing in ISO 27001, IT-Grundschutz, and business-continuity governance. As Informationssicherheitsbeauftragter and IT coordinator at the effexx Unternehmensgruppe since June 2025, he owns the ISB mandate inside a German IT services group that provides telecommunications, cloud, and contact-centre services. His credentials include ISO 27001 / IT-Grundschutz officer practice and Business Continuity Manager certification under ISO 22301. He is known for taking information-security governance and continuity into the day-to-day running of a mid-sized operating IT environment.

Ariel Huckabay is a cybersecurity engineer specializing in secure software development and code analysis. At Battelle Memorial Institute in Alexandria, Virginia, he works in the Cyber Architecture and Advisory Services group supporting DHS and DoD programmes, including code review, secure-coding guidance, and defence-in-depth in software. He holds CISSP, CSSLP, and CCSP credentials, with graduate degrees in computer science and international security from the University of Denver. He is known for treating product security as an engineering discipline inside a working federal advisory practice, not as a conference platform.

Artjoms Blazko was honored with the 2025 NOVA Award in the Business Leaders category for Excellence in Financial Strategy and Business Scaling. The award recognizes his achievements in founding and scaling an automated photo studio business from the United States to over 30 regions, as well as his innovative application of financial analysis, strategic management, and risk assessment in driving sustainable business growth.
The award reflects Mr. Blazko’s demonstrated excellence and leadership in his professional field. Evaluated by an independent international jury, his work was recognized for its measurable impact, strategic innovation, and operational success, highlighting his role as a leading expert in financial strategy and business development.

Dirk Peter is a cyber security consultant and external data protection officer specializing in GDPR implementation and hands-on security testing. Based in Stuttgart, he has served as an external DSB since April 2016, working with SMEs as well as law firms, tax advisers, and notaries. From July 2020 to December 2022 he was Head of Cyber Security at RWT Crowe IT Consulting GmbH, where his work included physical and technical penetration testing, phishing campaigns, and employee security training. He is known for pairing long-running privacy practice with offensive testing that organisations can put into operation.

Oleksii Kovernikov is an entrepreneur specializing in international trade and B2B wholesale distribution within the jewelry sector. Based in Prague, he leads a family-run company focused on cross-border supply of gold jewelry to business clients across Central and Eastern Europe. Oleksii is known for a demand-driven approach to assortment planning—studying market needs and placing targeted production orders rather than relying on standard supplier stock. His hands-on management style covers the full cycle of operations, from sourcing and logistics to sales and client support, enabling stable delivery and long-term partnerships with a growing base of repeat customers.

David Zion is a virtual CISO and security adviser specializing in NIS2, ISO 27001, KRITIS, and cyber resilience for regulated organisations. Based in Hamburg, he has more than 30 years of IT leadership experience, including managing-director and C-level roles at IBM, Avanade, Tata Consultancy Services, and akquinet nx2 GmbH. As Head of Digitalisation and IT at Heidekreis-Klinikum, he introduced NIS2-aligned security work and an ISMS and led the telematics-infrastructure programme for the hospital group. He is known for helping mid-market and critical-infrastructure organisations turn resilience from a compliance topic into governed practice.

Ralf Stange is an IT security consultant specializing in information-security management and the protection of industrial and critical-infrastructure environments. He has been with GAI NetConsult in Berlin since June 2003, advising organisations on ISMS operation, security audits, and ICS/OT security. The firm works across cyber security and industrial control systems, with particular depth in critical-infrastructure settings. Over more than two decades in that practice, his work has stayed on the assessment and advisory side. He is known for long, continuous critical-infrastructure consulting inside a specialist European firm.

Aleksei Fedosov is a distinguished entrepreneur and strategic growth architect, renowned for his ability to fundamentally transform consumer-facing industries. His career is characterized by a rare synergy of engineering precision and visionary leadership, enabling him to identify latent market opportunities and convert them into scalable, high-performance enterprises.
A specialist in building resilient business frameworks, Mr. Fedosov has set new international benchmarks for operational efficiency and unit economics. His expertise lies in orchestrating complex organizational transformations that ensure sustainable growth in volatile markets. As a leading authority in strategic management, his work continues to shape the future of modern entrepreneurship by pioneering adaptive, data-driven business models that redefine industry standards and drive global market evolution.

Aline Breitenstein is a managing partner specializing in secure cloud operations and ISMS-led managed IT. She has been Geschäftsführende Gesellschafterin of AB IN DIE CLOUD in Hamburg since July 2020, the year the company was founded. The firm builds and runs cloud workplace, cybersecurity, and ISMS services for organisations that need a secure environment without a large internal security team. She leads the company as owner-manager, with information security treated as part of the operating model rather than an add-on. She is known for building a European cloud and security practice from the ground up.

Christopher Beckmann is a senior IT security consultant specializing in penetration testing and offensive security assessment. He has been with SySS GmbH, the Tübingen-based testing firm, as an IT Security Consultant since October 2022 and has held the senior title since July 2026. He previously worked as a research associate at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and holds the OffSec Certified Professional (OSCP) and OffSec Experienced Penetration Tester (OSEP) credentials. He is known for a testing practice grounded in both academic security research and live offensive assessment.