At Foundation Capital’s 8th annual RSAC Happy Hour, we brought together over 90 CISOs, CIOs, and senior security leaders, alongside 30 early-stage founders and 30+ M&A leaders and GMs, for an engaging fireside chat with Aanchal Gupta (SVP, CSO at Adobe) and Hilik Kotler (SVP, CISO & IT at Expedia). The room reflected a cross-section of the cybersecurity ecosystem - from operators inside Fortune 500 enterprises to the builders shaping the next generation of security companies - all coming together for a candid discussion on how AI is actively reshaping the landscape.
The conversation explored several key themes. These included the convergence of security and IT leadership roles - and how that shift is beginning to show up in the software itself - as well as why gaining experience beyond the CISO seat can create stronger security leaders. We also discussed where AI labs may enter cybersecurity, where enduring pure-play companies can still be built, and how the AI attack surface is emerging as a new battleground. Across each theme, one message was clear: AI is not just an incremental capability, but a structural shift in how security teams operate, how products are built, and where new companies will emerge.
Hosts
Sid Trivedi, Partner, Foundation Capital
Aanchal Gupta – SVP, CSO at Adobe
Aanchal is the Chief Security Officer at Adobe, where she leads the company’s global cybersecurity strategy and supports its AI governance efforts. She previously held senior roles at Microsoft, including CVP for the Office Product Group, Deputy CISO, and Head of Cloud and M365 Security. Before Microsoft, Aanchal served as CISO for Novi (Calibra) at Facebook and for Skype. She also sits on the boards of the Internet Security Research Group and the Black Hat Review Board.
Hilik Kotler – SVP, CISO & IT at Expedia
In his dual role overseeing security and IT, Hilik is responsible for protecting Expedia Group’s platforms, corporate assets, customer data, and overall digital trust, while driving a culture of resilience, simplicity, and intelligent IT automation. He previously served as CISO at SoFi, FICO, and Amdocs. Before Amdocs, Hilik co-founded Promisec, an endpoint security management company, and earlier served in Israel’s elite Unit 8200. He is also an active investor and advisor to several startups, including Cider, Octarine, and Reposify.