Belgium Cyber Security Awards 2024 Announces Esteemed Winners

The following awards will be presented on December 4th:

• The Cyber Security Personality of the Year
• The CISO of the Year
• The Young Cyber Security Professional of the Year
• The Cyber Security Researcher of the Year
• The Privacy Professional of the Year. this is a new award!

Last year, the jury rewarded the Cyber Security Educator/ Researcher Award to an Educator. Therefore, this year the Award will be granted to a Researcher. Cyber security educators can of course apply for the Cyber Security Personality of the Year Award.

Click here to learn more about the Cyber Security Awards categories. For each award category we have described the profiles that fit within the category.

If you cannot find the right category for your profession, contact the Coalition Task Force for support: [email protected].

• The application process is open to all cyber security and privacy enthusiasts and professionals operating in Belgium. You do not have to be a member of the Cyber Security Coalition to apply.
• Individuals can be from the public, private or academic sectors and must be based in Belgium. It is not required to have the Belgian nationality.
• Individuals must have contributed to the country’s information security industry, shown tremendous professional growth and achievement, and promoted strong and innovative security practices in the last 24 months.
• Applicants who participated last year, can resubmit their application possibly supplemented by new achievements.
• If you work for an organization that is successful all over Europe, but boasts only a small market share in Belgium, you should not hesitate to apply.
• An age limit of 30 years has been set for the Young Cyber Security Professional of the Year Award. Any person based in Belgium born in 1994 or later can apply for this award.
• The application process is free of charge.

No, the Privacy Professional Award is not limited to Data Protection Officers. It is open to all practitioners, researchers, educators, and professionals who have made significant contributions to enhancing privacy and data protection. We encourage anyone who has demonstrated excellence in this field, regardless of their specific role, to apply for this prestigious award. Your contributions are valuable, and we welcome a diverse range of applicants.

• For each award category there is a specific application form.
• The form is in English, French or Dutch. You can choose in which language you want to submit your application.
• You can fill out the application online or download the form and send it to [email protected].
• All fields related to Applicant & Employer Information in the application form are mandatory.
• Depending on the award category, you must describe your contributions in at least one or all areas mentioned in the application form.
• Try to be concise and highlight your achievements in maximum 5,000 characters. Emphasize why your application deserves recognition. The strength of your application is most important in determining award winners. Add examples of how your achievements impact the cyber security industry/ ecosystem in the specific award category.
• You will receive an acknowledgement upon receipt of your application.

To create a compelling application, focus on showcasing not just your technical skills, but also your passion, leadership, and vision. Here are some tips:

• Show passion: Explain what fuels your dedication to cyber security. Share moments where your enthusiasm helped you go beyond the usual expectations.
• Demonstrate leadership: Illustrate moments where you stepped up to lead a project, mentor others, or foster collaboration in a team. Leadership doesn’t always mean a formal title—it can also mean being a key problem-solver or decision-maker.
• Communicate vision: Show your forward-thinking approach by describing how you anticipate future challenges or trends in the field and how your work aligns with this vision. How do you innovate, anticipate risks, or create lasting solutions?
• Tell a personal story: If possible, share a personal story, such as overcoming significant obstacles. Or you could talk about a project that changed your perspective, a collaboration that inspired you, or a pivotal moment when you realized the importance of your work. These stories add depth and make your application more relatable and memorable.

By incorporating these elements, you will be able to paint a fuller picture of yourself and your impact.

Yes, the use of generative AI is not prohibited. However, we encourage you to clearly highlight your personal contribution and the unique value you have added. AI-generated text can sometimes be too generic and make it harder for the reader to identify your personal input. Ensure that your submission reflects your individual expertise and achievements.

• Until the deadline of October 6th (11:00 PM) it is possible to edit and change your application. You can do so by sending an amended version to [email protected]. The Task Force will only consider the last version of your application. Please, use version control by including the date in your file name.
• Additional information submitted after the deadline will be conveyed to the jury if you are selected as one of the finalists. However, the jury is not obliged to take it into account.

• There is no limit on the number of nominations you can submit.
• The nominations can be made across all awards categories.
• You can nominate the same person in different award categories.
• However, due to the nature of the selection process, entry is by application only. Your nominee will still have to complete the appropriate application form.
• The ultimate deadline for nominations is September 30th, but practically you should submit your nomination much earlier enabling the nominee to submit his/her application.
• You can submit your nomination using the appropriate nomination form. It will not take much of your time.
• You will get an acknowledgement of receipt from the Coalition Task Force, which will contact the nominee. Therefore, it is important to add the latter’s contact details to facilitate this process.
• We do not charge a nomination fee.

The assessment process is independent and open. All jurors have been chosen for their varied backgrounds and achievements within the industry and emanate from the three sectors (private, academic, public). The jury is multidisciplinary and discussion among jurors is crucial to maintaining a fair process. The open nature of the selection shall ensure integrity of the awards, with the winners being chosen on merit only. We refer to the code of conduct for jurors page.

Here is a brief overview of the awards process. The awards programme first selects 5 finalists for each award category. Each cyber security or privacy professional will be assessed using 3 to 4 criteria, which differ depending on the award. For most awards the applicant should demonstrate outstanding achievements in at least one of the domains. It is not required to excel in all domains. Only for the CISO and Privacy Professional we require achievements across the 4 domains. For the Young Cyber Security Professional and Researcher of the Year, the scoring is based on 3 criteria.

Award winners are determined by the strength of their application and the provided information. Additional information submitted by the finalist after the deadline will be conveyed to the jury by the Coalition Task Force, but the jury is not obliged to take it into account.

The winners in each category are selected from the group of shortlisted finalists using the same criteria as outlined on the selection criteria page. The jury can switch a finalist from one award category to another award category.

Congratulations! Being shortlisted means you are one step closer to winning. All shortlisted candidates will be notified by the Awards Task Force and be invited to the Award ceremony. However, please note that the winners will not be notified of the jury’s decision in advance. All finalists must attend the ceremony to find out if they will receive an award. We look forward to celebrating your achievements with you and wish you the best of luck!

• The finalists will be published on the Cyber Security Awards website of the Cyber Security Coalition on October 28th.
• The winners will be announced during the Gala dinner on December 4th and be published on the Cyber Security Awards website on December 5th.
• The winners will receive a trophy as well as a gift of an amount of EUR 1,000.00.
• Winners and finalists will receive a certificate and a digital award badge to display on their social media.
• The Cyber Security Coalition will also announce the finalists and winners on its LinkedIn & Twitter accounts.
• A press release will be sent out on December 5th.
• The winners will be invited for an interview to be published in the Coalition Gazette 2024 (release in January 2025).

The awards ceremony will be held on December 6th, 2023 as from 6:00 PM in the Africa Palace in Tervuren. The Cyber Security Coalition has entered into a partnership with TMAB for the organization of this Gala dinner. Organizations can sponsor the awards programme by booking a table at the Gala dinner.

Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne has confirmed his attendance.

TMAB is not involved in the awards decision making process.

There is no streaming of the Gala dinner.

This awards programme is organized by the Belgian Cyber Security Coalition and supported by ISACA Belgium, Beltug, Agence du Numérique and Solvay Brussels School of Management & Education. The goal is twofold. Firstly, to highlight the importance of the professionals driving cyber security and data protection. Secondly, to showcase role models and inspiring achievements.

You are welcome to submit an application for the Award up to three years in a row. If you are not shortlisted or do not win within those three years, we kindly ask you to take a two-year break before applying again. This “cooling-off period” is designed to give applicants time to reflect, refine their work, and return with fresh ideas or projects.

We understand how much effort goes into each application, and we want to ensure the process remains a positive and inspiring experience. Limiting consecutive applications prevents frustration and helps maintain a diverse and dynamic pool of applicants each year.   

After taking a two-year break, you are welcome to submit a new application. We look forward to seeing how your work evolves and grows during that time. 

If your work undergoes significant changes or you have new achievements to share, exceptions to the cooling-off period may be considered. Please contact our Awards Task Force for more information. 

We refer to our terms and conditions page.

Please, contact the Coalition Task Force with any questions or suggestions at [email protected].