Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) and Hospitality Upgrade have announced Bob Flores—former chief technology officer (CTO) for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)—as the keynote speaker for this year’s CIO Summit set to take place September 3–5 in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Following his CIA career, Flores founded Applicology, Inc., and is a visionary leader at the intersection of cybersecurity, intelligence and advanced technology.
A Board Qualified Technical Executive (QTE), Flores is a trusted advisor to multiple early-stage technology companies and is a former co-chair of the Cloud Security Alliance’s Software-Defined Perimeter Working Group. He is also an independent director for Filter Labs and a virtual CISO for early-stage companies. Flores’ 31-year career at the CIA culminated in his role as the agency’s first enterprise CTO, following pivotal assignments across the directorates of intelligence, support and operations. This extensive expertise positions him as a compelling thought leader for this year’s CIO Summit.
“Bob Flores’ remarkable career and industry knowledge make him an ideal speaker and it’s also a testament to the power of nonprofit groups working together. His deep insights into cybersecurity and emerging technologies are incredibly relevant to the challenges and opportunities facing cloud cybersecurity today,” said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, CAE.
The 2025 CIO Summit is set to gather technology leaders in the hospitality industry, offering an exclusive platform to exchange ideas, discuss trends and explore cutting-edge solutions. Flores’s presentation, “Thwarting Nation State Attacks,” will provide insights for a series of discussions aimed at addressing the industry’s most pressing challenges, including AI, data security and operational efficiency.
In addition to Flores’ presentation, the 2025 CIO Summit will feature the following sessions:
- “Tariffs, Travel and Trouble – A Canadian and US Hotel Industry Economic Outlook,” presented by Nicole Nguyen SVP, head of hotels valuation & advisory, CBRE Hotels
- “Where and How AI is Being Deployed in Hospitality,” moderated by Harman Narula, CEO, Canary Technologies
- “A CIO’s Legal Compass: AI, Data Protection, Digital Identity and other Emerging Risks in Hospitality,” presented by Greg Duff, principal, Foster Garvey PC
- “AI Agents, Super Intelligence, and What’s Next: A CIO’s Guide to the Coming Wave,” presented by Michael Goldrich, founder and chief advisor, Vivander Advisors
- “CIO Summit Round Table,” moderated by Cameron Hammond, SVP, global field technology services, Hyatt Hotels Corporation
This year will mark the 23rd CIO Summit, an invitation-only event for chief information officers from hotel brands, management companies, cruise lines, gaming and independent hotels. Produced by HFTP and Hospitality Upgrade, this year’s CIO Summit will be hosted at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver.
For more information, visit www.hftp.org.
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