Global Finalists

Sebastian leads the global strategy on trusted AI, security, privacy, and cloud resilience at Autodesk. He has more than 20 years of cybersecurity experience, having previously served as chief information security officer at Nutanix and Robert Half, and led endpoint security product marketing at Palo Alto Networks. He holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and lectures on managing cyber risk at UC Berkeley.

Autodesk has shaped how the world designs and makes for more than forty years. My job, when I joined three years ago, included making sure that trust kept pace as the company continues to innovate. We started with two teams — security and privacy — and have grown to more than 250 people covering enterprise security, product security, data privacy, Trusted AI, and cloud service operations. We created the AI Responsible Use Framework, earned ISO 42001 certification for our internal AI development platform, and published our AI Transparency Cards, which are akin to nutrition labels, making our AI more explainable to customers.

Senior cybersecurity executive with 25+ years securing global technology organizations through rapid transformation. Expert in AI security, cloud-first architecture, cyber defense, regulatory compliance, and software security. Proven track record building programs that enable AI adoption at scale while protecting critical intellectual property. Known for embedding security into the development lifecycle, converting compliance into competitive advantage, and earning organizational trust by making security a genuine partner to business growth.

Nearly a decade ago, five critical risk pillars were identified — cyber threats, insider threats, supply chain risks, software vulnerabilities, and regulatory requirements — anchoring the entire security strategy. Early bets on secure cloud collaboration, Zero Trust architecture, pervasive MFA, and device trust addressed insider and supply chain risks before they became industry-wide priorities. AI-driven data protection was layered in to classify and safeguard proprietary IP at scale. Throughout, the approach has been consistent: anchor in industry standards, collaborate actively with cloud providers, industry partners, and startups, and innovate boldly together.

Wagner Nascimento is Chief Information Security Officer at Synopsys, leading global cybersecurity strategy across enterprise operations, products, and AI innovation. With more than 30 years of experience spanning semiconductors, technology, financial services, and retail, he is recognized for building high-performing security organizations that enable business growth. Wagner holds a B.S. from American Intercontinental University and an MBA from California State University East Bay. He enjoys playing guitar and spending time with his family.

As Synopsys’ first Chief Information Security Officer, Wagner Nascimento built a global cybersecurity organization that enables innovation while protecting one of the world’s leading semiconductor technology companies. Under his leadership, security has evolved into a strategic business capability, supporting AI adoption, product security, global resilience, and one of the industry’s largest technology integrations. By building high-performing teams, embedding security leaders throughout the business, and fostering a culture of shared responsibility, he has helped transform cybersecurity into a competitive advantage that strengthens customer trust, accelerates business growth, and prepares the organization for an increasingly complex digital future.

I am the CISO, leading global cybersecurity, IT compliance, and product security program teams. My team and I have transformed the security function into a proactive, business-aligned organization that enables innovation while managing risk. Outside of Agilent I serve as a co-chair in the Bay Area Gartner C-level community and attend and speak at various events. Away from work I paint and draw for relaxation and volunteer with crescentmooncenter.org

The overall success has been the shift of the organization to proactive business aligned partner. By embedding security and privacy by design, implementing a product security program, and establishing integrated controls, we strengthened our overall security posture while enabling the business to move faster. Through strong collaboration with Legal and Compliance and a focus on continuous improvement, we expanded our impact across the organization. This transformation positioned security as a strategic enabler — supporting innovation, resilience, and trust at scale.