The American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka hosted a forum bringing together over 100 senior executives to emphasize that cybersecurity must move beyond IT departments into boardrooms as cyber threats grow more sophisticated.
The American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka (AmCham Sri Lanka), in partnership with Standard Chartered, convened SeCure 2026, an executive forum attended by more than 100 senior business leaders to address the escalating threat of cyberattacks. The event underscored a critical shift in how organizations must approach cybersecurity—no longer as a purely technical concern, but as a strategic business priority requiring boardroom attention and governance.
Speakers highlighted how rapidly evolving threats, powered by artificial intelligence, now enable criminals to launch convincing phishing campaigns, deepfake scams, and highly targeted social engineering attacks. Chris Fleming, Executive Director and Head of Client & Third-Party Security at Standard Chartered, emphasized that cyber resilience demands strong leadership, informed decision-making, and cross-industry collaboration. The forum featured an interactive "Mystery Box Cyber Challenge" designed to help executives think critically under pressure, alongside expert panel discussions involving representatives from Standard Chartered, LankaPay, and Microsoft.
Key recommendations emerging from the forum included strengthening governance structures, ensuring executive preparedness, and investing in robust incident response capabilities. Participants learned that the first 60 minutes following a cyber incident are often the most critical, making clear response protocols and regular crisis simulations essential. Additionally, speakers stressed the importance of third-party and supply chain security, as organizations increasingly depend on external vendors. Strengthening payment controls and business process verification also remain vital, as many successful frauds still exploit procedural weaknesses rather than technological vulnerabilities.
The forum also addressed Sri Lanka's digital payments landscape, noting that maintaining public trust requires closer collaboration between businesses, banks, regulators, and law enforcement. Speakers emphasized that as fraudsters become more coordinated and move stolen funds rapidly across institutions, stronger information sharing and ecosystem-wide cooperation are essential for prevention and recovery.
