ITWeb GRC 2026: Scaling trust amid rising AI adoption tops agenda

The ITWeb Governance Risk & Compliance (GRC) 2026 event is set to take place on November 12th at The Forum, Bryanston. The gathering aims to address the evolving landscape of governance, risk and compliance in the face of AI adoption, regulatory changes, cyber threats, data management, digital sovereignty and sustainability.

Prominent speakers include Dr Cordell Robinson, CEO of Brownstone Consulting Firm, who will deliver the opening keynote address. Robinson will highlight the importance of governance in AI, arguing that it should not be seen as a compliance afterthought but as core infrastructure security. His presentation will cover topics such as shadow AI, AI governance, AI systems as attack surfaces, and governance as a competitive advantage.

Panel discussions will explore preparing organizations for increasing regulatory convergence across technology, privacy and cyber security, led by Natalie Aphane, IT compliance officer at Discovery. The event will feature two tracks: one focusing on governance, risk and trust, and the other covering emerging technologies, digital ecosystems and ESG.

Ntando Sibanda, senior conference producer at ITWeb, emphasized the critical role of governance, risk and compliance in the current business environment. With the rise of AI and agentic AI, organizations must adapt to a broader cyber threat landscape while balancing the need for digital transformation, available resources, higher operational risk, talent demand, and tight budgets.

The GRC event provides a platform for business leaders to address these challenges and ensure governance and compliance remain at the forefront of business operations.