Zurich’s cybersecurity leadership is gaining global attention as digital threats become more complex and consequential. From defending critical healthcare infrastructure to setting cybersecurity strategies for public administrations, the following leaders are driving a more secure future for organisations across sectors. These CISOs have recently been active in public discussions, have been recognised by industry awards, and are shaping Switzerland’s cyber resilience.
Erik Dinkel — University Hospital Zurich (USZ)
Erik Dinkel leads cybersecurity for Universitätsspital Zürich, one of Switzerland’s largest healthcare institutions, where protecting patient data and medical infrastructure is mission‑critical. He has shaped USZ’s security strategy to counter increasingly sophisticated attacks and collaborated with partners such as Swiss Post Cybersecurity to build a 24/7 Security Operations Center. In 2025, he was named a finalist for the Swiss CISO Awards, a recognition of his strategic impact on organisational security and innovation in protecting critical infrastructure.
Oliver Wyler — Vontobel
As Group CISO at Vontobel, a global financial services firm headquartered in Zurich, Oliver Wyler oversees the bank’s information security, governance, risk, and compliance. With over two decades in finance and security, Wyler has consistently advocated for a security culture that extends from the boardroom to operations. He has been publicly recognised through nominations for the Swiss CISO Awards and inclusion in industry directories of top cybersecurity leaders, reflecting his influence in the Swiss and international financial cybersecurity community.
Philipp Grabher — Canton of Zurich
Philipp Grabher serves as Chief Information Security Officer for the Canton of Zurich’s government, where he shapes the cantonal administration’s cybersecurity strategy and risk governance. He has been a public speaker at cybersecurity conferences and regularly contributes expertise on national cyber threat landscapes, with a focus on risk alignment and digital resilience across large public organisations.
René Christian Gehlen — City of Zurich
René Christian Gehlen has been leading information security for the City of Zurich since June 2017. With a broad-based IT background that spans cybersecurity, networks, and risk management, as well as non-technical areas such as media relations and communications, he combines technical depth with strategic leadership. Before his current role, he spent over six years at SIX Group as Head of IT Risk and Governance, where he managed complex IT risks and ensured regulatory compliance. At the City of Zurich, Gehlen drives initiatives to secure public infrastructure, manage IT budgets effectively, and ensure projects meet timelines, all while fostering a security-conscious culture across municipal operations.
Diana Coman Schmid — Canton of Zurich
Diana Coman Schmid is among the Future Leaders identified by the Swiss CISO Awards programme. Working at the Canton of Zurich, she was honoured as a Future Leader in cybersecurity in 2025, showcasing her emerging influence in public-sector security, strategic collaboration, and data-driven risk management.
Monika Atanasova — Raiffeisen Switzerland
Monika Atanasova leads third‑party cyber risk at Raiffeisen Switzerland, a major Swiss banking group. Her strategic focus on securing supply chains and vendor relationships reflects an advanced approach to enterprise cybersecurity risk. She was named a Future Leader finalist, underscoring her impact on evolving cyber risk frameworks in the financial sector.
Daniel Brunner — medmix
Daniel Brunner is the Chief Information Security Officer at medmix, a position he assumed in May 2023. With an MBA and 15 years of experience, he is recognized for managing complex IT environments and implementing robust Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). Brunner combines expertise in risk management, project management, and IT governance with hands-on operational supervision of security incidents and disaster recovery. His approach balances strong security controls with enabling business continuity, working closely with legal and HR departments to establish policies and evidence that defend the company from threats while supporting ongoing operations.
Oliver Schmid — University of Zurich
Oliver Schmid directs information security for the University of Zurich, safeguarding research and academic digital assets. He plays a central role in establishing security governance within the university, working across faculties to embed resilient practices. The CISO role is central to Zurich’s research community, with an emphasis on education and governance in information security.
Johannes Hadodo — ETH Zurich
Johannes Hadodo took on expanded CISO responsibilities at ETH Zurich, Switzerland’s leading technical university, in 2024, overseeing both information security strategy and technical security implementation across the institution’s IT Services. His transition to strengthen the CISO function reflects ETH’s prioritisation of cybersecurity at an enterprise scale.
Conclusion
Zurich’s cyber leadership scene blends seasoned veterans defending critical infrastructure with next‑generation strategists shaping public- and private-sector security frameworks. These CISOs are protecting organisations and contributing to national cyber resilience, influencing policy, and mentoring the next wave of security leaders. Their visibility on award stages and industry forums signals Zurich’s growing role as a cybersecurity hub in Europe.