WHO SHOULD ATTEND QTE 501
Vegas baby! Join us in Las Vegas for the leading executive learning event the QTE 501 Boardroom Masterclass for IT and Cybersecurity executives.
We partnered with Right of Boom for this in-person QTE event and thank them for their support and leadership. Right of Boom starts after the QTE.
This QTE 501 Masterclass is being held February 2-3, 2026 in-person at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The role of the IT and cybersecurity leader in the boardroom has never been more important. QTE 501 is for CIOs, CISOs, CROs, CDOs, CSOs, CTOs and other IT and cybersecurity executives to help you step up to this leadership moment and excel with their board, while also beginning your journey to the boardroom.
First-time directors also find the Masterclass helpful in understanding the leading practices in governing AI, digital and cybersecurity risk.
With the advancement of AI and the federal government pulling back on cybersecurity, the burden is on private sector leadership that can step up and strengthen the board as a leadership control in the digital business systems shaping the future. As more boards add this expertise to the boardroom, we're here to prepare you to lead.
From understanding systemic cyber risk, and the role of the board in the digital system, to knowing how to make an incident-to-materiality determination for SEC disclosure purposes, to being able to implement a reasonable system of AI, digital, and cybersecurity governance, QTE 501 is the premier executive education program explicitly designed and built to help you rise to this leadership moment.
DDN is the pioneer and leader in building the practice and profession of digital and cybersecurity governance. You'll join over 600 boardroom, digital and cybersecurity leaders from leading organizations around the world who have completed QTE 501 and earned their QTE Certification.
QTE 501 is CPD Certified and delivers 13 hours of continuing professional development hours.
I hope to see you in Las Vegas, what happens here will shape and secure the digital future!
Bob Zukis
DDN Founder & CEO
ABOUT THE QTE 501 LEARNING EXPERIENCE
The QTE Boardroom Readiness Masterclass is designed to provide executives with the education they need to understand corporate governance, the emerging practice of digital and cybersecurity risk oversight, systemic risk, and the expanding role of the IT and cybersecurity executive in the boardroom.
The class covers the new disclosure rules released by the SEC including materiality and the system of corporate governance and oversight needed to fulfill them.
QTE 501 is taught to leading business school academic standards by peers and leading practitioners on these issues.
Qualified Technology Experts (QTEs) are boardroom-ready IT and cybersecurity with the IT and business skills, competencies, and experiences to be high-performing contributors in the corporate boardroom.
This in-person masterclass is one full day of executive learning followed by the QTE Certification exam. Attendees traveling for the class should plan on arriving the day before as class begins at 8:30 AM sharp. Class and the exam will finish by 5:30 PM.
The course syllabus includes in depth discussions on corporate governance, the role of the director, trends in digital and cybersecurity oversight, legal issues, the DiRECTORTM framework for systemic cyber risk and issues and pathways to the boardroom including your boardroom CV.
Upon completion of the course, participants will:
- Understand the role of the corporate board and director.
- Improve their ability to convey complex technical issues to corporate directors and what materiality means.
- Have an understanding of systemic risk in digital and cybersecurity oversight and the ability to apply the DiRECTORTM framework.
- Know what boardroom service entails, pays, and how to pursue a board seat.
- Be informed of the trends shaping the future of the corporation, the board and the role and responsibilities of the corporate director.
- Understand the legal issues and trends facing the corporate director and boardroom and the CISO's role with the board.
The general schedule is as follows. A detailed syllabus will be sent with your pre-reading materials:
Day 1
12:00 Noon - Class begins
3:00 PM - Break
5:30 PM - Class Finishes
5:30 PM - Welcome Reception Dinner is Free Range Las Vegas
Day 2
7:00 AM - Continental Breakfast Available
8:00 AM - Class Begins
12:00 Noon - Class Finishes
12:30 PM - QTE Certification Exam Begins
2:30 - PM - QTE Certification Exam Ends Grade Available
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
This class has three key learning objectives targeted at developing a range of critical corporate governance competencies for the technology and cybersecurity executive:
1. Improving the ability of any technology executive to work with your corporate board.
2. Developing technology executives to become effective corporate directors and assist in launching your boardroom career.
3. Establishing core competencies in digital and cybersecurity risk oversight and a functional understanding of systemic risk in complex digital systems.
FACULTY
QTE Boardroom Readiness is the only program designed and taught by leading academics, lawyers, and practitioners in digital transformation, cybersecurity, and corporate governance.
The lead designer of the curriculum and frequent instructor is Bob Zukis, USC Marshall School of Business Adjunct Professor, DDN CEO/Founder, and former PwC Advisory Partner. Bob brings over thirty years of management consulting experience and academic rigor to the QTE learning experience.
He is a Senior Fellow in The Conference Board's ESG Center, an emeritus board member of the NACD PSW chapter, and a prolific author and speaker on digital leadership, governance, and systemic risk and change. As a PwC Advisory partner, Bob was a client service partner and led various practice units including their IT strategy/operations, data management and west coast cybersecurity practices
DDN Faculty members also teach the QTE 501 Masterclass.
TEACHING METHOD
This course is taught to leading business school standards. It is not a panel-focused industry event. You will participate in lectures, exercises, peer discussions and case reviews focusing on the key knowledge, skills, and practical tools to be effective as a director in the corporate boardroom.
QTE CERTIFICATION AND CPD
QTE 501 is CPD certified.
You will also be eligible to sit for the QTE certification exam upon completion of the class. Participation in the class is a pre-requisite for taking the QTE certification exam.
The QTE certification exam is based on the content covered in the pre-reading and also key concepts that will be discussed in class. The exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions and requires a 70% passing score. Exams can only be taken in our classroom environment. The exam can be retaken once. Further retakes require that the class be completed again.
Participants complete 13 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours of executive education in the masterclass. CPD hours of learner interaction include classroom, self-paced pre-reading, and teamwork in support of the learning outcomes of the masterclass. Ten hours of ongoing education is required every two years to maintain QTE Certification.
ENROLLMENT
Shortly after enrollment, participants will be sent their course textbook and all other materials to the address they provide during online registration. We estimate that 6.5 hours of pre-reading is required. Completing the pre-reading is vital to passing the QTE Certification exam.
We look forward to seeing you in class.
Cancellation Policy: Cancellation 90 days before QTE 501 begins is 100% refundable. Due to limited seating, after this point, all reservations for QTE501 Las Vegas are nonrefundable. Participants will be rescheduled for an online or offline masterclass at another date. Check the hotel details for their policy.
DETAILED AGENDA
QTE 501 Las Vegas includes our foundational executive learning content for this acclaimed masterclass, plus some extended discussions and updated cases for this special in-person Masterclass.
Our highly engaging learning agenda includes deep-dive learning cases, peer leaders sharing their insights, and instructors who have the deep applied experience in corporate governance and cybersecurity that are the hallmark of our Masterclass.
The full agenda is reflected below.
LAS VEGAS QTE 501 FACULTY
The QTE Boardroom Readiness Masterclass is the only executive learning program designed and taught by leading academics and practitioners in digital transformation, cybersecurity, and corporate governance.
The lead designer and instructor for the curriculum, and the Las Vegas Masterclass is Bob Zukis, former USC Marshall School of Business Professor, DDN CEO/Founder, retired PwC Advisory Partner, and former Bloomfire CEO and Executive Director. Bob brings over thirty-five years of business and IT leadership experience and academic rigor to the QTE learning experience.
He is a Senior Fellow in The Conference Board's ESG Center, an emeritus board member of the NACD PSW chapter, and a prolific author and speaker on digital leadership, governance, and systemic risk and change. As a PwC Advisory partner, Bob led their IT strategy/operations, data management and West Coast cybersecurity practices.
Co-instructing QTE 501 Las Vegas with Bob will be DDN Faculty member and industry leader Tony Cole.
QTE 501 LAS VEGAS BOARDROOM READINESS MASTERCLASS FOR IT and CYBERSECURITY EXECUTIVES
Day 1: Monday, February 2, 2026 | 13 CPD Hours Total
12:00 Noon Class Begins at high-noon with Introductions
12:30 PM The Fundamentals of Corporate Governance and a History of Boardroom Change
1:30 PM Leading Practices in AI, Digital and Cybersecurity Governance: Boardroom Cases in Excellence and Failure
3:00 PM Break
3:15 AM Understanding Systemic Risk and Complex Digital Business Systems with the DiRECTORTM Framework
4:15 PM Group case study: Trojan Enterprises
5:30 PM Networking Reception with drinks and light snacks sponsored by X-Analytics
7:00 PM Dinner is at your discretion in Las Vegas
Day 2 Tuesday, February 3, 2026
7:00 AM Continental Breakfast Available
8:00 AM Trojan Enterprises Case Review
9:00 AM Legal Issues Including the SEC Disclosure Rules
- Incident to materiality tabletop using BRFO
- Board reporting and translating cybersecurity risk into business value taught by Kevin Richards of X-Analytics
10:30 AM Break
10:45 AM Legal considerations and trends in corporate governance
11:15 AM Trends in boardroom composition, pay, and the path to the boardroom including your board CV
12:00 Noon Class Ends and box lunches available
1:00 PM QTE Exam begins
2:30 PM QTE Exam hard stop grades available
2:30 PM QTE 501 Las Vegas Ends
If you are departing on Tuesday, please arrange flights for after 2:30 PM PT. I
Special thanks to RIght of Boom conference for bringing this Las Vegas session to you. You can register to attend Right of Boom here.
"My compliments on the quality of the course, DDN and the instruction style. For me personally, the timing could not have been better as this has already been extremely helpful for work with my own Board Cyber Committee."
— Gary Cantrell, CIO, Jabil Corp. (NYSE: JBL)
"DDN’s QTE Boardroom Readiness executive education program fills a critical gap to prepare technologists for board service like no other course that I’ve seen."
— Daphne Jones, Corporate Director, (AMN: NYSE, B: NYSE, DOOR: NYSE)
and former SVP and CIO GE Healthcare
"The [QTE Boardroom Readiness] course content provided an excellent framework for board-level engagement. I thoroughly enjoyed the deep dive discussions with an exceptional class!"
— Rishi Tripathi, CISO, Mount Sinai Health System
"The QTE Masterclass should be essential required training for all technical professionals seeking roles on boards as well as those actively engaged with boards, such as CIO’s and CISO's. The insights gained, concepts discussed and the gaps filled are invaluable ‘table-stakes’ for leaders on both sides of the boardroom table. The class and the instruction was a great experience!"
—Patrick Joyce, VP & Chief Security Officer Medtronic (NYSE: MDT)
"QTE 501 is a great course to "bootstrap" any IT professional into a Board Governance mindset. I highly recommend it!"
—Alan Berry, CISO Centene (NYSE: CNC) and Board Member
WHERE TO STAY FOR QTE 501 ATTENDEES
QTE 501 is at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. With recently renovated rooms, we're leveraging the Right of Boom room block and rate for masterclass attendees. Use this passkey to access the lower rates and to book your stay.
The MGM Grand is close to Harry Reid International Airport and should meet all of your Vegas needs.
We look forward to seeing you in Vegas!
Bob Zukis
DDN Founder and CEO
When
Location
- MGM GRAND, 3799 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA
