Kevin Kennedy^’00

Biography

Kevin Kennedy is a Managing Director in the Technology and Innovations group and focuses on the firm’s cyber defense capabilities. Before joining Blackstone, Kevin held positions as CTO and CISO across several financial organizations in the banking and alternative asset management sectors. He earned his BA from Columbia University, an MS in Cybersecurity from Brown University, and is currently an adjunct professor in Cybersecurity at John Jay University. Kevin is a former United States Marine, Iraq War Veteran, and co-founder of ReferVets.org – a non-profit platform that helps veterans get back to work.

Positions

- Managing Director, Blackstone

Building Trust in a Breach-Prone World

May 2nd
2026

10:30 am -
11:30 am, EST

Rooms 101/103

Panel Discussion

Technology

Related Links

Carmine Castellano's Biography

Kevin Kennedy's Biography

Steve Fugelsang's Biography

All Events

Introduction

The world is experiencing a surge in massive, AI-powered data breaches, with nearly 140,000
global leaks reported in January 2026 alone. Experts warn that 2026 will be the “Year of AI” in
cybersecurity, with AI being leveraged to accelerate attack timeliness, create highly realistic
phishing lures, and generate synthetic profiles and deepfakes. Insider threat is also evolving
through AI and remote work. As attacks become faster, more complex, and geopolitically
motivated, the traditional defenses are no longer sufficient. The landscape is shifting towards an
“assume breach” mentality, where organizations must adapt and prepare for sophisticated and
potentially autonomous cyberattacks. With speakers from unique backgrounds, this timely
session will explore the latest cybersecurity threats and advanced strategies to safeguard your
critical information. Our speakers will discuss:
 An overview of cybersecurity attacks and zero trust principles
 New cyber threats presented by insiders and AI
 Best practices to mitigate risks and defend against attacks