Diana Lovati, CISO at AEG Entertainment, on Securing Coachella, Sports, and Live Events

Many cybersecurity leaders must balance security with business operations. For Diana Lovati, Global CISO at AEG Entertainment and a TIME CISO Awards finalist, that means helping ensure some of the world's largest live events, sports franchises, and entertainment venues can operate securely and without disruption. Diana Lovati shares how cybersecurity supports AEG's portfolio, including the LA Kings, LA Galaxy, Crypto.com Arena, Coachella, and Stagecoach. The discussion highlights why security must be embedded from the beginning of every initiative and how understanding the business behind the technology helps security teams respond more effectively when incidents occur. The conversation also explores Diana's unique approach to learning the business. Rather than attending Coachella as a guest, she sought behind-the-scenes access to understand how event operations, IT teams, law enforcement, physical security, and cybersecurity professionals work together to deliver safe and successful experiences at scale. KEY TAKEAWAYS • Cybersecurity plays a critical role in enabling live events, sports, and entertainment operations • Security is most effective when it is integrated from the beginning rather than added later • Understanding business operations helps security teams make better decisions during incidents • Cyber incident response requires close collaboration between technology, security, and operational teams • Strong security leadership is built on understanding how organizations operate behind the scenes TL;DR Diana Lovati explains how cybersecurity enables major live entertainment experiences by embedding security into event operations, building strong incident response capabilities, and developing a deep understanding of the business behind the technology. WHO IS THIS FOR? • CISO • CIO • Security Leaders • Cybersecurity Practitioners • Incident Response Teams • Risk and Compliance Leaders • Technology Executives • Entertainment Industry Leaders • Operational Resilience Professionals • Aspiring Cybersecurity Leaders FAQ Q: Why is cybersecurity so important for live entertainment events? A: Live events rely on complex technology systems that must remain operational throughout an event. Cybersecurity helps reduce risk and supports uninterrupted experiences for artists, teams, and attendees. Q: What lesson does Diana Lovati emphasize for security leaders? A: Security leaders should understand how their organizations operate behind the scenes so they can effectively support the business and respond to incidents. Q: How does cyber incident response relate to business operations? A: Effective incident response requires understanding which systems are most critical to business functions and how disruptions could impact operations. Q: What makes security unique in the entertainment industry? A: Entertainment organizations often operate large venues, live events, sports franchises, and complex technology environments that require close coordination across multiple teams. #CISO #Cybersecurity #CyberResilience #IncidentResponse #AEGEntertainment #Coachella #Leadership #TIMECISOAwards