Withers convenes panel on AI, cybersecurity and reputation in modern family office governance

'Governing family offices in the age of AI, cybersecurity, and reputation management', hosted on May 19, 2026 in New York City, convened a dynamic group of legal, operational and technology leaders for forward-thinking advisers and principals shaping the modern family office.

Co-chaired by Ivan Sacks, William Kambas, and David Guin, our families and family offices group delivered three focused sessions designed to equip attendees with practical, strategic approaches to navigating rapid technological change and evolving governance demands. The program explored the growing impact of artificial intelligence, the realities of today’s cybersecurity landscape, and the increasingly complex challenges of reputation management within family offices.

Harnessing AI for operational advantage

The session Intelligent automation: Deploying AI for operational excellence, moderated by William Kambas, brought together Jessica Nall, Kent Lawson (Family Office Exchange), Justin Rockefeller (Avenera and The ImPact), and Zan Foltyniak (Arch).

The panel positioned AI as both a transformative tool for efficiency and a critical governance consideration, offering a forward-looking perspective on how AI is being integrated into family office data ecosystems and operational workflows. The discussion was enriched by cross-sector perspectives and active audience engagement, reflecting the pace and scale of innovation in this space.

Strengthening cyber resilience

In A breach in the wall: What happens when cybersecurity fails and family assets, funds, and data are compromised, Doron Goldstein and Brett Tanferani (Cypfer), moderated by David Guin, led a simulation-driven session highlighting the real and immediate risks facing family offices.

The session exposed key vulnerabilities within today’s threat landscape and outlined practical, coordinated strategies to mitigate the impact of cyber incidents. A clear message emerged: resilience requires alignment across legal, technical, and operational functions.

Protecting reputation and legacy

The cross-disciplinary theme continued in Protecting legacy in the digital transparency era, featuring Ivan Sacks, Amber Melville-Brown, Martin Auerbach, and Matthew Forbes (@GROUP & EDD Group).

Drawing on deep experience advising high-net-worth individuals across legal, media, investigative and strategic contexts, the panel explored the complexities of safeguarding trust, privacy and legacy. The discussion underscored a defining challenge for family offices managing reputational risk in an environment where scrutiny is instant, information is persistent, and the consequences of exposure can be far-reaching.