Chief Information Security Officer
First Horizon
Leilani Farol is Chief Information Security Officer for First Horizon Corporation. She brings more than two decades of experience in information security, risk management, and technology leadership, with a proven record of building resilient security programs and partnering closely with business leaders.
Most recently, Farol led Cybersecurity Governance, Risk and Compliance at Fidelity Investments, where she drove a multi-year, enterprise-wide cyber strategy. At First Horizon, she is responsible for enterprise cybersecurity strategy and execution; strengthening information security risk management and governance; ensuring regulatory and compliance alignment; and advancement of incident response, resilience and security awareness—embedding security into daily operations as an enabler for the business.
Throughout Farol’s career in financial services and a variety of industries in the U.S. and internationally, she has directed complex programs in technology strategy, program and project management, business development, application development and large-scale system implementations. She is highly regarded for building security-first cultures and implementing cutting-edge technologies.
Artificial intelligence has shattered the economics of cybercrime, enabling sophisticated, personalized attacks on an industrial scale. Regional banks and credit unions face asymmetric warfare: attackers using cutting-edge AI while defenders operate with limited budgets, legacy infrastructure, and small security teams. This panel examines how AI-powered threats are evolving, why smaller institutions are increasingly attractive targets despite lower volumes, and what realistic defense strategies look like when you can’t outspend the threat. From behavioral biometrics to threat intelligence sharing and consortium-based defense models, panelists discuss practical approaches to surviving the AI arms race.