Welcome to the Identity Salon!
Check out the Identity Salon 2025 meeting schedule and topics of current interest!
The Identity Salon™ was born from two key realizations:
- As digital identity gains mainstream traction, industry events are increasingly catering to less-experienced practitioners and addressing short-term challenges. This trend leaves a gap for seasoned professionals who seek to network and tackle long-term, strategic issues.
- Unlike cybersecurity, the identity field lacks strong ties to academia. This disconnect results in academic research that often misses real-world deployment needs, while enterprise architects and vendor product owners remain uninformed about significant academic advancements.
Recognizing these gaps, we envisioned a space for senior identity architects to engage in practical discussions about challenges on a 5- to 7-year horizon. Early conversations with industry leaders confirmed the value of creating such a forum, particularly one that fosters collaboration between practitioners and academics.
Our Approach
To encourage candid dialogue, we operate under the Chatham House Rule. Each session’s discussions are distilled into high-quality, actionable reports supplemented by additional research and context.
Our pilot event at Authenticate 2024 validated the concept, receiving positive feedback for both the meeting and the output report. Building on this success, we’ve committed to hosting three in-person gatherings in 2025: two in the United States (confirmed) and one in Europe (currently being finalized). To maintain momentum, we’ll also hold shorter virtual meetings, supplemented by lighter-weight newsletters summarizing key points.
Where We Fit in the Industry
The Identity Salon aims to complement existing conferences by filling a unique niche by focusing on actionable steps for anticipated challenges in the 5-year range. We ask: “What practical measures can we take now to prepare for known identity challenges down the road?” Such measures may include internal briefings, team development, proactive involvement in standards groups, or encouraging vendors to prioritize specific features.
Through this focused approach, the Identity Salon aims to drive meaningful progress in the identity industry, ensuring practitioners are well-prepared to meet future challenges head-on.
How We’re Funded
The Identity Salon is primarily funded through corporate sponsorships. These sponsorships enable us to host high-quality events and produce detailed reports. To ensure that the Salon remains a trusted space for open and candid discussions, and to respect the privacy of our attendees, sponsors do not receive access to attendee contact information. For more information on the Salon, please complete this request form and we’ll be in touch!