Intelligent CISO Issue 29 | Page 72

GO PHISH friends with great food and a nice glass of wine . . . or two! It’s challenging to switch off though I try to discipline myself to spend only an hour each day over weekends to look at emails and work-related activities, although it can be tough to stick to. Stress can come in multiple forms, but having a truly caring management team that recognises these challenges and is actively there to support its employees is really important. We have a phenomenal caring culture here at AppRiver|ZIX. If you could go back and change one career decision, what would it be? I can think of a few, good and bad. I try to learn by the decisions I’ve made. What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in the cybersecurity industry? With the current world challenges around the COVID-19 pandemic, and the huge push to the cloud, we are seeing large investments in securing remote workforces. Due to the impact of COVID-19, we have already seen how vulnerable people are to attacks and an increase in malicious malware and other opportunistic scams, the threat environment is evolving to match the current situation and organisations are investing more than ever to keep their employees and organisation secure. Are there any differences in the way cybersecurity challenges need to be tackled in the different regions? There is much common ground to start building trust with partners in different regions, yet there are differences and hurdles for each. Data residency and compliance, trust and expectations Never give up, surround yourself with good people and enjoy the journey! vary by region. A good example would be the introduction of GDRP. With that, questions about data residency, access and compliance have become more important. The challenge is to meet client needs and expectations while maintaining the cybersecurity requirements, keeping users safe and educated in a changing security landscape. Beyond localisation and a presence in a country, understanding different cultures and how they want to engage and be supported is also important. What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months? The biggest is the change in the last three months with lockdown and homeworking. Before this period, I spent lots of time travelling, attending events and actively engaging with our partners. We have had to adjust, but this new way of working has really pushed me into spending time on video calls and attending virtual events. The environment that I foster with the team to bounce ideas around and work collaboratively had to be re-focused and different business strategies have been created to effectively and efficiently work through this period. Is this the new norm? What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain a C-level position in the security industry? There is lots of good advice but choosing the right organisations to work for that genuinely invest in their employees is important. Not all companies offer this. I’ve been fortunate to have had some great coaches that have believed in me and helped me develop and succeed. Never give up, surround yourself with good people and enjoy the journey! u 72 Issue 29 www.intelligentciso.com |