First 90 days Of CISO: Elevating Cybersecurity Perspectives; From Business Safety to Unexpected Transformations By Bikash Barai and Matthew Ireland

This illuminating discussion explores the shift in perspective from security to business safety within the realm of cybersecurity, emphasizing the importance of understanding and addressing the specific needs of a company's revenue, customers, brand, and finances. Additionally, the conversation shares an inspiring anecdote of a security operations manager's unexpected career transformation after being challenged by a mentor to pursue the CEO role. These intertwined narratives underscore the dynamic nature of cybersecurity leadership and the significance of adopting a holistic approach to safeguarding organizational assets.

Here is the verbatim discussion:

What is more important is safety and by safety i mean business safety so nobody really cares for um security in that way but they care for business safety and we need to understand what kind of safety does the business want run away is it safety from the perspective of that their brand comes across in a specific manner their financial safety whatever it is i mean it's generally what it means is safety so instead of looking at um security from the perspective of security if we look at it from the perspective of that here we are to safeguard the business we are here to safeguard the interest of each of you i think we will have a different kind of point of view and the moment we do that our language is going to change um and he at the time i had an associate's degree i had no idea what i wanted to do when i grew up i was a security operations manager and um doing things well he's got a fascinating book private to ceo uh that is just uh uh interesting read uh quick read but more importantly for me personally uh he sat down with me one day and said what do you want to do when you grow up and and i really didn't know the answer and so um thinking on my feet as slowly as i did i i i just made something up i said well i want your job uh which i wasn't qualified for and and really hadn't thought through the answer to that uh that was around 10 12 years ago and the challenge that he did for me was uh to bring my resume and actually i brought two he gave me directions.

Highlights :

Focus on Business Safety: The conversation emphasizes the shift in focus from traditional security measures to prioritizing business safety. By understanding and addressing the broader needs and concerns of the business, cybersecurity professionals can better safeguard organizational interests and contribute to overall business success.

Inspiring Career Transformation: The anecdote shared highlights the transformative power of mentorship and ambition within the cybersecurity field. Despite lacking a clear career path initially, the individual's journey demonstrates the potential for personal and professional growth through seizing unexpected opportunities and ambitious goals.

As the conversation concludes, it leaves listeners with valuable insights into the evolving landscape of cybersecurity leadership. The emphasis on prioritizing business safety and seizing unexpected career opportunities underscores the dynamic nature of the field and the potential for personal and professional growth. By adopting a holistic approach to cybersecurity and embracing challenges with ambition and determination, professionals can make meaningful contributions within the industry and achieve their career aspirations.

Bikash Barai is credited for several innovations in the domain of Network Security and Anti-Spam Technologies and has multiple patents in USPTO. Fortune recognized Bikash among India’s Top 40 Business Leaders under the age of 40 (Fortune 40-under-40).Bikash is also an active speaker and has spoken at various forums like TiE, RSA Conference USA, TEDx etc.

Earlier he founded iViZ an IDG Ventures-backed company that was later acquired by Cigital and now Synopsys. iViZ was the first company in the world to take Ethical Hacking (or Penetration Testing) to the cloud.

https://twitter.com/bikashbarai1

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bikashbarai/

Matthew Ireland serves as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at NTT Research, where he leads cybersecurity initiatives to safeguard the organization's digital assets and infrastructure. With a wealth of experience in cybersecurity, Matthew brings expertise in aligning security practices with business objectives and fostering collaboration across diverse teams. As CISO, he is dedicated to implementing robust security measures and staying ahead of emerging cyber threats to protect NTT Research and its stakeholders. serves as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at NTT Research, where he leads cybersecurity initiatives to safeguard the organization's digital assets and infrastructure.

With a wealth of experience in cybersecurity, Matthew brings expertise in aligning security practices with business objectives and fostering collaboration across diverse teams. As CISO, he is dedicated to implementing robust security measures and staying ahead of emerging cyber threats to protect NTT Research and its stakeholders.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdireland/

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First 90 days Of CISO: Elevating Cybersecurity Perspectives; From Business Safety to Unexpected Transformations By Bikash Barai and Matthew Ireland

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