In 2022, the awards were sponsored by Beazley, BT, KPMG and KnowBe4.

Carole Embling, Information Security Manager – Awareness and Behaviour Change, Metro Bank

What does your job role entail?

My current role is all about developing and delivering an Information security (cyber security) awareness programme using a wide range of methods and tactics.

How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?

I was working as an internal business systems consultant at Royal Mail during the run up to Y2k.  As I was one of 2 consultants who concentrated on information and information system use within the CEO and Chairman’s office, our questions naturally strayed into “how is the information protected and how do you know …?”  All quite timely really.  Straight after we entered into 2000, 22 of us from widely different areas within Royal Mail were identified to be trained to become part of the inaugural Group-wide Information Security Team. From there the team was trained by the Royal Holloway, some going on to do their MSc’s with them.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?

My biggest challenges came from working during the 1980’s and 90’s as a young working mother with no degree in a post civil service environment. (The Post Office of which Royal Mail and what is now BT were constituent parts had split away from direct civil service control but still held some very old-fashioned ideas.)  There were some amazingly enlightened directors who I worked for who recognised that I had potential and they fought the battles which allowed me to progress. However, that did not prevent many less senior, mainly IT managers, from questioning my competence and abilities, especially as I had never written a line of code in my life (I still haven’t). What I had was a natural ability to understand problems and interpret them so that non IT people could understand what IT were saying and the other way round. It meant that teams could actually communicate and understand each other!

What are your top three greatest accomplishments you have achieved during your career so far?

As I start to look back at my career, I am especially proud of everything we achieved in Royal Mail between 2000 and 2008. We had one of the biggest ISO27001 certificates in Europe at the time. I ran the conversion programme from BS7799 to the ISO standard and then continued to manage the compliance programme up until I left in 2008. During that time I also ran the communications and awareness programmes. We managed to engage 250,000 people in every area of the business and country. The greatest moment of realising that I had done it was when I would get random phone calls from all over the UK with postmen, or engineers or systems operatives asking me how to deal with managers who were asking them to do things like share passwords and they knew they should not. I had made an impact and had provided the means for them to know where to come to get help and support. 

Since leaving Royal Mail I have had many roles but the other that stands out was working at BMJ where as well as dealing with Info Sec (it was basically a greenfield site as far as Info Sec was concerned at the time), for them I was also handed the role of DPO and guided them through the whole GDPR programme.  That was very satisfying.

What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?

To be honest I do not specifically support anybody in particular. What I do do is to encourage anyone who talks to me to look at their basic abilities (training is available to build knowledge). Talk to them about what they are interested in and encourage them to look at aspects of Info/cyber security that match. We need so many different types of perspectives and ways of approaching situations. I am a firm believer that people should be judged on their abilities or promise of abilities rather than what sex or any other ‘differentiator’ they or others may consider they fall into. 

What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?

Remember you are a person seeking to do a job in an interesting area. You don’t need to be technical as the world of Information/Cyber Security crosses every business area you can think of and we as Information Security professionals need to be able to interact with them and that takes a wide range of personalities and skills to do it successfully.

The post #MIWIC2022: Carole Embling, Metro Bank appeared first on IT Security Guru.

This year, the awards are sponsored by Beazley, BT, KPMG and KnowBe4.

Camilla Currin, Senior Partner Manager, Trend Micro

What does your job role entail?

I currently manage the largest Value Added Reseller for Trend Micro UK/I. My role is to drive engagement between our two businesses across all levels as well as work in unison to create a GTM business strategy.

With my knowledge of what Trend Micro has to offer across our broad and award winning portfolios, I work with the wider Trend Team to go out and update the VAR on what it is we can do from a cyber security perspective, and how we can integrate with solutions that the customer may already have on site to further enhance their cyber security protection.  

From there we go further to address Sector specific requirements as well as work on case by case deals. It is extremely important to understand what the typical customer challenges and issues are, and to bring in solutions to those ahead of the game.  

I work to also ensure that I am not only seen as someone who wants to sell but someone who is keen to help others become thought-leaders to their customer base.

How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?

I travelled over from Zimbabwe to the UK 20 years ago. When I arrived I had a 5 year old so wanted to do something that would allow me to look after him, set up home, and earn. 

I was a door to door sales person initially, selling items from a magazine.  Following that I went on to sell greetings cards at shows, events, and from home.  Realising that this was not earning me enough money, I went off to look for something more substantial. That is when I started working for Arrow ECS Distribution. This provided me with fantastic grounding to the world of infrastructure, virtualisation and security.  I worked my way up from being a personal assistant, to working in operations, on to being part of the Virtualisation Team. It was then that I realised I wanted to work in Sales. I moved up into the sales side, managing circa 15 partners as well as setting up Veeam as a new Vendor for Arrow ECS.  Soon after that I was promoted into being a Strategic Account Director, responsible for some of our key Partners. 

I learnt so much from each and every role, and this gave me the clarity that as the world evolved, if I was ever to leave Distribution, my next role had to either be in Cloud or Cyber Security. Very happy to say I was headhunted into the wonderful world of Cyber Security and have not looked back.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?

I believe that one of the biggest challenges was that “despite being a woman”, I should be seen as someone who does indeed know what she is talking about.  For a long time, when I walked into a room of invariably men only, along with one or two male colleagues, I knew the thinking was “well what will she know about tech – perhaps she is here to take notes”.  

The way out of that was by putting my shoulders back and embracing the audience.  Making introductions, engaging directly with each individual, and having the ability to speak confidently when presenting or when contributing to a discussion.  There was a bit of extra work that I felt I had to put in, in preparation ahead of a meeting, which would in turn give me the extra confidence of knowledge that I would be able to hold the audience. I also learnt how important it was to be upfront when I did not know an answer to a question, but instead go away, find out and get back with all the facts required and more.

Times have moved on and with so many remarkable women in the industry, I am happy to say the challenge mentioned above is definitely on the decline!

What are your top three greatest accomplishments you have achieved during your career so far?

These have all really happened during my career in Trend Micro where I have been given the “wings to fly” due to working for an organisation that truly believes and trusts in me.

The first was being awarded the “Unsung Hero 2019” Award which was handed out at the Global Sales Kick Off. I was one of 5 out of Europe and Global to get this award that year. The award recognises people that have gone above and beyond for their Team, their Business Unit, to Trend Micro as a whole and most importantly – to their Partners/Customers.

The second accomplishment was during Covid lockdown. As Trend Micro were unable to attend our regular Global and European Kick Off, we held this virtually.  I was selected to co-host/moderate the European Event with Rik Ferguson, then VP of Security Research for Trend Micro and other key people over two days.   Ensuring the event ran smoothly, introducing speakers and conversing with Rik during the breaks on subject matters that had been presented, our takes and thoughts on them and bringing the virtual audience in to participate in those break discussions.

The third and latest accomplishment comes from being nominated for “Most Inspiring Women in Cyber 2022”.  This nomination came as a massive surprise to me and I am honoured and humbled to have been selected as one of the winners of this amazing Award amongst other great Women in Cyber.  

What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?

This is a very important part of my world. I am so keen to do what I can to help give people the confidence to push forward and go for what they want in life.  From where I started to where I am now is not something I would have thought I would achieve. Most importantly, the passion I have for what I do and who I work for. It is a great place to be. I want others to have this.

I have been involved in Trend Micro’s Mentoring Programme, which we offered out globally to try and encourage women to enter the world of Cyber Security or just give them the confidence that they needed to help them in the route they wanted to take. 

Internally at Trend Micro, I will always go out of my way to work with young people who need guidance and encouragement in what they are wanting to achieve or have achieved.  This could be a simple word of encouragement on something they have done, recognition of them to management, or a deeper dive into what it is they are wanting to do, but not knowing where to start.

There are so many roles in our wonderful industry – we just need to take that initial step.

What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?

Be brave and go for what you want. You do not have to be technical to enter this industry – you just have to have a passion for what it is you want to do and the results will follow.

The post #MIWIC2022: Camilla Currin, Trend Micro appeared first on IT Security Guru.

This year, the awards are sponsored by Beazley, BT, KPMG and KnowBe4.

Dr Kiri Addison, Senior Product Manager, Mimecast

What does your job role entail?

My job entails creating new security products and features in response to the changing threat landscape. I work closely with threat researchers, engineers and customer-facing teams to make sure we are staying on top of the latest techniques used by cybercriminals and keeping our customers safe. 

How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?

After completing my PhD, I worked as a risk and fraud analyst at HMRC. Here I applied my data analysis and data science skills to detect high risk tax fraud. I then moved to another UK government department, DWP, where I was the data scientist leading the development of the in-house cyber attack detection capabilities. Many of the techniques used in fraud detection can also be applied more generally to cybersecurity, but I was also able to build up my cyber domain knowledge through training and working with subject matter experts.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?

In this industry, I feel the ability to share and present your work is very important. However, during my teenage years I had developed a fear of public speaking. To overcome this I took a number of public speaking classes and had help from coaches and mentors. It was scary at first, but I took every opportunity to present and eventually became comfortable with speaking in front of large audiences. It is now one of the aspects of my job that I enjoy most.

What are your top three greatest accomplishments you have achieved during your career so far?

1. One of the products I helped build as a data scientist, detected some very vulnerable people being exploited by criminals for monetary gain. The most rewarding part of my job is being able to help people.
2. Two years ago I completed an MBA. This gave me a different perspective on my work that directed me to move into Product Management.
3. Delivering the keynote at a cybersecurity conference.

What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?

I think the most important thing is making sure I share the kind of opportunities that helped me grow and raise my profile. I also ensure I am visible, speaking at various events and sessions aimed specifically towards women or girls considering a career in STEM.

What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?

It is a fantastic industry to work in. The best bit of advice I can give is to make the most of any opportunity that comes your way, even if it pushes you outside your comfort zone. It is probably when you will grow and learn the most.

The post #MIWIC2022: Dr Kiri Addison, Mimecast appeared first on IT Security Guru.

This year, the awards are sponsored by Beazley, BT, KPMG and KnowBe4.

Camellia Chan, CEO and Founder at X-PHY, a Flexxon brand

What does your job role entail?

Put simply, my role is to make sure that the business continues to make an impact – to the industry and my team. This entails having oversight of business development, investing in industry partnerships, setting the strategy for global expansion, and nurturing a team of extraordinary people. In practice, our work seeks to respond to industry needs. 

I started Flexxon as a memory and storage solutions provider, specialising in industrial, medical, and automotive NAND storage devices, and leveraged on this expertise to develop the X-PHY Cybersecure SSD (solid-state drive), our flagship cybersecurity solution. This happened because I noticed a recurring trend when speaking to our customers – that both blue-chip companies and smaller enterprises had either fallen victim to a cyberattack or were worried about this becoming the case. We evolved and created X-PHY to address this pressing problem. 

Another part of my job is supporting our incredible employees. It’s important to give your people opportunities to grow, especially considering the growing cybersecurity skills gap – in fact, the World Economic Forum reported there is still a cybersecurity workforce gap of over 2.72 million positions earlier this year. That’s why I set up our ‘innovation lab’. Its intention is to boost R&D, foster greater collaboration and cooperation amongst employees, and facilitate the exchange of skills. It functions like our very own sandbox to push the envelope, strengthen team dynamics and deliver an enriching environment to our employees. These are the kinds of initiatives that I love to be involved in. 

How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?

There is a popular misconception that entering the deep tech industry requires years of formal technical education under your belt. I certainly did not have those credentials when I joined the industry – at university, I studied business management and later picked up a specialisation in IT. 

After assembling my first PC in my second year, I developed my passion for building technology. Coming out of university, I started work at an electronics manufacturer where I learned the basics of logic circuits. I then spent a lot of time studying a variety of technical topics that I am interested in.

I certainly did not originally set out to be where I am today, but a larger vision spoke to me – I knew that I could use my passion for technology to make something that would benefit the world. In 2007, I combined my love of business and technology by founding Flexxon, which is now a leading cybersecurity and industrial memory and storage solutions provider. In 2021, we unveiled the X-PHY cybersecure SSD – the world’s first AI-embedded data security SSD designed to deliver real-time protection against cyber threats.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?

In building Flexxon, I never saw gender as a hurdle. I ensured that from the get-go, every individual’s value was measured by our contributions, propensity to grow and shared mindset. Not gender, or any other factor. 

However, despite significant progress made in the past few years, I recognise the issue of underrepresentation is something that will take many more years to change. We must strive to create more opportunities for women to enter the industry on equal footing. For instance, professional networks that empower women in the professional space are crucial to ensure we keep improving and that more women in the industry come forward and challenge misconceptions surrounding barriers to entry and success. For this reason, it is great to be part of this brilliant award to highlight the amazing work that women are doing in the industry.

For me, a combination of hard work and ambition was – and still is – a driving force in everything that I do. I have always believed in my abilities and acknowledged my weaknesses. In every instance, I have reminded myself never to give up. Believing in yourself in both your successes and failures is highly important, but this is not always easy. Indeed LinkedIn found that women apply for 20% fewer jobs than men despite similar job search behaviours – women typically don’t believe in themselves enough. This is why we need to have confidence in ourselves, and lean on our networks to lift us up. 

What are your top three greatest accomplishments you have achieved during your career so far?

My career as a founder of an international cybersecurity brand has brought with it plenty of accomplishments. But if I had to name three it would be:

1. Taking the leap of faith by setting up Flexxon 

This incredible journey began in 2007 and I’ve not looked back since. Starting a company isn’t easy but if you believe in your business model and surround yourself with the right people, you can achieve great things. 

2. Re-engineering the cybersecurity landscape with the X-PHY

When we designed the X-PHY, we knew that embedding AI and Machine Learning capabilities at the hardware level would be a game changer. We were looking at the industry from a completely different viewpoint, and we knew this was going to be a tremendous contribution to the global fight against cybercriminals. Less than a year into the X-PHY’s launch, our partnership with Lenovo really served as great affirmation of its value. We collaborated with Lenovo to integrate the x-PHY into their world-class laptop solutions. These laptops benefit from X-PHY’s zero-trust security framework and 24/7 real-time protection to data stored within the drive. The fact that we are tackling this issue head-on with leading OEMs like Lenovo fuels my passion for the work that we do every single day.

3. Creating a space that helps employees grow

My experiences prior to setting up Flexxon led me to be determined to create a workplace without politics, where every opinion and idea can be heard, and individuals are given many opportunities to develop in their hard and soft skillsets. Having an extraordinary team is the foundation on which commercial success can be gained, and I am really inspired by the team I work with on a daily basis. Our people are our first customers and strongest advocates, so we must always foster a culture where the team can thrive.

What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?

The first step is to always practice what we preach, which begins right in your own backyard. To champion diversity in the workplace, we must encourage a culture of openness and inclusion. We are all learning in this space and stand to benefit from working with everybody around us. Upon becoming a founder, I was dedicated to creating a workplace that would allow the team to excel – regardless of gender or background. I am proud to say that over 65 per cent of our board members are female, with women making up over 30 per cent of staff as well – a number which I am working to grow in the future.   

Over the last three years, I’ve also had the opportunity to attend and speak at various events that champion women in tech. These opportunities allow me to connect with other women in tech – or individuals just starting out – to share my experience, provide support and build a network with for the long term. One example is the SheLeadsTech programme, which I had the opportunity to participate in and speak at this year in Singapore. Support for such initiatives and programmes are important in building an inclusive community to uplift women in the tech sector. 

What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?

One piece of advice would be to banish your inner critic. Much has been said about self-doubt and confidence levels being a significant barrier to women entering the tech sector, I have seen this first hand too – but sometimes we just need to flip that switch and try. 

Cultivating confidence comes from accepting that taking risks and going outside your comfort zone comes with challenges and even failures. When we can embrace that as a part of the process, we can develop our self-confidence and trust. It may be easier said than done, so remember to seek a strong support system of women that you can lean on, learn from, and lift you up. 

The post #MIWIC2022: Camellia Chan, FLEXXON appeared first on IT Security Guru.

This year, the awards are sponsored by Beazley, BT, KPMG and KnowBe4.

Zoë Rose, Regional Information Security Lead, Canon Europe

What does your job role entail?

I provide security recommendations and insights to the EMEA regional offices and manage the audit process to validate alignment. 

How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?

My plan wasn’t to work in security originally. As a curious person, I get bored easily and I like to find ways I can help others. Additionally, due to personal circumstances, I wanted to learn how to protect myself and the technology industry; ultimately, security enabled this.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?

Imposter syndrome is a challenge for many people, especially those from minority groups. On top of this, women often struggle with having to prove themselves, to almost validate their own knowledge. However, credentialing over and over gets exhausting. Imposter syndrome and credentialing is something I have struggled with for many years. Thankfully, I currently have an excellent manager and fabulous team – so it makes a world of difference. 

What are your top three greatest accomplishments you have achieved during your career so far?

I think my biggest achievement is being the person I needed 10 years ago. There have been situations where, speaking at a conference or writing a blogpost, or presenting OSINT skills on telly – I was able to explain the value of data and share ways for the vulnerable to protect themselves and take back control. Knowing I could help someone, even in a small way, is extremely rewarding. 

Additionally, I had the honour of being featured in British Vogue magazine – which is probably one of the coolest opportunities I’ve had yet. 

Third, I think it would have to be my current project, where a friend and I co-host the Imposter Syndrome Network podcast, where we get to demystify technology careers and provide insights our guests share about their journeys – again, all of these achievements come back to sharing knowledge. I think that’s one of the most important parts of my career. 

What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?

I try to be a safe person in industry when someone is struggling, and if I can help, I do. Things like sharing questions to a broader audience, mentoring, providing feedback. At many conferences I have been a mentor to rookie speakers, I take on interns, and share my experience with newer people in the industry. When hiring, I try to apply the lessons I’ve learnt from unconscious bias training, to build and importantly support a diverse team. When struggling, I get other’s insights to ensure I see the broader perspective and not take things personally. I prioritise knowledge sharing, and with the ISN podcast I co-host, I demystify technology careers and challenges.  

What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?

Focus on what interests you, join communities to build your support system, and celebrate your wins. When you feel a sense of imposter syndrome, look back on how far you’ve come, and consider how you would respond if someone came to you with the experiences you have – what would you say to them?

The post #MIWIC2022: Zoë Rose, Canon Europe appeared first on IT Security Guru.

This year, the awards are sponsored by Beazley, BT, KPMG and KnowBe4.

Samantha Humphries, Head of Security Strategy EMEA, Exabeam

What does your job role entail?

I’ve worked in cybersecurity for over 20 years now, and had a myriad of different roles, from defining strategy for multiple security products and technologies, to helping hundreds of organisations of all shapes, sizes, and geographies recover and learn from cyberattacks.

In my current role at Exabeam I am responsible for security strategy, EMEA. I like to spend a chunk of my time speaking on webcasts and authoring articles for security publications, as well as speaking and volunteering at a number of industry events. I’m heavily involved in BSides, which is a security community initiative, and I am on the leadership teams for Newcastle and Lancashire.

How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?

I always had a computer at home and constantly tinkered with it to improve my skills. I credit my mum with this passion, as she decided when I was very young that computing knowledge might be valuable in the future.

A few years into working in business travel, I was the consultant for Network Associates. I learned about what they did and landed a reception role there that proved to be a foot in the door for my cybersecurity career. After that, I moved up the ranks, including a role in sales focused on encryption products and firewalls in a market that didn’t know it needed them. Then I moved to work in technical support, which marked the beginning of my technical career that spanned incident response product management, product marketing, and security strategy.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?

When I had applied for my first role in product management, in the final stages I was head-to-head with someone who was heavily involved in architecting the technology I would have been responsible for. He was very good technically but didn’t really have so much of the commercial background that I have. I remember being the most technically pushed I’ve ever been in the interview! It was really challenging, but I pulled it off and got the job, proving to myself – and others – that I had the knowledge and can hold my own technically.

I am very fortunate to have never felt like the ‘token’ woman, nor have I lost out by being a woman. I think it has a lot to do with personality – I’m not a very shy or retiring person, even in very male dominated environments where there are lots of egos and opinions.

What are your top three greatest accomplishments you have achieved during your career so far?

I’ve presented on the cybersecurity keynote stage three times at Digital Transformation Expo (DTX), and twice on the briefing stages at Black Hat MEA too. Both of these events are really making an effort to showcase a diverse set of speakers, and being a part of this push is really important to me. I find it very frustrating when I hear event organisers bemoan the lack of diverse speakers. It’s simply not true, there are plenty of us and the pool is growing all the time.

Something that I do consider an achievement was – once upon a time – I was in a situation where I halted the release of a product because I didn’t believe it was ready. This was against the wishes of the Head of Engineering. It was difficult, and I had to go to the C-Suite to convince them to change their mind. I could have rolled over and just gone with it, but I could foresee it causing major problems for customers if it had gone out the way it was initially designed. I was really proud because, while it did cause a headache and took a lot of effort, it was the right thing to do.“We need to listen to Sam on this” was the most rewarding thing to hear after it all.

And honestly, another achievement for me is balancing my family life and work. My work is stressful and involves a lot of travel, and when I became a mum, it changed my work ethic completely. It’s a tough balance and can be heart-breaking being away from my kids, but it’s also really important to me that I show them what a good work ethic looks like.

What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?

I volunteer for the Diana Initiative, which has done an amazing job to create a safe space focused on diversity and inclusion in cybersecurity, while also playing a key role in organising BSidesNewcastle which is made available for free worldwide through a virtual setup. As a member of Women in Cybersecurity (WiCys) and the ExaGals initiative (which focuses on supporting and empowering the women of Exabeam), I consistently find ways of helping women in the technology community with mentorship, career development, education, and personal growth.

I also regularly write and present on a range of important topics, such as the gender pay gap, equality, diversity, and mental health, including at CyberSecurityX, Blue Team Village, and as mentioned on the keynote stage at Digital Transformation Expo (DTX).

And finally, I am part of the leadership team for our Exabeam CommUNITY Council, which has the ultimate aim of promoting and celebrating diversity. I believe in taking positive action, and that cybersecurity can be a wonderful career for everyone, but unless we take positive action we will struggle to see more diversity in the industry.

What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?

Find a mentor, definitely! My best mentor was Raj Samani, he’s the Chief Scientist at McAfee, advisor to Europol (European Cybercrime Centre), and speaks to organisations and professional bodies across the world. He is so inspiring and helped me to find my niche. Raj’s best advice was always about being an individual rather than a copy of someone else, and to find your niche, the space you want to own.

It’s a little cheesy to say this, but don’t be afraid to ask for help. Reach out to people, talk, and learn from others. You’re not an island – there are people around you that will help you in your career and will be happy to, but you do have to ask.

The post #MIWIC2022: Samantha Humphries, Exabeam appeared first on IT Security Guru.

This year, the awards are sponsored by Beazley, BT, KPMG and KnowBe4.

Sydonie Williams, Focus Group Leader – RoW Cyber Risks, Beazley 

What does your job role entail?

I manage a team of underwriters who focus on assessing cyber risk for insurance.

How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?

Prior to getting into cyber insurance I spent nearly 10 years doing property and marine reinsurance. I was approached by Beazley to join the cyber team and despite not having much technical cyber knowledge I took the opportunity and haven’t looked back! 

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?

I think the biggest challenge is the perception around technical skills believed to be  necessary to join the sector because at whatever stage in your career, it might not be feasible to go and get a professional qualification and that especially prevents women from joining. I urge all those in positions influencing recruitment to think outside the box and differentiate what skills you need for a role versus what you can teach/learn. 

What are your top three greatest accomplishments you have achieved during your career so far?

Winning the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Award recently, of course! Aside from that, I am proud of launching a female-specific mentoring global programme at my previous company and also proud to be a role model for those looking to change careers/lines of business. 

What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?

Within Beazley, I co-chair our employee-led network (Beazley SHE) internationally and our focus is on empowering women to be successful, so we run a series of events aimed at tackling various issues. Recently, Beazley, KPMG and Microsoft also partnered on a series called Conversations with Women in Cyber which is aimed at tackling diversity in the tech/cyber industry by raising awareness and providing support and resources. 

What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?

Don’t be put off by the illusion that you need to have technical skills to be in Cyber – there is a broad spectrum of roles and you can learn the technical on the job!

The post #MIWIC2022: Sydonie Williams, Beazley appeared first on IT Security Guru.

This year, the awards are sponsored by Beazley, BT, KPMG and KnowBe4.

Nadia Kadhim, Co-founder and CEO of Naq Cyber

What does your job role entail?

As a founder and CEO, I wear many different hats. I am an ambassador, orchestrator, operator (aka firefighter), commander and strategist. But first and foremost, I ensure that Naq has the resources to carry out its vision and fulfil its mission, namely to become the SME compliance and security provider in Europe. 

How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?

Straight out of University, I started a job in a small family company, where as the only lawyer on staff, I was tasked with implementing GDPR. Having never done anything in the privacy sector, it took me a little while (and a lot of coffee) to read and understand the GDPR. After three years, having implemented the privacy legislation into the organisation, having advised local government on its ins and outs, and having implemented cybersecurity measures as part of the compliance program, I felt that the whole process had been too time-consuming and frankly, too boring. When I met my co-founder Chris, who was a cybersecurity expert, our conversations turned quickly to making compliance and cybersecurity a lot easier, quicker and cheaper for small organisations like the one I had been working at. And voilá, two years later, I am co-running a cybersecurity and compliance startup that puts security and compliance on autopilot! 

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?

I like to think about the topic of “women in cyber” more in terms of opportunities rather than challenges. It is a great opportunity to inspire all kinds of people, including but not limited to women, to join the industry, to change the face of cyber (one face at a time) and to stand out from the crowd. Diversity in tech makes for better products, better companies and better people, so I love that I can be a role-model in an industry which I never thought I would be a part of.

What are your top three greatest accomplishments you have achieved during your career so far?

Having left my first job to start a company is pretty up there, especially coming from a background which is not the most common breeding ground for entrepreneurs. 

I have had the privilege of joining prestigious programs like the NCSC cyber accelerator and Google for Startups, which has not only had a tremendous impact on my success as a CEO and on our company, but has also brought me into contact with some of the greatest minds in cyber. 

And finally, I am confident that the greatest accomplishment is yet to come, and I can’t wait to see what it will be! 

What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?

We are recruiting right now, and it has been amazing to hear feedback from some of the female candidates. They expressed their excitement at working at a company where the management team is 66% female (and not to mention BAME). I think leading by example is the single most powerful thing we as companies and leaders can do to inspire other people and increase diversity in the tech industry. We will continue to recruit all kinds of people, and aim to become the most diverse startup in Europe. 

What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?

I would like to change this question to “What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women?” because I wish I had gotten and internalised this piece of advice a lot earlier in my career: Do not compare your inside to other people’s outside. 

Though it affects everybody, women are especially prone to imposter syndrome and we tend to compare our insecure selves to others who seem in control, all the time. But I learned that everybody is doing the best they can, all the time, and people make mistakes. Don’t think that everybody has everything under control, because we all struggle, no matter what it looks like from the outside. You’re just as capable as the next person, and you can do it!

The post #MIWIC2022: Nadia Kadhim, Naq Cyber appeared first on IT Security Guru.

This year, the awards are sponsored by Beazley, BT, KPMG and KnowBe4.

Wendy Nather, Head of Advisory CISOs, Cisco

What does your job role entail?

I guide Cisco’s security product strategy, marketing, investments, and other areas from a CISO and industry analyst perspective. I also represent Cisco externally on boards, committees, working groups, conferences, and policy discussions.

How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?

When I was working in system administration for Swiss Bank Corporation (now UBS) in Europe, I was promoted to lead cybersecurity for the EMEA investment banking division.

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?

One of the biggest challenges has been the lack of acknowledgment that I have commitments outside of work to my family, parents and myself. I don’t know whether it’s simply that women take on more of that labor and so it’s not visible when there are fewer women in the industry, or whether women in middle age like myself who have more of those commitments are not seen as clearly as younger women. But whether you’re battling cancer, taking care of children with special needs, or providing end-of-life care for your parents, it’s important not only for the industry to acknowledge that this is everywhere, but also to support it, not just to focus on how many keynotes or CVEs you have under your belt.

What are your top three greatest accomplishments you have achieved during your career so far?

I’ve learned a great amount by working in very disparate roles (CISO, industry analyst, research director) in different verticals and geographic regions. I’m proud of some of the messages I’ve been able to deliver (such as talking about the Security Poverty Line, democratizing security, and mutual obligations in the cybersecurity ecosystem). Most of all, I’m grateful to have met and been able to support so many colleagues throughout the industry. 

What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?

I really have no idea because I don’t keep track! I’ve worked with some great groups such as WCAPS and WiCyS as well as #ShareTheMicInCyber, but day to day I talk to people who ask me for advice or referrals. I’ve hired people into cybersecurity roles who came from unconventional backgrounds like my own, and have been thrilled to see how they’ve driven their own careers and made an impact. I try to focus more these days on passing opportunities on to my inspiring colleagues, whether they’re startup founders, practitioners looking to make a move, or students trying to figure out what their entry point will be.

What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?

I truly believe you have it harder now than I ever did. Take advantage of all the support out there, and don’t let anyone tell you what a “security professional” should look or act like. I made up my entire career as I went along, and you should be able to do that as well. We need you!

The post #MIWIC2022: Wendy Nather, Cisco appeared first on IT Security Guru.

This year, the awards are sponsored by Beazley, BT, KPMG and KnowBe4.

Caroline Rivett, Partner, KPMG

What does your job role entail?

It involved working with clients in the pharmaceutical industry to improve their security and privacy, as well as developing and growing team members. 

How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?

I started off in 1995 assessing access controls (RACF, ACF2) in mainframes to help the financial audit. It developed from there. 

What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?

One of the biggest challenges is getting back into full time employment after having spent eight years out looking after my two children. Very few organisations wanted to talk with someone with that long a gap on their resume. 

What are your top three greatest accomplishments you have achieved during your career so far?

1. Co-founding and then selling a start-up. 
2. Spending eight years as a Board member in the NHS – truly the most interesting work I’ve done to date. 
3. Growing and mentoring people who were disadvantaged by their demographics. 

What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?

I actively mentor a number of women in my organisation and I encourage the firm and its recruitment agencies to look more broadly for cyber / tech skills rather than the usual channels (which feels a little lazy to be honest). I have also found and seen that recruitment of one female in a senior leadership position will often encourage more to join since they can see that they will be supported. 

What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?

Come and join us – we need diversity of thinking and diversity of approach. 

The post #MIWIC2022: Caroline Rivett, KPMG appeared first on IT Security Guru.