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Prior to COVID , travel was also something I really enjoyed with my family which we have swapped for fun , interesting activities and discovering places closer to home . I recently took my kids go-cart-racing . It was a lot of fun and made me realize that one of the positives to come out of the pandemic is that we ’ re exploring what ’ s in our own backyard .
If you could go back and change one career decision what would it be ?
If I had the choice again , maybe I would have chosen a different pathway and ventured down the architectural engineering route . This may surprise some , but I would have been an architect . I love engineering but have a major soft spot for architecture – it fascinates me .
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ?
The breaches from supply chain attacks and accelerated technology adoption have led to higher risks in both home and office networks . Devices , networks , data and the management of all of these are no longer an easy-fix problem . With the uncertainty of the pandemic meaning most people won ’ t return to the office any time soon , a secure remote workforce will remain a priority investment area .
E-Crime is a huge threat and the industry is aware of the need to invest in best-in-class talent and software . Cyberattacks are putting enormous strain on the availability of services around the world , from online and mobile banking to disrupted healthcare . It is expected that in 2021 , some actors will evolve their ransomware attacks towards double extortion threat models .
As a leading provider of threat intelligence , CrowdStrike ’ s Falcon Intelligence team is at the forefront of cybercrime intelligence gathering and has developed a dedicated service for customers which provides detailed mapping of eCrime adversaries , their motivations and likely next targets .
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in APAC ?
Post-COVID , many local authorities and government bodies are open to discussing the level of assurances needed to protect data and move to the cloud . Both
If I don ’ t start the day with some form of physical activity , I feel the difference . public and private enterprises are aware of the need to ensure security and retain data sovereignty . It ’ s not one or the other .
Disclosure remains a challenge but we are seeing changes to cybersecurity legislation and data protections coming into effect . Some customers in the region do not give the same level of importance to a threat or security issue that a customer in a different region might , which is an issue . Rapid disclosure , accountability and remediation tools are critical because governance and policies vary from country to country .
Geopolitical tensions are also having a lasting effect on cybersecurity . To defend against the threat of nation-state espionage , some countries have already introduced foreign intelligence measures which determine where critical technologies can be imported from . This trend will likely continue in APAC , with some countries banning particular technologies and investment .
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 ?
Managing teams spread geographically during COVID-19 has required an additional level of effort and connectivity , and I ’ ve enjoyed the challenge . I envisage a change after COVID , where we will have to adopt a new balanced approach around cultivating a team culture that spans across office and remote interactions .
From a technology perspective , the adoption of the cloud model has accelerated . In the past , it was sometimes challenging to convince customers of the value , importance and speed of cloud-based services but now , COVID-19 has advanced these discussions by five and even 10 years . Cloud is becoming the new default for every business .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain a C-level position in your industry ?
My advice would be to have a clear career plan and a good mentor . Without creating a plan at the start of your career , you may lose direction . Create mid and long-term career goals so that you have something to effectively measure against , change these accordingly , stay motivated and show real progress . p
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