Organizations need the right internal personnel like a CISO to keep their systems and data secure. But what kind of skills do these leaders need? And how should they guide their employers in a way that doesn’t overlook the evolving threat landscape?

To find out, I spoke decided to speak with Goher Mohammad. Goher is the Group Head of Information Security (CSO) for L&Q. He has held that position there for just under three years. 

Joe: Tell us about your journey in cybersecurity and ultimately how you became a CSO.

Goher: Basically, my background is doing more technical IT in its traditional form. I started as a first- and second-line support analyst at a major bank. That was a really good platform for me, working in a large organization where security is of utmost importance. Technical support in that environment was very controlled, meaning that there are a lot of processes that must be followed to make sure that the organization is protected. It was both a great, and sometimes frustrating, experience, as well, because you want to get stuff done quickly but it can’t be done quickly. So, you’re slowed down, but it gave me a good foundation.

Eventually, my position became redundant, and I ended up in a new position as a third-line support for a media agency. That job evolved into a management position, and I was still quite a young age. I was 25 at the time. I was responsible for 50 people, and it was my job to strategically examine and look after the entire infrastructure as IT Manager. All aspects of the job were interesting. They opened my eyes at that time, as well. When the Sarbanes-Oxley governance kicked in for all the companies on the U.S. stock market, we (Read more...)