What’s been the most profound executive decision you’ve made as a CISO?
“Early in my CISO career, I was on the cusp of enacting a global network and security transformation. I worked hard to build a strong business case and payback to illustrate the value. However, times were tough. The board cut, so my budget was reduced, and I was still asked to lead and complete the transformation.
I embraced what I now call ‘the power of federation.’ I reached out to all the key partners for help and found win-win strategies. I obtained significant discounts for professional services. For software, I consolidated contracts in the U.S., since our budget was euro-based, allowing us to benefit from the exchange rate. Ultimately, we finished the project under budget.
We saved significantly on operating costs, strengthened enterprise security, enhanced network quality of service and consolidated servers. The project inspired multiple case studies and resulted in a Network World All Star award.
Essentially, the most profound executive decision I made was to ask for help and not quit. I learned early on that building strategic, trusted partnerships and strong business relationships can be a great asset to all parties.”
Arun DeSouza
Chief Information Security & Privacy Officer at Nexteer Automotive
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