Alta Associates Names Chief Resiliency Officer
March 21, 2018 – Flemington, NJ-based search firm Alta Associates has expanded with the addition of Pam Stenson in the newly created position of chief resiliency officer. The firm plans to use Ms. Stenson’s extensive experience with chief information officers to help broaden its network and recruiting capabilities in the technology arena.
Over the past 30 years, Alta Associates has become one of the most prominent boutique search firms specializing in cybersecurity. Its founding CEO, Joyce Brocaglia, is a highly sought-after strategic advisor to companies in the areas of information security, risk management and privacy.
In her new position, Ms. Stenson will serve as the “connector” between the CIO and CISO communities to further strengthen and align their security and technology capabilities.
Ms. Stenson brings over 25 years of executive technology experience, including eight years as president of IDG’s CIO Executive Council, which she helped lead through massive growth as the largest and longest-standing CIO membership organization. In that role, Ms. Stenson nurtured and created relationships with top CIOs while creating a platform of progress and diversity for the CIO role.
Recruiter Rankings: Cyber 20
Hunt Scanlon presents its listing of search firms dedicated to cyber security – a nod to the ever expanding convergence of web, cloud, social and mobile technology that made massive security breaches a reality of modern day business. These 20 recruiters are well-positioned to identify your next best-in-class leaders to oversee this growing threat.
| Cyber 20 |
Executive Women’s Forum
In 2002, Ms. Brocaglia founded the Executive Women’s Forum on Information Security, Risk Management & Privacy (EWF), a member organization dedicated to engaging, developing, and advancing women leaders in the information security, IT risk management and privacy industries. Having spent the past 10 years developing the Women in Leadership program within the CIO Executive Council, Ms. Stenson will continue to influence diversity and the advancement of women in the workplace through the EWF, said Alta Associates.
Related: Scrambling for Cybersecurity Leaders is Big Business for Recruiters
“The CIO and CISO are two of the most pivotal roles in every corporation,” said Ms. Brocaglia “They and their teams ensure their company’s security, enable competitiveness and lead transformation. With the addition of Pam’s deep-trusted network of CIOs and her passion for ensuring their success, we are poised to best serve these leaders while positively impacting the board level imperative of creating resilient and secure enterprises.”
Ms. Stenson said she was excited to be a part of Alta Associates and to support the Executive Women’s Forum. “This opportunity enables me to continue to advocate for CIOs and maintain the strong relationships we’ve enjoyed over several years working collectively to evolve the profession,” she said. “I look forward to applying my knowledge, expertise and deep relationships in the cybersecurity community to make positive contributions as organizations seek to build their resilient, diverse, forward thinking teams.”
Related: Spencer Stuart Explores Global Cybersecurity Talent Needs
Ms. Brocaglia said she started EWF with the goal of building an organization that would provide a platform, venue and programs for women to find support from their peers. “Our core mission continues to be to engage, develop and advance women leaders in the information security, IT risk management and privacy industries,” she said. “The EWF is committed to enabling women to achieve their professional goals and personal dreams, through education, leadership development and the creation of trusted relationships.”
The Next Generation
As the CISO role evolves and wields greater influence across the organization, the attributes necessary for those moving into the position will change as well. “As CISOs break out of their functional boxes and have impact across a variety of executive functions – engineering, digital, data, risk and even sales, while regularly engaging at board level, there is a ‘blurring of the lines’ in terms of the route up for tomorrow’s leaders,” said a recent Spencer Stuart report. “The next generation of CISOs are likely be to more versatile, senior, business- and externally facing than has been the case to date, yet, in many cases still highly technical.”
Cybersecurity Leadership Role Evolves to Meet New Threats
Increasingly, organizations of all sizes are awakening to the perils posed by cyber attacks. For years, many groups tried to ignore the problem, dismissing cybersecurity as a concern only for the biggest, most high-profile entities, be they government or corporate.
ZRG Partners’ Phoebe Henderson said that just as the threat of cyber attacks is wide-ranging and continually in flux, the CISO role will likewise evolve. If anything, she said, the job will become even more critical. “Industry will need individuals that are deeply technical, creative, highly communicative and collaborative,” she said. “They must be able to look across companies, industries, sectors, and across borders to understand threats, emerging technologies and current best-practices.”
Over time, businesses will grow more efficient and better able to respond to attacks quickly. The pressures from numerous sources will be too great to do otherwise. “Large firms will have a form of SWAT team, led by the CSO, to employ continuous monitoring, analytics, development of KPIs, incident response protocols, media communication protocols and more,” said Ms. Henderson. “Smaller firms will have to outsource their CSO/ CISO requirements, or possibly even establish an in-house ‘CSO quarterback’ to manage the outsourced needs. All of this effort will be required in order for firms to adequately meet their fiduciary and corporate governance requirements, not to mention their corporate insurance ones.”
Related: CyberSN Launches New JobBuilder Service
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
