Caldwell Recruits CISO for West Fraser
November 28, 2023 – Increasingly, organizations of all sizes are awakening to the perils posed by cyberattacks. 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. These days, more groups are coming to understand how ruinous such intrusions could be. This has led to a dramatic rise in the demand for cybersecurity executives and search firms in this sector continuing to grow. Adam Cotterall, Christiana Chan, and Saamy Karim of Toronto-based Caldwell recently recruited David Royer as chief information security officer of West Fraser in Vancouver, British Columbia. “We’re pleased to have partnered with West Fraser on the appointment of David Royer as chief information security officer,” Caldwell said. “Congratulations to all from our search team.”
With over 25 years as a chief information security officer in cyber security, Mr. Royer most recently served as director, enterprise risk and compliance with Best Buy Canada. Before that, he was director, information security at Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. Prior to this, Mr. Royer served in various security positions with TELUS, Taleo, and Numericable.
“I’m delighted to share that I’ve accepted the role of CISO at West Fraser,” said Mr. Royer. “I look forward to working with a great team and contributing positively to our projects and goals. I am thankful for the support I’ve received throughout my journey and eagerly look forward to the new challenges and achievements ahead.”
West Fraser is a diversified wood products company with more than 60 facilities in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. From responsibly sourced and sustainably managed forest resources, the Company produces lumber, engineered wood (OSB, LVL, MDF, plywood, particleboard), and other products including pulp, newsprint, wood chips, and renewable energy.
Related: 5 Key Traits for Cyber Experts on Corporate Boards
Caldwell has completed thousands of executive recruitment assignments for technology, telecoms, and IT services companies since 1970. The firm’s experience supporting Fortune 1000 companies, and its expertise in the defense, technology, and consulting arenas, where IT executives reside, helps the firm place to recruit senior cyber security leaders.
Experienced Recruiters
Mr. Cotterall is a partner in the firm’s technology and financial services practices, working with clients across North America to build their leadership teams, with additional depth in recruiting CFOs, CIOs, and CHROs across a variety of sectors. Specializing in the emerging technologies space, Mr. Cotterall is called upon to recruit senior leaders with expertise in innovation, transformation, artificial intelligence, data and analytics, digital, biotech, E-commerce, edtech, and fintech.
Compensation for Cybersecurity Leaders is on the Rise
The CISO role was partially shielded from the macroeconomic challenges of 2023. The average increase in total compensation among CISOs was 11 percent in the latest comp cycle—a drop from 14 percent in 2022, but a relatively small dip in light of the economic climate. One in five CISOs didn’t receive an increase in compensation. IANS Research and Artico Search jointly fielded the fourth annual Compensation and Budget survey. Between April and August 2023, we received compensation data from more than 600 CISOs in the U.S. and Canada.
The sample has strong representation from firms in eight industries—finance, tech, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, consumer goods and services, business services, and legal—with varying ownership structures including privately owned, publicly listed firms and quasi-government entities. Their revenues range from less than $100 million to more than $150 billion. This report combines survey data with insights from executives at Artico Search, in particular Matt Comyns, co-founder and president, and Steve Martano, partner in Artico’s cyber practice. “Many companies that invested in security heavily in 2021 and 2022 are scaling back in 2023,” Mr. Comyns said.
Ms. Chan is an associate in Caldwell’s Vancouver office and a member of the technology, financial services, and consumer practices. She focuses on executive-level searches for a diverse range of clients throughout Canada and the U.S. Ms. Chan joined Caldwell in 2018 as an administrative assistant, quickly advancing to project coordinator and now to associate.
A consultant in Caldwell’s Vancouver office, Mr. Karim has conducted searches in a wide array of sectors and functions. From executive leadership, finance, operations, business development, marketing/communications, human resources, and IT, his mandates have been largely international in scope.
Related: The Hunt for Cyber Technology Leaders Heats Up as Risks Multiply
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
