This year’s Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards uncovered and celebrated the individuals and teams that go above and beyond to make the UK a safer place to do business, as well as share and spread their expertise far and wide. The sponsors included KnowBe4, Check Point Software, ThinkCyber, The Zensory, Hornetsecurity and Pulse Conferences.
Jessica Figueras, Chair of Trustees at UK Cyber Security Council, Co-founder of CxB (Cyber Governance for Boards) and CEO of Pionen, won the esteemed “Godmother of Security” accolade this year and spoke to the IT Security Guru about the industry.
That’s a lot of job titles – tell us in a nutshell what it is your work entails?
JF: Learning, leadership and making things happen.
Why is community in cyber so important?*
JF: Cyber is one of the few fields where competition doesn’t get in the way of community -sharing intel and good practice makes all of our organisations safer. Community is great for personal development with opportunities to learn, meet new people and do new things. And it’s an important support for wellbeing, as cyber jobs can be stressful and demanding.
What does it mean to you to be an ‘Unsung Hero’?*
JF: It makes me think of all the cyber people who are so much more heroic and unsung than me! I think of the professionals who go above and beyond to protect their organisations with little thanks or reward; those whose health has suffered through stress and overwork; those whose organisations don’t take cyber security seriously. Cyber security professionals are the best people in the world and I’m so proud to be part of this community.
