Bringing broad skills acquired from various industries and cyber security roles, Stefan Netz just joined us at the Sweden office as a Lead Security Architect in the CIS (Cloud Infrastructure Services) Security PreSales team in the Nordics. Here he shares his views on how the security needs have change during the pandemic – explaining both where the challenges and the opportunities lie ahead.
Can you explain what your new role at Cognizant will entail and what your main focus will be?
In my new role as the Lead Security Architect for the Nordics, I will primarily focus on sharing my security domain skills and providing support to Client Partners and Service Line Specialists across the Nordic organization. This expertise comes in handy when supporting our clients going forward by making the business area of security easier to digest, as sometimes it can be perceived as difficult. In addition, my role will work as a 'channel' to Cognizant’s Global Commercial Security Team and our technology partners.
What is your previous work experience prior to Cognizant?
I’ve acquired over 25 years of work experience within IT, including more than 10 years in the security domain. I’ve worked for different industries of various sizes, such as the public sector, telecom, banking/insurance, mining and automotive. My background ranges from security consultancy and project delivery to advisory and management with a specialty in business security transformation initiatives. Prior to Cognizant, I was the Head of the Security Center of Excellence at Capgemini for the Nordic region. Before that, I’ve held various leadership roles across the security domain covering sales, support, development, day-to-day operations of security solutions, business transformation, procedures, processes and security architecture.
What are your personal strengths?
That’s always a tough one! By working in the consulting industry for over 16 years, I have picked up the necessary skills how to drive business transformation. This is particularly important nowadays with new security threats entering the arena, as organizations invest and adopt digitalization. Another asset of mine is to use my easygoing and approachable personality to get my team and clients in the right mindset to reach common goals.
What are the major changes within business of Cyber Security Services that you’ve experienced during the pandemic?
The pandemic has introduced new challenges for many organizations how to respond to the business need for their workforce to work more remotely. The demand for security solutions supporting secure collaboration, data protection (in use, at rest and in transit) and communication has increased substantially.
Another area that has come into focus is the importance of investing in security awareness training to educate the workforce in how to act to reduce the likelihood to create or be exposed to security risks when working remotely.
In your opinion, from a professional point of view, has there been a positive outcome despite ‘the pandemic circumstances’?
To me as a security professional, the pandemic has created new challenges as well as opportunities. ‘The new normal’ of working more remotely has naturally brought some security risks. However, these obstacles can be overcome by proper awareness training as well as advanced technical security solutions.
Moreover, I see new job opportunities emerging in the security field. Prior the pandemic, it was a requirement of being physically present in a specific office location. Now the attitude has completely change, and the job positions offered remotely are on the rise. This creates new possibilities in the labor market, where you take the full advantage of the expertise and all the resources that weren’t available for many companies before COVID-19.
What do you enjoy doing when not at work?
In my spare time, I like cultivating my general interest in technologies, as well as developing my skills within photographing. Also, I’m very fond of exploring interesting destinations.
