Episode #32. Influential Security Leadership with Fred Thiele
“In a leadership position you’re much more influential than you think you are. You’re setting culture by just walking around the office.”
— Fred Thiele
Fred Thiele is an information security and technology executive with a diverse, global background in large corporate environments, mid-sized consulting businesses, and small startups. Fred discovered the field of cybersecurity in 1998 while repairing Wyse Terminals and maintaining Linux servers at his university library. Currently, he is the Group CISO at Transport for NSW.
In this episode, Fred will share strategies for building and growing strong cybersecurity teams across the USA and Australia. Find out the barriers to cybersecurity success and how to overcome them.
Links:
Time Stamps:
00:27 - Fred Thiele’s background and introduction
07:13 - The best reporting structure for the CISO or head of security
07:27 - “Just because you report to the CEO doesn’t necessarily mean you have a seat at the table.” - Fred Thiele
08:38 - Building teams & hiring cybersecurity professionals across the USA vs. Australia
11:40 - Choosing graduates to join your team
14:37 - Principle to follow when building your new security team
18:10 - Overcoming hurdles in all organisations
21:01 - Best advice aspiring security team leaders
23:23 - “In a leadership position you’re much more influential than you think you are. You’re setting culture by just walking around the office.” - Fred Thiele