Events , Leadership & Executive Communication , RSA Conference

The Convergence of Policy and Technology in Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is a "team sport" requiring technology to align with robust policy frameworks to secure nations as well as organizations, said Marene Allison, CEO of Marene Allison Consulting. "All these pieces must come together - technology, government policy and corporate strategy."

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Allison, a retired CISO of Johnson & Johnson, pointed out how retired executives can still influence the field by mentoring the next generation of cyber professionals and advocating for policy reform.

"Being agile, inquisitive, wanting to constantly learn, caring about your teams - those are where the next cyber leaders are going to come from. The technical piece of it - that's like breathing air. But it is those leadership traits and characteristics that are the most important because they're going to build the next generation of cybersecurity leaders," she said.

In this video interview with Information Security Media Group at RSA Conference 2024, Allison also discussed:

• The essential technologies that CISOs should explore to address unresolved security challenges;
• The role that regulatory bodies such as the SEC play in guiding younger CISOs through complex compliance landscapes;
• Her role in shaping cybersecurity policies that aim to unify corporate and governmental efforts.

Allison, who recently retired as vice president and CISO at Johnson & Johnson, was responsible for protecting the company's information technology systems and business data worldwide. She has held corporate roles at Medco, Avaya and The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company and served as an FBI special agent and a member of the U.S. Army.