Paul Calatayud, Chief Information Security & Privacy Officer at Aqua Security
What does ‘security’ mean to you?
Security is a fluid concept, not in principle, but how it continues to take shape to mean much more than when I first started to learn about security. To me, security is the combination of identifying the risks within the company, communicating those risks to management and applying a strategy to ensure that those risks are mitigated.
What made you want to work in the industry?
I enlisted in the army straight out of high school. We’d been learning computer science in software development at school, but I didn’t want to follow the traditional career path. I told the recruiters I’d like to do something with computers, but something a bit more hands-on than software development. The army put me in network security, which was my entry into the cybersecurity world.
If you could talk to your younger self, what would you say?
My advice would be to work on understanding the people around you. Empathy has become a buzzword, but its importance can’t be overstated.
Describe a funny thing that happened to you recently?
I was in Milan, Italy with the entire Aqua Security organisation and we had this big masquerade ball and dinner party. The CEO had said to dress like royalty for our theme Kings and Queens of CNAPP. I decided to dress in a sash and a crown. The other guests and staff kept giving us a double take because they just wore suits!
What three traits define you?
Studious, curious and empathetic.
What’s the most important trend you see today?
One of the biggest trends at the moment is the focus on cloud security. Another trend of the past few years is the increased focus on trust. Technology can no longer become mainstream without trust.
To read the full article, check out our June issue here.
Media contact
Rebecca Morpeth Spayne,
Editor, Security Portfolio
Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922
