Playing it safe is no longer an option for CISOs

The role of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is undergoing a seismic shift. The world is becoming increasingly complex, technology is ubiquitous, and economic pressures, escalating geopolitical tensions, and a rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape are piling pressure onto businesses. High profile conflicts, like the Russia-Ukraine war, are spilling into cyberspace, entangling organisations as collateral damage. Cybercriminals, often state-backed, are becoming more sophisticated, while disinformation and hybrid cyber-physical attacks introduce unprecedented challenges for CISOs.

Governments worldwide are responding with tighter regulations, particularly for critical infrastructure, creating a fragmented and complex compliance landscape for global businesses. In this chaotic environment, the instinct for CISOs to pull up the drawbridge and adopt a conservative stance is not just outdated—it’s dangerous. 

Today’s CISOs must pivot from being gatekeepers to becoming enablers of business innovation, while maintaining resilience. Here are my four principles that can enable that shift:

1. Your mindset: business first, security as an enabler

The old-school approach of focusing solely on building and enforcing controls no longer cuts it. In today’s competitive landscape, technology is key to unlock value and thriving organisations are taking calculated risks. CISOs need to foster open conversations around risk appetite and help their peers manage risk responsibly.

For example, when the business explores digital innovation or geographic expansion, CISOs should facilitate informed discussions that balance threat, risk and opportunity. Asking “how can we achieve the business outcome in a way which doesn’t present unacceptable risk?” instead of “how are you going to meet these security controls?” fundamentally changes the dynamic of a security conversation. With this mindset, CISOs can shift from being seen as blockers to champions of responsible progress, saying “yes, but…” rather than a flat “no.”

2. Your role: making security a core part of the business

Cyber security can no longer be an isolated function, seen as a mere compliance necessity. Security must be embedded within operational, change, and delivery teams, becoming a natural consideration in every business decision. 

CISOs should collaborate with business owners of data and processes—and the teams building new tech at pace—to ensure those driving value also understand and take responsibility for managing associated risks. Making security a shared responsibility enables security to be built in rather than bolted on. 

The successful organisations that I’ve worked with cultivate a culture where everyone sees security as their responsibility, embedding security skills within agile development teams, and positioning the CISO and their team as true business peers.

3. Your communication: ditch the jargon

Clear, relatable communication is non-negotiable for CISOs. Technical jargon alienates stakeholders, while plain language makes security accessible, and fosters understanding and engagement. 

When presenting to senior leaders, anchoring the conversation in tangible business impacts—such as operational disruption or reputational harm—makes security risks and controls more relatable. Listening to and addressing the unique challenges of other departments further bridges gaps, reinforcing the CISO’s role as a decision partner. The best CISOs that I’ve worked with can pivot from technical discussions with developers, to storytelling about security risks with board members, engaging all levels of the organisation.

4. Your team: diversity drives value

To adopt these principles, CISOs need diverse teams with broad perspectives and business insight. In cyber security, diversity is a strategic advantage, bringing fresh ideas and creative approaches to constantly evolving threats. This means valuing diverse backgrounds and experiences over just specialist or technical skills. 

A diverse team with a strong understanding of business helps shift security from a specialist, standalone function to a valued partner in organisational success. In turn, recruitment practices need to adapt, moving away from long lists of technical certifications marked as essential in job descriptions, to more skills-based recruitment.

It’s time to adapt to survive

Adopting these four principles isn’t easy. It requires CISOs to fundamentally redefine their roles and step out of traditional mindsets—and their comfort zones. But with the rapid pace of digital transformation, where threats are more diverse and sophisticated, and where regulatory pressures are mounting, the need for CISOs who can bridge the gap between cyber risk and the boardroom has never been greater.

CISOs have an opportunity to transform security from a reactive, defensive function into a true strategic advantage. After all, business-led cyber security will rarely—in itself—be a creator of value or a competitive advantage, but it’s absolutely essential to underpin the value creation and competitive advantage that technology and business agility can deliver.

So, will you adapt to survive? Get in touch if you’re ready to redefine your role.

Want to discover how we can help you? Explore our Digital Risk and Cyber Security services