Simon Collins
“There is nothing more satisfying than preventing someone from losing their life savings to cyber criminals. While much of what we do is behind screens, there are real people impacted by cyber criminals and we have a very real opportunity to help them.”
Simon is Head of Security & Resilience at Allianz Global Investors, bringing over 20 years of IT experience. Fourteen of those years were dedicated to cybersecurity, information security, and operational resilience. He began his career as an ethical hacker and cybercrime investigator at EY’s Europe, Middle East, India, and Africa Cybersecurity practice in Dublin, later advising organizations on how to stay one step ahead of cyber threats and out of harm’s way.
What is one skill, interest or talent of yours that makes you great at your job?
My ability to translate complex topics into plain language for all to understand, usually via an element of storytelling and well-placed humor.
What is the best piece of unconventional career advice you’ve gotten?
Not everyone has to, or will, like you, and that’s ok! You won’t like everyone either; it’s not necessary to get your job done.
What is your proudest moment working in the cybersecurity industry?
Writing the Cybersecurity Guidance for Irish businesses and getting published by the National Cyber Security Centre of the Government of Ireland.
When did you become interested in pursuing a career in cyber and what prompted it?
While working in IT Support at JPMorgan Chase in Sydney (just after getting my bachelor’s degree), I met a detective who introduced me to computer forensics. I was fascinated by his attitude when he said that he meets people on the worst days of their lives, and that is good, because he can usually help them. That has stayed with me more than 20 years later.
What are the top 3 things you would tell people hoping to enter the cybersecurity industry?
- There are many and varied career paths.
- It’s truly global.
- You can make a difference quickly, stopping one attacker at a time.
What are some misconceptions people might have about the cybersecurity industry and what can we do to change these misconceptions?
That you need to be highly technical and work 24/7. This is no longer true (if it ever was). Our most successful security professionals have not come from a technical background. And while there is a 24/7 aspect to it in some areas, modern organizations know how to build a sustainable capability where it’s possible to have a great work/life balance.
Do you feel like you’re contributing to helping keep our world secure and can you share why that matters to you?
Absolutely. There is nothing more satisfying than preventing someone from losing their life savings to cyber criminals. While much of what we do is behind screens, there are real people impacted by cyber criminals, and we have a very real opportunity to help them.
What positive change do you think will take place as we bring the next generation into the cybersecurity industry?
I feel they will demand more of a work/life balance, whether that be remote work or making it really easy to take maternity and paternity leave. This push from the next generation will help the current generation of leaders do the right thing and implement changes to ensure long term retention of talent.
Who is your role model in the cybersecurity industry and why?
That would be an ex-partner of EY, Ken Allen, who was the Global Head of Cyber for EY at an early stage in my career. There were many things I learned from him. The most important lesson was learning how to break down internal barriers and operate on a truly global scale, guided by the belief that doing the right thing in any situation ultimately leads to the best outcomes.
