The CISO's New Mandate: From Technologist to Business Enabler

Cybersecurity has moved on from being a purely technical discipline and today’s modern CISOs must align themselves with business needs and become strategic business enablers.

Today’s cybersecurity programmes are not just about stopping cyber threats, they are also about fostering trust, driving innovation and future-proofing the business by supporting long-term resillience.

In a recent conversation with Infosecurity, Olivier Busolini, Group CISO at UAE-based Mashreq Bank, said, “What we deliver now is not just protection, but the ability to empower the business. The old image of the CISO as the person who says ‘no’ is no longer acceptable.”

However, Busolini noted that it is not just enough to pitch security as an enabler to the board.

“The real test lies in embedding that mindset in operations, decision making and business relationships every day,” he said.

In this article, Infosecurity explores some of the learnings we have gathered from CISOs on how to be a business enabler in today’s cybersecurity landscape.

CISOs must ensure that cybersecurity strategies support broader business goals, whether it's entering new markets, adopting emerging technologies like AI or improving customer trust. Security should be seen as a growth enabler, not a blocker.

David Ramirez, CISO at fintech firm Broadridge, told Infosecurity, “Each company is going to have different challenges, different markets, different regulations. Being able to translate those circumstances into the types of controls and flexibility you want in toolsets is very important.”

It is vital that CISOs do not work in a silo to achieve this, meeting with the CIO as well as the wider senior leadership can help build how technology can support the business’s journey.

The modern CISO must understand what the primary goals are for the next 12 to 18 months and develop a timeline for a realistic cybersecurity implementation plan which supports these goals.

The cybersecurity programme is not a one-time initiative, as the business changes and evolves the CISO must prepare for continuious improvement and evolution. 

To gain executive buy-in for cybersecurity programmes, CISOs need to translate technical risks into business impacts such as financial loss, reputational damage or regulatory penalties. This helps stakeholders make informed decisions and prioritize resources effectively.

Senior members of the business, especially those in board-level roles, are unlikely to have deep technical knowledge of cybersecurity issues but will be able to understand business risk and finance.

“It is easy to lax into technical jargon but it’s important to position what we're doing in a way that is clearly articulating business value and is aligning with strategic business goals,” Bronwyn Boyle, CISO at PPRO, recently told Infosecurity.

Most directors bring deep operational experience and a strong focus on financial performance, meaning cybersecurity discussions must be framed in terms of business impact, not just technical detail.

By translating cyber threats into language the board understands, security leaders empower stakeholders to make informed decisions and allocate resources where they matter most.

Some may still view cybersecurity as a cost centre that offers few clearly demonstratable returns. To articulate the value of cybersecurity and demonstrate return on investment (ROI), CISOs need to shift the conversation from cost to business impact and strategic advantage.

Cybersecurity investments can be framed as enablers of resilience, innovation and growth. Within the business, the CISO and their team should be able to demonstrate how they can reduce risk exposure, support regulatory compliance and protect revenue streams.

Leverage how cybersecurity can enable the business to reach its goals and demonstrate how it protects revenue.

Again, communication is key and understanding the metrics your audience will value most is critical when articulating cybersecurity ROI.

Identifying where operational efficiencies can be made through initiatives like leveraging AI and adopting a platform-centric approach can demonstrate to operationally-minded business leaders that the cybersecurity function is aiming to achieve the maximum return on investment.

CISOs must ensure that, before proposing additional investment in the cybersecurity function, there are clear goals and expectations from the venture. Cybersecurity leaders ought to also set reasonable KPIs that can continuously demonstrate and assess the impact of investments.

Read more about how to get your Board’s buy-in to invest in cybersecurity here.

As cybersecurity continues to evolve from a technical function to a strategic business enabler, CISOs must embrace a broader role that aligns security with business priorities.

Gone are the days of being the department of “no”. Today’s security leaders are expected to empower growth, support digital transformation and contribute to long-term resilience.

This shift requires not only a change in mindset but also a deliberate effort to embed cybersecurity into everyday decision-making and operational strategy.

To succeed, CISOs must communicate in the language of the board, translating technical risks into business impacts and demonstrating how security investments deliver measurable value.

By aligning with financial goals, enabling secure innovation and building strong cross-functional relationships, CISOs can position cybersecurity as a core driver of business success. 

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