While technical knowledge has long been important for CEOs, the stakes are arguably higher now that breaches have become so commonplace and destructive.
Probably the most infamous recent example of this, as chronicled in Forbes, is a massive security failure at Target that put millions of customers at risk, led to criticism of the company's performance and resulted in the dismissal of Gregg Steinhafel, the company's CEO.
In the wake of such a high-profile disaster, it seems more urgent than ever that CEO responsibilities include commitment to data security. Eric Basu, the author of the Forbes piece, writes that executives need to have a high level of literacy in these fields.
"Each person on a company's management team must be armed with the requisite knowledge to make informed decisions about cybersecurity — not just an understanding of the basic concepts," Basu writes.
This knowledge is important to have in place before a catastrophe occurs — after a breach has already affected profits and brand reputation, it could already be too late. The warning signs of a security flaw may be just under the surface, and a familiarity with technology can make a response easier.
Data breaches often only become relevant to consumers after they have occurred. Since there may not be huge marketing pressure to change, your business needs to find someone capable of dealing with technical threats before they rise to the level of catastrophe. A management recruitment firm can be a part of this effort.
Finding people is easy, but finding the RIGHT people is not. YES Partners helps companies FIND the right people – for all company functions, across many industries and globally.
