This program is specifically tailored for current and aspiring Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and other senior security leaders to develop the strategic, management, and executive-level skills required for the role:

• Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs).
• Security Directors and Heads of Information Security.
• Senior Security Architects and Managers preparing for executive roles.
• IT Directors and CTOs with security oversight.
• Senior Risk and Compliance Professionals.
• Security Consultants and Advisors.

• Role-playing a security budget presentation to a C-Suite panel.
• Group activity developing a CISO 3-year strategic roadmap mapped to business units.
• Case studies on successful CISO leadership and major governance failures.
• Discussions on best practices for managing vendor performance and risk.
• Individual assignment drafting a Board-level cyber risk report template.

Unit 1: The CISO's Strategic Mandate

• Organizational placement and reporting structures for the CISO.
• Defining the security vision, mission, and three-to-five-year strategy.
• Translating business strategy, M&A, and digital transformation into security requirements.
• Establishing and communicating the organisation's acceptable security risk appetite.

• Designing and chairing the Security Steering Committee and governance structures.
• Leveraging frameworks like NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and COBIT for program maturity.
• Oversight of security policies, standards, and regulatory compliance.
• Defining security ownership and accountability across the enterprise.

Unit 2: Program Management and Budget Justification

• Developing a risk-based roadmap prioritized by business criticality and impact.
• Managing multiple large-scale security initiatives and projects simultaneously.
• Integrating security requirements into Enterprise Project Management (EPM).
• Transitioning from project-based security to continuous program management.

• Building and justifying the annual security budget (CapEx vs. OpEx).
• Calculating the Return on Investment (ROI) and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for security tools.
• Techniques for effective vendor negotiation and contract management.
• Communicating budget needs using the language of risk and business loss.

Unit 3: Cyber Risk Quantification and Board Reporting

• Moving from qualitative (heat maps) to quantitative risk models (e.g., FAIR).
• Defining and tracking Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) that matter to the business.
• Translating technical metrics into financial and operational risk language.
• Conducting periodic cyber risk reviews with executive stakeholders.

• Designing effective and concise Board-level security reports and scorecards.
• Best practices for engaging the Board on cyber risk and strategy.
• Communicating the value and maturity of the security program.
• Crisis communication strategies with the Board and external parties during an incident.

Unit 4: Team Leadership and Talent Management

• Developing an organizational structure that supports the security strategy.
• Strategies for hiring, retaining, and developing diverse security talent.
• Managing team morale, stress, and preventing burnout (especially in the SOC/IR).
• Developing a succession plan for key security leadership roles.

• Building strong partnerships with Legal, HR, Finance, and Business Unit Leaders.
• Managing and influencing non-direct reporting security personnel (Security Champions).
• Working effectively with the CIO and CTO on technology decisions.
• Addressing organizational resistance to security initiatives and cultural change.

Unit 5: Third-Party Risk and Future Trends

• Oversight of the third-party security risk management program.
• Managing supply chain risk and complex vendor ecosystems.
• Integrating security requirements into procurement and contract language.
• Managing concentration risk with large cloud providers.

• Governing security for AI/ML, IoT, and operational technology (OT).
• Future-proofing the security strategy against quantum computing and evolving threats.
• Assessing the impact of new regulations (e.g., NIS2, DORA) on the program.
• The role of the CISO in driving a security-aware organisational culture.