CISO DEMAND AND SUPPLY
One of the most pressing issues confronting business leaders today is a shortage of cyber security skills. With the rise of cybercrime and businesses continuing to invest in technology to support business growth and remote working, there has never been a greater need for CISO skills.
CISOs typically have a strong combination of business acumen and technological knowledge, as well as recognized information security certifications. However, the CISO is now expected to play a critical role in managing brand perception, employee engagement, and the strategic adoption of new technologies, in addition to protecting against threats and managing risk.
As a result, CISOs earn the third-highest average salary in the UK, their work is notoriously demanding, and their diverse skill sets are difficult to obtain. Finding and retaining a CISO is often one of the biggest challenges for organisations that take cyber security seriously.
According to IDG’s 2020 Security Priorities Study, 61 percent of surveyed companies have a CISO (rising to 85 percent for large global organizations), and those without a CISO are more likely to say their security strategy is not proactive enough.
According to a Ponemon Institute study, appointing a CISO reduced the cost of a breach by £5 per record. Given that a breach is a matter of when, and not if, hiring a CISO is particularly advantageous.