How does a chemical engineer like yourself end up in cyber security?

Engineers have a chameleon-like nature, I think. I worked in a number of different fields (research, manufacturing, development, etc.) before my career turned to IT — namely in the financial sector — more than sixteen years ago. It was exciting! From there, my career continued to progress until I ended up in cyber security, which is as complex as it is fascinating.

How important is cyber security in today’s job market?

The need to attract new talent to cyber security is well known. There is a very high demand in this area. There is a lot of talent in cyber security today, make no mistake, but sometimes it feels like it is not enough. We need a lot more bright minds and a lot more capable hands to deal with current and future threats.

What cyber security challenges will businesses be facing in the coming years? What can they do to prepare?

Businesses face a huge challenge ahead: secure digital transformation. Being more competitive requires being more efficient and offering services and/or products that are in demand. The pandemic has led to the explosion of teleworking, and the already complicated issue of cyber-threats to businesses and citizens has multiplied exponentially. Companies must prepare by strengthening the security of their processes, their technologies, and their data. And that is a very complex challenge that requires a lot of expertise.

Who is the Cyber Security, Risks & Digital Security Online Programme at Centro de Estudios Garrigues for?

There is a huge demand for cyber security expertise nowadays — and it is practically a requirement in the business, legal, and tech sectors. This programme is intended not only for cyber security professionals, because it is also important for business executives to be aware of and understand the key aspects of cyber security. The programme is therefore aimed at a wide range of profiles. Depending on their background, they will be able to adapt what they learn here.

What did you have in mind when you were developing this programme?

My main concern was to create a programme with up-to-date content of the highest quality. The programme’s focus on the chief information security officer (CISO) role, with a holistic approach to cyber security and the management of technological risks, threats, and digital security, ensures that participants learn content that is relevant to all areas of business and that allows them to understand how decisions are made. There is also a strong focus on the near future, with classes on artificial intelligence and machine/deep learning, big data, quantum computing, and robotisation. The programme also includes a series of top-level live webinars.

What do you think sets this programme apart from others?

It is very simple: there is no programme with this content and with the quality and real-world experience of our faculty. They are the best of the best. They have a wealth of experience in the sector, on multiple fronts and in the day-to-day business of cyber security. No other programme comes even close in terms of the experience and quality of the faculty. And that is the same faculty who literally wrote the book on cyber security. They wrote all the materials and created the programme from scratch, with content that matches the quality of the faculty. Plus, being able to have these live webinars with this faculty is a rare opportunity.

And who are they?

We have a very diverse team, with several CISOs from top public and private organisations, such as Elena Matilla, Alejandro López, Rubén Fernández, and myself. We also have leading hackers, like Antonio Fernandes, and gurus in specific areas, like Ramsés Gallego, Ángel Gómez de Ágreda, and Cristiano Paris. With this group, we cover all aspects of cyber security and its main challenges and threats. Most importantly, we do it with a team that cannot be matched in any other programme of its kind. Even in the most prestigious master’s programmes, you will have trouble finding faculty of this level.