27. Practising Good Security with Graham Thomson

Graham Thomson is an independent consultant specialising in cybersecurity and information risk. With many years as a leader in cybersecurity providing advice to boards, senior executives and technical and operational teams, he has a unique breadth and depth of skill and experience in the industry. During this episode, Graham shares his evolution into becoming a security leader, including the techniques and challenges in building a security team. He reveals useful techniques and strategies on how to retain long-term employees for your organisation. This episode delivers practical advice on how to ensure you are recruiting the right candidates for long-term success within your organisation. Link: Graham Thomson | LinkedIn Blog - Is it time to rethink your interview process? Time Stamps: 01:02 – Graham Thomson's introduction and background 01:56 – His evolution to becoming a security leader 04:00 – How does consultancy fit in security teams? 6:35 - Building a cohesive and effective team for the Commonwealth Games 7.29 - "Failure was not an option. The fact that it had to be successful meant that individuals brought a willingness-to-help frame of mind." - Graham Thomson 10:30 – Hiring your first security team employee 13:16 – Challenges in building a security team 13:54 – An technique to use when interviewing a potential employee 16:30 – What encourages Graham to work long-term with an organization 18:00 – "Retention within a security team is very much a challenge for security leaders." - Graham Thomson 18:13 – Ways to inspire your team to stay long term in an organisation 19:19 – "Cybersecurity is a great challenging area where you could actually enjoy what you're doing" - Graham Thomson 19:26 – Key lessons in building your security team 20:54 - What advice would you give your 20-year-old self about teams and leadership?