{"id":14971,"date":"2025-10-16T18:44:51","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T18:44:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newestek.com\/?p=14971"},"modified":"2025-10-16T18:44:51","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T18:44:51","slug":"the-expanding-ciso-role-from-security-operator-to-enterprise-risk-strategist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newestek.com\/?p=14971","title":{"rendered":"The expanding CISO role: From security operator to enterprise risk strategist"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The CISO job has outgrown its old definition. What started as a technical role has become a test of strategy, stamina, and leadership \u2014 and the scope keeps widening. According to Foundry\u2019s 2025 Security Priorities Study, a majority of security leaders say their roles have expanded in the past year, and more than half now brief their boards multiple times a month. The CISO\u2019s reach has extended well beyond cybersecurity operations to encompass enterprise risk, compliance, privacy, and AI oversight \u2014 a shift that\u2019s redefining what leadership looks like at the top of the security organization.<\/p>\n

The expanding scope reflects how integral security has become to every aspect of business. Today\u2019s CISOs are taking on ever more responsibilities and functional roles, with many overseeing not just cybersecurity but also risk management, compliance, and even operational domains such as business continuity, data governance, and AI oversight. Some security leaders have added ESG or physical security to their remit \u2014 an acknowledgment that cyber risk is inseparable from business resilience.<\/p>\n

That expansion has elevated the CISO\u2019s standing. In many enterprises, security leaders are now core members of executive decision-making teams, often helping to shape M&A strategy, product direction, and corporate governance. \u201cCISOs of the present and the future need to get out of being just technologists and build their influence and communication muscle,\u201d said Bread Financial\u2019s Gaurav Kapil in a recent CSOonline article<\/a> on CISO leadership. \u201cIt\u2019s not transactional but more of a value-based conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

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But greater influence comes with greater strain. Nearly one in four CISOs say they\u2019re considering leaving the profession due to stress. Role creep has become a real issue, as some organizations consolidate additional duties \u2014 from physical security to sustainability \u2014 under the same leader. The expectation to oversee everything from ransomware readiness to ESG metrics has created what some describe<\/a> as a \u201chodgepodge\u201d of responsibilities that can be unsustainable without the right support structure.<\/p>\n

Those tensions \u2014 between rising expectations and personal bandwidth \u2014 are front and center at this year\u2019s CSO Conference<\/a> panel,\u00a0\u201cNavigating Through Uncertainty: Staying Alert and Staying Sane.\u201d\u00a0Moderated by\u00a0Bob Bragdon, the discussion brings together\u00a0Jonathan Chow (Genesys), Frank DePaola (Enpro), and Marcus Johnston (Precisely)\u00a0to explore how top security executives are balancing expanded mandates with mental resilience and sustainable leadership.<\/p>\n

The takeaway: The CISO role has evolved from technologist to strategist, from security operator to business risk steward. The influence is real \u2014 so is the pressure. As boards turn to security leaders for guidance on everything from AI policy to operational resilience, CISOs are proving indispensable to the enterprise. The challenge now is making the job sustainable for those tasked with defending not just networks, but the business itself.<\/p>\n

The CSO Security Priorities study for 2025 will be presented during a discussion at the annual CSO Conference & Awards, October 20\u201322 at the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells.\u00a0Join leading CISOs as they share strategies for managing growing responsibilities, sustaining resilience, and leading effectively amid constant uncertainty.<\/p>\n

For more information about the agenda and speakers, please visit:\u00a0https:\/\/event.foundryco.com\/cso-conference-awards\/agenda\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The CISO job has outgrown its old definition. What started as a technical role has become a test of strategy, stamina, and leadership \u2014 and the scope keeps widening. According to Foundry\u2019s 2025 Security Priorities Study, a majority of security leaders say their roles have expanded in the past year, and more than half now brief their boards multiple times a month. The CISO\u2019s reach… <\/p>\n

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