Aug 2022
For he's a jolly good Fellow
Earlier this year, our Associate Director for Cyber Stewart Hogg was named as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Information Security. ‘What does that mean?’ we hear you cry! Well, we found out.
Associate Director - Cyber
Tell us about your journey to becoming a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec)
I’ve worked in information and cyber security roles for over 12 years, from looking after the technical security posture for clients and implementing the tools organisations require to stay safe, to designing cyber strategies and working to achieve best practice certifications such as ISO 27001.
The experience I gained with Waterstons included building the cyber division from scratch to now boast over 40 cyber experts, including a 24/7 Security Operations Centre, which is recognised by both CREST and the NCSC for our high-quality delivery.
For my own personal development, as well as provide inspiration for my team and the next generation, I wanted to demonstrate that I’m a cyber security industry leader, so I took the opportunity to apply to be a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec), which I’m delighted was successful!
What was involved in getting this level?
There’s been a push in the cyber world to move away from certifications that involve reading a text book and passing an exam towards a credible test of experience and competency. For me this is where the value of charted status exists; the process included validating both my knowledge and experience by industry leaders who were also experts in their field rather than testing knowledge retention alone.
The assessment involved both a written component and, critically, an interview process from existing Fellows of the society to validate that I had both the knowledge, experience and capability to carry the title of Fellow.
What do you need to do to keep it?
Maintaining the accreditation means staying active in the profession which is demonstrated via engaging in continual professional development (CPD) and submitting an annual overview of activities.
Beyond the requirements of the accreditation my view is that it’s critical for all information security professionals to have their finger on the pulse regarding the ever-evolving threat landscape and best practice. If you’re standing still in this domain, then you’re actually moving backward so it’s essential that all information security practitioners are actively bolstering their knowledge with the latest innovative thinking and current threat briefings.
How does it feel?
It’s a great sense of achievement having your skills and experience recognised by CIISec and joining the shortlist of Fellows recognised for their outstanding contribution to the field.
I’m also delighted to be able to play my part in promoting the benefits of the institute to others within the profession and will be looking forward to more opportunities to share my knowledge and experience.
What does it mean for the Waterstons cyber security offering?
We have always sought to add the brightest and best to the cyber team and our plans are to see many more Associate, Full and Fellow members join our ranks and have their experience validated by industry experts.
For our clients, it means they have confidence that our cyber consultancy skills are world class, demonstrated through both professional and personal accreditations such as this one, as well as company level accreditations from the NCSC and CREST which we’ve worked hard to achieve.
To find out more about Stew and our Cyber Resilience team, check them out here.