Alina Andronache, Ph.D.
Information Security Lead
Pentland Brands
-Manage information security practices, oversee audits, and lead ISMS implementation aligned with industry standards. -Conduct policy awareness and security training for stakeholders. -Collaborate across IT and technical units to align policies, manage risks, and drive ISMS adoption. -Support diverse business operations, including legal, Compliance and Data Protection areas. -Continuously monitor security metrics for ongoing improvement and assessment.
Cybersecurity is an exciting and versatile domain which offers an endless opportunity to learn from. In the end, cybersecurity has been a trending technology, which evolves faster than any other technologies.
There are no two days alike. The field of managing risk governance and compliance requirements its a complex task that implies exciting and different activities every day.
I began my doctorate degree in 2015 as a new career path – a career for life! After many years in a different sector, doing something else, I acknowledged my passion and enthusiasm for cybersecurity, governance, risks and compliance and transitioned into a new career, dedicating endless hours to reach the expected results. My curiosity and passion for cybersecurity have driven me to engage with the security community, gaining more insights, expertise and collaboration with more than 25 organisations; all of which contributed to my research about cybersecurity management and Enterprise Risk Management (ERM). I joined Information Security team at Simply Business as a Junior Information Security Analyst when I was still studying for my doctorate degree. I immediately began making contributions to improving assurance processes, ensuring that due diligence practices, due care and ensuring risk management is correlated and embedded within daily activities.
I'm interested in exploring possible approaches for enabling a more enhanced strategic approach to respond to the extended exposure to all types of risks. I'm hoping to inspire good security practice in the years ahead to the cybersecurity community with future publications both for academia and industry, as well as supporting young people and women in tech who join within the wider world of tech or cybersecurity. I believe that now more than ever that is essential for the best of the tech industry to inspire collaboration and communication.
I have a natural curiosity and I love to learn new things. I always enjoyed and levelling up and become a better version of myself. I’m also an avid supporter to the benefit of others and I enjoy volunteering for tech-causes.
“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” — Henry David Thoreau