We ‘go phishing’ with Sarah Moss, Radiflow’s newly appointed Vice President of Marketing, who tells us about life inside and outside the office.
What would you describe as your most memorable achievement in the cybersecurity industry?
Being part of the initial team that established BeyondTrust in EMEA is probably my most standout achievement to date. When I look at the growth the company has made over the past eight years and my part in it, I feel immensely proud. We worked hard to build a reputation across Europe and the company is now flying. It was the longest tenure I have had to date and I was there for six years.
What first made you think of a career in cybersecurity?
It was more by luck than judgement. I began my career in IT back in 1996 and at the time worked for a RAID storage company. From there it snowballed. I moved in the direct of product management and then found my happy place in the marketing department. A VP I worked for previously moved into the cybersecurity space and brought me into the fold. And the rest is history.
What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position?
My Rule 101: The smartest thing any manager can do is hire smart people. They make YOU look smart. Another, is something I saw recently and re-posted on LinkedIn; ‘You are never too important to be nice to people.’ I am a people person and people matter to me. Anyone that has worked with me before will vouch for that. People make me tick.
What do you think is the current hot cybersecurity talking point?
The NIS Directive is hugely important. Critical national infrastructures and the threat of nation state attacks make cybersecurity a number one priority for industry with very real threats ranging across a number of sectors including energy, health services, transport and water. At Radiflow, we help organisations become compliant.
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside the office?
I love walking our dog along the river Thames. I’m lucky to live [in an area] surrounded by beautiful countryside and I try to make time for a big walk once a day. It clears the cobwebs and resets my mind. Make time for yourself, if you get stuck in a rut or don’t seem to be able to move on, step away from your desk. The world honestly won’t stop because you aren’t in front of your laptop. l find that I am way more productive when I return.
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in the cybersecurity industry?
Security and risk management will still remain at the top of the priority list without question. Organisations are still striving to protect their businesses from internal and external breaches and for some, the very real threat of nation state attacks.
Are there any differences in the way cybersecurity challenges need to be tackled in the different regions? Middle East, Africa, Europe, Americas.
Marketing always has to be adapted for the market you are selling into. You have to be regionally relevant or you may as well not bother trying.
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months?
Marketing has always been about the prospective customer and today it’s so much more about storytelling. People need examples and need to feel connected to issues, pain points and solutions. They want to know how someone can help them and as marketeers it is our job to tell the story, not just colour things in and make them look pretty.
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain c-level position in the security industry?
Try and understand how cybersecurity affects the business when absent as well as when present. Learn to think of cybersecurity in terms of business benefit and risk rather than as a technology alone. The better you are able to relate to the business impact of cybersecurity and help the business marry that into managing risk as a whole, not just cybersecurity, then the more you’ll be able to help the board make the right decisions, at the right time and quickly – you will already be talking the same language.
