Amir Vashkover has navigated a complex maze throughout his career, culminating in his role as the Head of Data Security at Philips. Drawing from his military background, Amir has honed a leadership philosophy that emphasizes security measures as fundamental and intuitive—much like the simple act of locking your front door. His approach is shaped by the reality of an ever-evolving threat landscape, where adversaries often bypass traditional constraints, necessitating innovative and agile solutions.
At Philips, Amir is at the helm of fostering a culture where individual initiative and collective teamwork thrive. He understands that the most effective solutions emerge from diverse perspectives and continuous learning. Committed to inclusivity and high ethical standards, Amir ensures that the company’s data security measures are not only robust but also seamlessly integrated into business processes.
Through his journey, Amir remains dedicated to simplifying security while advancing Philips’ mission of safeguarding data and maintaining stakeholder trust, proving that even within the maze of challenges, clarity and innovation can lead the way.
Decoding his journey we at CIO Business World conducted an interview with Amir to learn more about him. Below are the highlights of the interview:
Brief our audience about your journey as a business leader until your current position at your company. What challenges have you had to overcome to reach where you are today?
When I realized that information security is not just the cost of doing business, but the cost of staying in business, I developed a strategy that integrates both commercial and information security elements. Aligning these strategies, along with focusing on clear goals, has been key to achieving impactful results.
Beyond the typical challenges everyone faces in this field, my biggest challenge is often feeling at least one step behind the attackers. These adversaries are not bound by laws, regulations, compliance, work councils, or ethics, allowing them to move faster than we can.
“Be First At The Battlefield” from Sun Tzu’s Art of War encapsulates my greatest aspiration and my biggest challenge.
How do you build and manage a motivated and effective team?
I began my adult life in the military, where I developed a leadership philosophy that has guided me through various roles over the years. As a leader, I believe it’s crucial to balance two key aspects: understanding what motivates and best serves your team, department, or organization, and identifying what brings the most value to your allies while strategically managing your rivals. I apply this philosophy in my professional career every single day.
When building, growing, and motivating a team, my first rule is never to call it “my team”; it’s always “the team I’m part of.” While it may seem like semantics, this mindset emphasizes that all team members are equally important, as no one can achieve the same level of success alone.
Secondly, it’s essential to distinguish between a team and a group of individuals. Ownership, personal decision-making, opinions, and individual goals are all critical. A blend of these elements, along with open communication and a genuine commitment to the team’s success, leads to a high-performing team.
Lastly, always be ethical. Trust your team members and give them every reason to trust you in return.
Describe in detail the values and the work culture that drives your organization.
Philips Medical is driven by a commitment to innovation and improving lives through healthcare technology. Our core values include patient-centricity, sustainability, and collaborative excellence. We foster a work culture that encourages creative thinking and continuous learning, empowering our employees to push boundaries and develop groundbreaking solutions.
At Philips, we prioritize inclusivity and diversity, recognizing that varied perspectives lead to better outcomes. Our teams operate with a sense of urgency and purpose, understanding that our work directly impacts patient care worldwide. We emphasize ethical practices and maintain high standards of integrity in all our operations.
The Philips work environment is characterized by open communication, mutual respect, and a shared passion for advancing healthcare. We cultivate a balance between individual initiative and teamwork, believing that the best results come from combining diverse talents and expertise.
What change would you like to bring to the Security industry if given a chance?
My motto is that ‘SECURITY IS NOT A COST OF DOING BUSINESS. IT IS A COST OF STAYING IN BUSINESS.’ The change I’d like to bring to the security industry is a shift towards simplicity and intuition within the ecosystem of security vendors, security leaders, and business leaders.
Consider how people protect their personal property: there are no special trainings, no overly complex risk management processes, and no business cases created for every single lock. It’s intuitive and straightforward. Similarly, in the corporate world, ‘doing the right thing’ in terms of security should be simple to prioritize, plan, and execute.
I’d advocate for security measures that are as intuitive as locking your front door – essential, effective, and easily understood by all stakeholders. This approach would not only streamline security processes but also foster a culture where security is seen as a natural part of business operations rather than a burdensome add-on.
By simplifying security, we can ensure wider adoption, better integration with business processes, and ultimately, more robust protection for organizations of all sizes.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs aspiring to venture into Security?
As someone with extensive experience in cybersecurity startups and enterprises, these would be my top 2:
1. Think Like Your Customers
Understanding your customers’ mindset is paramount. Entrepreneurs must step into their customers’ shoes to comprehend their decision-making processes. This involves not only recognizing their immediate security needs but also anticipating future challenges they might face. By doing so, you can tailor your solutions to be proactive rather than reactive, offering value that goes beyond the obvious.
2. Master Risk Management
Security is fundamentally about managing risk. Entrepreneurs need to grasp how their customers approach risk management and mitigation. This means understanding the specific threats their customers face, the vulnerabilities within their systems, and the potential impact of various security breaches. By aligning your solutions with your customers’ risk management strategies, you can provide more relevant and effective security measures.
“What’s your vision on the future of cybersecurity?”
“Sam Altman has a sign above his desk that reads: “No one knows what happens next.” I would add, “However, you can influence it.” Drawing from this, I believe that transforming the security culture within an organization – from awareness and responsibility to understanding consequences – will be the most impactful approach.
Consider this: despite the significant risks, there aren’t many startups, technologies, or tools specifically designed to prevent drowsy driving, yet it remains low on the list of top 12 causes of fatal car accidents in the USA. This suggests that people recognize their own responsibility and the potential consequences of their actions.
I believe that as digital transformation matures and people are born and raised with a cybersecurity mindset, common sense will become far more significant than today’s technologies.
Returning to the transportation world, consider this analogy: When you drive on the highway, there are guardrails on both sides to protect you. However, as a safe driver, you adhere to the speed limit, maintain a safe distance from the car ahead, avoid checking emails on your phone, your kids are calm in the backseat, didn’t take any alcohol today, and drive only when well-rested. Consequently, your chances of needing those guardrails are extremely low, rendering them almost unnecessary for you.
So, where should we look next? Where GenAI can surpass human
