Intelligent CIO Europe Issue 37 | Page 81

On the lighter side of things , we ask the industry experts what makes them tick . . . .

. . . GET TO KNOW . . .

Ben Jepson , VP of Cyber & Risk Advisory Services , SureCloud

wWhat would you describe as your What most memorable achievement ?

I ’ ve only been at SureCloud for a year . Still , during that time , I ’ ve seen my most significant achievement as getting the Risk Advisory team off the ground and established as an integral aspect of the SureCloud proposition . As a business , we focus on developing a subscription-based as-a-Service offering that our clients can consume on-demand , and the risk advisory team is a key aspect of this .
It has been very rewarding seeing the team evolve and now play a critical part in driving the SureCloud business forward .
What first made you think of a career in technology ?
I didn ’ t ! I did a Politics degree at university and when thinking about roles to go into , never really thought about technology . I was focused on management consultancy or within central government . I then started out working on a graduate recruitment scheme for a company called Sema Group , now Atos , which gave me the experience of different business units with a tech company . This is where I first got exposure to cyber and risk . My main interest is business-related – growing and developing successful businesses – and cyber provides the subject matter to do this . So , I guess my career in technology came about because tech provided the most exciting field for fast-growing businesses rather than wanting to be in technology first . style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position ?
I aim to provide loyalty , integrity and trust . It ’ s important to me that my colleagues see that I am willing to get stuck in and work and that my team follow me in doing this rather than being told to do things . Being a strong leader means showing and coaching rather than telling people what to do . I also think it ’ s hugely important to be available in a leadership role – people need to know they can talk to you for support , questions and advice . My philosophy is also very behavioural-focused . While in our industry , you need to excel technically , however that , in itself , isn ’ t enough . I look for my team to demonstrate core behaviours , including bringing positive energy to the table , being cool under pressure and being collaborative .
What do you think has emerged as the technology trend of 2020 and why ?
The first and obvious answer is collaboration systems that the entire planet has been using to replace our
It ’ s important to me that my colleagues see that I am willing to get stuck in and work and that my team follow me in doing this rather than being told to do things .
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