Influencing without authority: What every engineering leader can learn from security w/ Srinath Kuruvadi #227

Influencing without authority is the hidden superpower of security leadership—and a crucial skill every engineering leader must master. In this episode, Srinath Kuruvadi (Head of Cloud Security @ JPMorgan Chase) breaks down how to influence without formal authority and advocate when ROI isn’t immediately clear. We cover tactics for shaping problems from the POV of other stakeholders, Plus, strategies to establish shared outcomes, insights on optimizing your time, emerging AI x security trends, and how his team is operationalizing curiosity & experimentation through The Innovation Lab.

ABOUT SRINATH KURUVADI

Srinath Kuruvadi is a globally recognized cybersecurity executive and cloud security leader with over two decades of experience driving security innovation at some of the world’s most influential technology companies, including Netflix, Meta, Google, Lyft, and JPMorgan Chase. Currently serving as Managing Director and Head of Cloud Security at JPMorgan Chase, he leads the enterprise-wide security strategy across APIs, containers, and cloud platforms, shaping the future of banking technology.

Srinath’s approach blends deep technical expertise with executive-level risk management. At Netflix, he headed cloud security for one of the largest AWS environments globally, pioneering scalable governance and identity systems that supported massive data throughput. At Meta and Google, he led the development of custom infrastructure security systems protecting billions of users, including Facebook’s Blackbird SIEM+SOAR platform.

Beyond his executive roles, Srinath is a strategic advisor and angel investor, with five successful startup exits including Bridgecrew, Lightspin, Oxeye, Gem Security, and Kivera. He is also a trusted advisor to venture capital firms like YL Ventures and Glilot Capital Partners, and served on Amazon’s Global CISO Advisory Council.

He holds multiple patents in web application security, database protection, and abuse detection, and has authored research on algorithmic solutions in industrial systems. Srinath is also multilingual and committed to lifelong learning, exemplified by a sabbatical that took him to over 35 countries for cultural, linguistic, and creative growth.

With a Master’s degree in Computer Science from North Carolina State University and a Bachelor's from BITS Pilani, Srinath is known for transforming security from a blocker into a business accelerator.

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SHOW NOTES:

• The hidden art of influencing without authority in security leadership (3:29)
• Why influencing remains an underestimated skill (5:08)
• Shifting from accidental to intentional influencing (6:53)
• Frameworks for aligning problems from other stakeholder’s POV (8:40)
• How to effectively influence without formal authority (11:14)
• Common pitfalls in identifying & aligning shared outcomes - and how to avoid them (14:10)
• Srinath’s strategy for clearly defining and aligning on shared outcomes from the start (15:42)
• Making a compelling case when immediate ROI isn’t clear (17:47)
• Practical prioritization frameworks for assessing security needs (20:55)
• Insights on personal time management for engineering leaders (22:53)
• Navigating current trends and potential pitfalls in AI for security (26:29)
• Inside the Innovation Lab: Operationalizing curiosity and AI experimentation (29:57)
• Rapid fire questions (33:47)

LINKS AND RESOURCES

• FAIR methodology risk assessment - a research-driven not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the discipline of cyber and operational risk management through education, standards and collaboration.
• The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels - Michael D. Watkins gives you the keys to successfully negotiating your next move—whether you’re onboarding into a new company, being promoted internally, or embarking on an international assignment.
• Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World - David Epstein’s compelling case for actively cultivating inefficiency. Failing a test is the best way to learn. Frequent quitters end up with the most fulfilling careers