In this week’s episode of The Future of Security Operations podcast, Thomas is joined by Mark Hillick, CISO at Brex. Mark’s experience in the security industry spans more than two decades. He started out as a security engineer at Allied Irish Banks before advancing through companies like MongoDB to become Director and Head of Security at Riot Games. His book, The Security Path, features over 70 interviews with security professionals on their career journeys.
In this episode:
[02:06] His early career journey - from a mathematics background to building early online banking systems [03:32] What’s kept Mark excited about security for over two decades [04:40] The compound benefits of growing within a company over time [07:20] Mark’s leadership style - defined by transparency, directness, and genuine care for his teammates [12:45] Communicating the business trade-off between risk and return [16:45] Reflecting on the team’s response to major incidents at Riot Games [21:00] The unique challenges of securing gaming platforms [26:30] How Mark approaches strategy and planning in the fintech space [28:08] The case for building strong, partnership-driven vendor relationships [31:13] Creating space for creativity - without spreading the team too thin [34:35] Empowering his team to speak openly - even if it means calling him out [36:35] The inspiration behind Mark’s books Digital Safety for Parents and The Security Path [40:20] Connect with Mark
Where to find Mark:
Where to find Thomas Kinsella:
Resources mentioned:
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.