Name: Olayinka Ladeji
Job Title: Management Consultant, Information & Cybersecurity and IT Advisory
Employer: Enaxis Consulting
Location: Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Years in IT: 14
Years in cybersecurity: 12
Cybersecurity certifications: CCSP, CISSP, CISM, CBCP
How did you decide upon a career in cybersecurity?
Information security has always been my passion. I was working at a financial organization after college, but didn’t get the opportunity to work in the field of information security until an independent information security department was set up there shortly after I joined. I was drafted into the department, partially due to my involvement in the setup and, to my analytical background. I was one of the first four founding members of the department, and shortly thereafter, I earned my CISSP and continued to grow my experience in cybersecurity.
Why did you get your CCSP®?
With the advent of cloud computing, IoT, data analytics and business intelligence – as well as mounting concerns with privacy and data security, cybersecurity was imperative. Personally, I wanted to upgrade my skillset and put myself in a position to offer sound advice to clients on best cybersecurity practices and how to stay ahead of the bad guys.
What is a typical day like for you?
I play the role of a trusted advisor to our ever-growing list of clients at Enaxis, so, typically, most of my time is spent on advising new and existing clients in the areas of cybersecurity and information security. In addition, due to my other skills, experience and certifications in IT service management, business continuity, process optimization and project management, I also lead and support projects across many of our practice areas along these lines.
Can you tell us about a personal career highlight?
A personal career highlight, which I still find very amazing in every sense of the word, was when I was leaving an organization in order to be closer to my family. The organization threw a surprise send-off party for me and I was shocked to see some of the top level executives I had interacted with in attendance, particularly the CIO and COO. They both gave touching speeches and inspiring remarks about me, but I was especially moved by the some of the remarks given by the people within and outside my team. Most had this common theme - I had helped them “shape their careers”, or that I was “a role model who they will always look up to.” I never knew I had made such a remarkable impact on quite a large number of people. I just felt I was doing what was required of me – to be there for people and provide the needed advice and direction in addition to the business-as-usual activities of my job.
How has the CCSP certification helped you in your career?
Apart from gaining global industry recognition, the CCSP certification has certainly helped me upgrade my skills both in cybersecurity and information security, in addition to expanding my network. The industry is in dire need of cybersecurity professionals due to enormous threats and vulnerabilities, largely related to the significant IT advancements. Now, more and more businesses are migrating their data and functions to cloud without fully understanding the threats they are being exposed to, in addition to legal and regulatory compliance issues. Earning the CCSP gives one the right level of preparedness needed to cope with the risks associated with cloud migration and fully exploit and optimize the numerous inherent benefits of cloud.
What is the most useful advice you have for other cloud security professionals?
If you wake up in the morning and are excited to go to work then you are in the right profession – if not, consider a change. Cybersecurity should be something that you enjoy doing every day, in order to stay at the top of your game. It is a career filled with problem solving, communication, and research. If you can take the good along with some bad, then you are in the right place.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
Growing up, I had always admired my dad who is a mechanical engineer by profession. I wanted to be one as well. One day, I was seeking his career advice and he told me to pursue only the things that capture my heart and not my eyes…Now it’s beginning to make sense!
For information about the Certified Cloud Security Professional certification training seminars, visit https://www.isc2.org/ccsp-training/default.aspx