Today, Derek Harp is excited to have Jaco Benadie, the Executive Director of KPMG Malaysia, joining him on the show for another episode in the series on Security Leaders. 

Jaco is a well-known leader and problem-solver in the world of cybersecurity. He has a great attitude and is always willing to do whatever he can to make things happen. He is a barbeque and sports fanatic who loves watching the Rugby World Cup!

With over fifteen years of experience in the cybersecurity field, in both Information Technology and Operational Technology, Jaco leverages his IT and engineering skills and experiences to design, develop and implement controls to support the protection of critical computing systems from cyber threats.

Jaco has become an expert in dealing with every level of customer management in OT, IT, and cyber security. He has often worked as a subject matter specialist for complex remediation activities. He has also acted as a mediator to resolve tensions between IT and OT.

In this episode, Jaco tells his superhero story. He peels back the layers to let us in on the personal side of his life and career. He talks about his different work experiences after graduating from university and explains how hard he had to study to move into cybersecurity. He also talks about guidance and mentorship and explains what motivated him to leave KPMG to do rigorous safety training with Shell.

Jaco encourages anyone considering a career change to go ahead and do it, regardless of how old you are! You will not want to miss this episode if you are thinking about breaking into the field of cybersecurity!

Show highlights:

• As a young boy, Jaco spent the best years of his life in Namibia with his grandfather, who was a farmer. (2:40)
• Although he graduated with a B.Com degree in marketing, Jaco has never worked in that field. (4:52)
• Jaco shares one of the most valuable career lessons he learned while working as a door-to-door salesman. (7:55)
• While on a working holiday in the UK, Jaco was offered a permanent position as a Physical Security Manager. That was where he got introduced to the world of cybersecurity for the first time. (10:14)
• Jaco did not have a technical background, so starting his journey into cybersecurity involved a steep learning curve. (14:09)
• Jaco talks about how hard he had to study to break into the cybersecurity industry. (17:48)
• The kind of guidance, mentorship, and exposure Jaco would have liked to have while breaking into the cybersecurity industry. (21:18)
• What he does to encourage the junior associates in his team to engage with him and ask questions. (24:22)
• Jaco explains why you don’t have to be a technical expert to have a key role in cybersecurity programs. (26:33)
• How he got introduced to KPMG, took a side-step, and started working there as an assistant manager. (30:58)
• Jaco talks about what he learned from the rigorous safety training he did with Shell before returning to KPMG. (36:05)