Derek Harp interviews David Bacque today. David is currently the Vice President of Strategic Development and Director of OT/ICS Cybersecurity at RED Group. 

RED Group is an Industrial Control Systems (ICS) technology development and integration firm specializing in Process Automation, IT/OT Consulting, and Industrial Cybersecurity. Dave is an experienced industrial cybersecurity and operational technology (OT) professional who has led, advised on, and delivered cybersecurity projects and initiatives with industrial clients around the world to help operators of critical infrastructure become more resilient to cyber threats. He has a B.S. in Information Systems and Decision Sciences from Louisiana State University and is a holder of the Global Industrial Cybersecurity Professional (GICSP) and Project Management Professional (PMP) certifications.

Dave grew up and went to school in a small town in South Louisiana. He has many years of experience in the OT space. As well as being an OT/ICS Cybersecurity leader, he is also a father, sailor, chef, barista, traveler, motorcyclist, and hiker. He joins Derek today to talk about his background, education, and career trajectory and discuss the importance of staying curious and being open to learning new things.

This episode is a must for anyone looking to get into the cybersecurity space! Tune in to hear Dave’s story, learn from his insights and experience, and benefit from his valuable nuggets of career advice! 

Show highlights:

• How his dad’s background in mechanical design led to David’s first interactions with technology.
• The many interesting things that took place around the time Dave graduated from LSU in 2001.
• What Dave did and learned when he started his career with Total in the early days of IT and OT convergence.
• The value of getting to know your co-workers personally and building community within organizations.
• Some changes in the OT security space that happened during the course of Dave’s career.
• What does it take for engineers and IT people to become OT cybersecurity qualified and savvy?
• Dave offers advice for leaders looking to get people together to build cross-functional teams.
• What Dave did in his first career roles.
• Dave dives into the power of building long-term relationships
• Dave discusses the informal mentor/mentee relationships he has had in his career
• The value of being able to tell people your story.

Links and resources:

(CS)²AI

RED Group

Dave Bacque on LinkedIn