Les Correia, Global Head of Application Security at The Estée Lauder Companies – Powerful Intriguing Force! 

This week we welcome the worldly Les Correia, who is the Global Head of Application Security at The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. In a previous life he held Senior/Advisory roles providing thought leadership at AT&T, Lucent, INS (now BT Professional services) and many other organizations in the US, Canada, Qatar, Germany, Brazil, and India. During his spare time, he enjoys flying aircraft and exploring New York museums and art galleries. Recently he also contributed to the Purple Book Community led by our friends at ArmorCode. Hear more about why he holds 14+ certifications and his globetrotting experiences.   

Connect with Les:

• Les Correia
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/les-correia/ 

Highlights:

00:00 - Intros & Application Security

• AppSec is much more than "just development"
• Consider the points of connections, or "point boundaries"
• The hardest component is People and the importance of EQ

7:03 - Cybersecurity Sensationalism

• Watching out for "Hollywood" version vs. reality
• Hackathons and Ideation
• Looking at the bigger, holistic story
• Importance of understanding business in security

12:26 - Les' Career Path and Journey

• Les doing his "own thing" on learning
• How being intellectually curious propelled his path
• Practice what you are thinking and learn from those that came before you
• Piquing curiosity with culture in international travels and benefits of immersion
• Enjoy people!

22:03 - Soft Skills and Embracing People & Cultures

• Taking the time for discipline to LEARN
• How EQ, empathy and culture mix

26:08 - Definition of Qualifications - To Cert or Not To Cert?

• Why Les has so many certifications
• Having diverse backgrounds in search for skills and talent
• The value of thinking outside the box and thinking differently

30:05 - Les Outside the "Office"

• The need for speed!
• The cool folks in the Arts and the way creative people think
• Staycations rule
• Keeping the curious mind curious
• Go Explore!

37:14 - The Purple Book

• The thinking and people who piqued Les' interests for involvement
• Democratizing the concept of software and security in a conversation
• Shout out ArmorCode!

Final Thoughts with Les:

• Stay in touch with people you connect with and appreciate the value of the community we are in