A DAY IN THE LIFE
GET TO KNOW...
On the lighter side of things, we ask the industry-
experts what makes them tick…
Ned Baltagi, Managing Director,
Middle East & Africa at SANS
What would you describe as your most memorable
achievement?
My most memorable achievements have been those in which I have
been able to foster technological innovation, deliver value add
services, or instil a culture of ‘do it yourself and advance’ for clients
in a manner that exceeded their expectations.
One such accomplishment has been my role in transforming our
young talented Arab individuals into technically proficient cyber
security professionals that now help secure their nations from the
constant and growing threat of cyber-attacks. This is particularly
rewarding as it is an on-going challenge and I have the opportunity
to constantly engage and encourage these individuals from the Gulf
region to pursue careers in cyber security disciplines and increase their
appetite for learning and training.
What first made you think of a career in technology?
To me, the tremendous impact that the internet boom and the advancement of
technology would have was apparent and I was eager to be a part of community dedicated to
creating efficient and effective ways to simplify the world.
What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position?
To have a rewarding and successful career, I believe employees need to have fun while accomplishing business objectives and constantly
learning. Team spirit is also essential and I look to create an environment that encourages and rewards staff for working together effectively.
I am keen to see personnel advance in their careers and consider this to be a part of my responsibilities to them as a manager. Without
being a micromanager, I always let them know I am available as a mentor, offering support and direction to help their careers mature.
What do you think will be the hot technology talking point of 2017?
From a cyber security standpoint, I believe regional governments will begin to play an increasingly active role in the advancement of cyber
security. This will involve further development and enforcement of regionally relevant security compliance and regulation frameworks.
I also see both government and enterprise businesses enhancing the training of their cyber security personnel by leveraging virtual
environments to replicate real-world IT infrastructures and scenarios. These exercises will also help develop critical thinking as well as foster
team work and collaboration.
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside of the office?
I like continuous learning even in my personal time, which is why I strive to keep myself informed about the latest technologies in the market.
I then challenge myself to find new ways to introduce services to the market, and to translate best-of-breed point products into meaningful
‘white box’ solutions.
I also enjoy walks and hiking as these are both refreshing and allow me to collect my thoughts.
If you could go back and change one career decision, what would it be?
Today cyber security is one of the fastest growing industries. This wasn’t the case a decade ago, but if I could have foreseen this and got into
the world of cyber security earlier, perhaps in 2003, I would definitely have done that.
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