Dr. Rois Ni Thuama on Her Career in Cyber Governance and Startup Culture

Early Career Aspirations and Influences

• 💡 Rois Ni Thuama's earliest career aspiration was to be a police officer or detective.
• 🧠 She was fascinated by the concept of reading from a young age, understanding that written words could convey ideas across time and space.
• 🌍 A significant life event was pausing her studies at Trinity College to move to South Africa during its period of historical change, where she became involved in making music videos and wildlife documentaries.

Entry into Tech and Startup Governance

• 🚀 Upon returning to London, Rois entered the tech industry by working at a music technology startup called Shazam.
• 📌 This role exposed her to principles of corporate governance and risk management, even if the terminology wasn't explicitly used.
• ✨ The experience at Shazam ignited her enthusiasm for startups and their potential value to society.

Transition to Cyber Governance

• 🎓 After pursuing a Masters and PhD in governance, Rois transitioned into cyber governance following the financial crisis.
• ⚠️ She recognized cyber as an increasingly significant corporate risk that required a more holistic, cross-functional approach beyond just technical solutions.
• 🤝 Effective cyber governance necessitates collaboration between legal, technical, HR, and operations teams, requiring a deep foundational understanding from all involved.

The Future of Cyber Security and Career Advice

• 📈 Rois highlights a paradigmatic shift in how cybersecurity is perceived, driven by new legislation requiring boards to train themselves on operational resilience.
• 🔒 She notes that by 2022, there was a projected deficit of 3.5 million personnel in the cybersecurity sector, indicating significant career opportunities.
• 🎓 For those with a law degree looking to enter the field, Rois recommends learning coding, risk management, and understanding privacy legislation, and then to "just get into the game."