Leadership & Executive Communication , Training & Security Leadership , Video
CyberEdBoard Profiles in Leadership: Helmut Spöcker
SAP's Chief Security Officer on the Shift From Consulting to Security Leadership
Helmut Spöcker, vice president and chief security officer of ECS partner management at SAP, began his career in consulting, where he managed SAP technology migration projects and predicted the shift to Linux in SAP data centers. After nearly two decades in consulting, Spöcker transitioned to a security leadership role in IT architecture, helping an energy company secure its virtual power plant connections.
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One of the biggest differences Spöcker experienced after moving from consulting to an in-house position was the need to consider organizational dynamics, such as team morale and budget constraints. Security leaders must focus on what will have the most influence on their organization, even when others push for less-critical issues, he said.
In his present role, Spöcker ensures contracted suppliers meet the same security and compliance standards as SAP's internal operations. "We're highly standardized, but we only tell them what they have to do. So, my challenge is to ensure that whatever they do is on a comparative level," Spöcker said.
In this video interview with Information Security Media Group at Cybersecurity Summit: London, conducted as part of the CyberEdBoard's ongoing Profiles in Leadership series, Spöcker also discussed:
- Prioritizing security to identify and address the most critical organizational needs;
- Maintaining work-life balance in a high-pressure role;
- Advice for aspiring security leaders.
Spöcker has more than 20 years of experience in enterprise software, IT security operations, SAP implementation and Linux. He currently oversees a key segment of enterprise cloud services at SAP, ensuring security and compliance of SAP's RISE premium suppliers. He also advises on other technical solutions, such as implementing SIEM systems and monitoring and intrusion detection. He is a member of the CyberEdBoard.
CyberEdBoard is ISMG's premier members-only community of senior-most executives and thought leaders in the fields of security, risk, privacy and IT. CyberEdBoard provides executives with a powerful, peer-driven collaborative ecosystem, private meetings and a library of resources to address complex challenges shared by thousands of CISOs and senior security leaders located in 65 different countries worldwide.
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About the Author
Tony Morbin
Executive News Editor, EU
Morbin is a veteran cybersecurity and tech journalist, editor, publisher and presenter working exclusively in cybersecurity for the past decade – at ISMG, SC Magazine and IT Sec Guru. He previously covered computing, finance, risk, electronic payments, telecoms, broadband and computing, including at the Financial Times. Morbin spent seven years as an editor in the Middle East and worked on ventures covering Hong Kong and Ukraine.
