DEVELOPING THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN CYBERSECURITY

Globally, the number of cybersecurity professionals has doubled in the last ten years. However, according to the Center for Cyber Safety and Education (ICS2), recruitment issues could result in a talent gap of nearly 1.8 million by the end of 2022.

Despite the numerous job opportunities, women are still reluctant to apply for positions in this sector with a very technical image. In that light, Societe Generale is launching a program to increase the representation of women in its Cybersecurity teams. We discuss this project with Sylvain Thiry, Chief Information Security Officer for the Group, and Valérie Séguy, Chief Information Security Officer for the French Networks Payments.

Sylvain Thiry, why this program?

This program is part of a broader ambition of the Group and its IS functions to promote diversity. We are committed to fighting bias in the long run and creating a more diverse and inclusive work environment. One of our goals is to have at least 30% women in senior positions by 2025.

In cybersecurity, the stakes are even higher. In France, only 10.6% of cybersecurity specialists and only 6.5% of students are women. Yet we are convinced that diversity creates value for the company and its customers. We cannot effectively address societal issues without women, who make up half the population. It's as simple as that.

What exactly is this program, Valérie Séguy?

This is a collective adventure that also includes men such as Sylvain Thiry, one of the project's initiators. It was launched four months ago and has the support of the Group's General Management. We are now three women in charge of developing it, Roopa MALLIKARJUNAPPA in India, Iris HERBIN and myself in France. We are looking for a fourth person to deploy it, certainly in the African region.

Our strategy is based on three drivers. It aims to bring 40 to 65 more women into our Cybersecurity team each year, including in senior positions, and to help them develop their skills throughout their careers. Our first goal is to recruit women who do not currently work at Société Générale. The second goal is to promote internal mobility within the Group toward cybersecurity careers. The third goal is to keep our employees in a highly competitive job market. We want to measure our progress every year.

Sylvain Thiry, how is this strategy implemented?

This is leading to very specific HR actions. In our recruitment process, we make sure to propose at least one female profile among the candidates. Internally, we want to encourage women, including non-IT profiles, to apply. We then offer them a training program tailored to their needs as well as mentoring to help them evolve professionally. Finally, we are committed to reinforcing gender equality in terms of salary.

We are working closely with the cybersecurity ecosystem on this issue. For example, we are a partner of Campus Cyber, a French cybersecurity center of excellence, which has launched a working group on this topic. We also work with organizations such as DesCodeuses, which promotes women's inclusion in technology and is supported by the Societe Generale The Future Is You Foundation.

Valérie Séguy, what, in your opinion, could attract women to these professions today?

Cybersecurity brings together new, ethical professions that are recruiting and developing. The profiles we are looking for may come from fields other than cybersecurity. They range from project management to security architecture, from awareness to cloud expertise, from technical to general topics...

I don't come from this sector. I went to an IT engineering school and specialized in IT project management. A few years ago, a manager encouraged me to join his cybersecurity team. It was a challenge for me because it was a new and fast-moving field. And now, here I am, convincing other women to join the adventure!

I have two recommendations for those who wish to join us. Imposter syndrome is common in women. However, cybersecurity is a field in which you discover and learn every day. As a result, you don't have to wait until you have all the skills before applying. I am living proof that it is possible. The second advice is to be self-reliant, constantly curious, and proactive in your learning.

Sylvain Thiry, what are the current cybersecurity job opportunities available at Société Générale?

Our cybersecurity team includes 1,300 experts from around the world. We currently have approximately 60 external positions open in a variety of areas, from strategy to crisis management. [...] Our professions are constantly evolving according to the state of the threat. A person with an open mind and a thirst for knowledge can progress rapidly in a promising field, with a good salary!" concludes Sylvain Thiry, Group Chief Information Security Officer.