Profits vs. Protection: Should Cybersecurity Knowledge Be a Requirement for CEOs.pdf

Should CEOs understand cybersecurity? Cyber security auditors and certified cyber security consultants say executive knowledge balances profits with protection.

1. Profits vs. Protection: Should Cybersecurity Knowledge Be a Requirement for
CEOs?

In today’s business environment, profitability has long been the primary metric by which
boards assess the suitability of a CEO. Financial acumen, operational expertise, and market
growth strategies remain critical to driving shareholder value.

But with the dramatic rise in cyber-attacks across industries and sectors, a pressing question
emerges - Is it enough for CEOs to be profit-driven leaders, or should cybersecurity
knowledge now be part of the qualification criteria for the top job?

Boards are already leaning on PCI compliance auditors and SOC1 SOC2 Type1 Type2
consulting certification experts to safeguard data—so should CEOs themselves share
responsibility?

2. The Shifting Threat Landscape
Cyber-attacks are no longer isolated IT issues; they are board-level risks with direct impact
on business continuity, reputation, and profitability. Recent incidents have shown how a
single breach can -
 Halt business operations overnight.
 Trigger regulatory penalties and legal liabilities.
 Undermine stakeholder trust.
 Lead to mass layoffs and market devaluation.

With increasing reliance on ISO 27001 information security auditors and essential eight
security auditors, boards can no longer ignore the reality that cyber resilience is tightly
linked to organisational resilience.

The Traditional CEO Profile
Historically, boards have focused on appointing CEOs who excel at -
 Delivering strong financial returns.
 Driving operational efficiency.
 Expanding market share.
 Enhancing shareholder confidence.

Cybersecurity expertise, if considered at all, has often been delegated to the CIO, CISO, or IT
team. The CEO’s role has been to manage risk in the abstract, not necessarily to understand
the technical dimensions of cyber threats.

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Why Cyber Awareness Matters in the C-Suite
According to Cybernetic Global Intelligence CEO Ravin Prasad, today’s CEOs don’t need to be
cybersecurity engineers, but they do need to -
 Understand cyber risk as a strategic business risk, not just a technical one.
 Recognise the financial, reputational, and regulatory consequences of a breach.

3.  Champion investment in cyber resilience as a value driver, not a cost.
 Lead with confidence in the event of a cyber crisis, ensuring clear communication
with regulators, customers, and staff.

Boards that fail to account for this dimension risk appointing leaders who are strong on
profits but weak on protection. CEOs must be a part of the conversation when the board
consults with the PCI compliance auditors or prepare the SOC1 SOC2 Type1 Type2
consulting certification reports.

Balancing Profitability and Protection
The future CEO profile should reflect a balanced approach profitability expertise combined
with at least a working knowledge of cybersecurity governance. This doesn’t mean CEOs
must be technical experts, but they must -
 Know the right questions to ask their CISOs and CIOs.
 Be able to interpret cyber risk reports at board level.
 Lead cyber crisis response at the organisational and reputational level.

Just as financial literacy is a non-negotiable skill for CEOs, cyber literacy must now become
part of the baseline leadership requirement. This is why boards increasingly align with ISO
27001 information security auditors and seek guidance from essential eight security
auditors when shaping their executive oversight.

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The Board’s Call to Action
For boards, this means rethinking CEO recruitment and evaluation criteria. While
profitability remains crucial, cybersecurity awareness should be a core competency.
Organisations that fail to adapt may find themselves appointing leaders capable of growing
revenue only to see it wiped out by a single breach.

In the era of escalating cyber threats, the question is no longer “Can our CEO deliver
profits?” but also “Can our CEO protect them?”

4. Partner with Cybernetic Global Intelligence (CGI) to prepare your board and executives for
today’s cybersecurity challenges. We bring proven expertise as PCI DSS QSA auditors, ISO
27001 information security auditors, and essential eight security auditors, along with SOC1
SOC2 Type1 Type2 consulting certification specialists.
From executive cyber risk briefings to compliance audits and resilience roadmaps, CGI helps
align profitability with protection. Connect with CGI today to safeguard your leadership and
your business future.

RESOURCE
https://www.cyberneticgi.com/2025/09/27/should-cybersecurity-knowledge-be-a-
requirement-for-ceos/


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