Security as Business Leadership
Why today’s CISOs must speak the language of value, lead in the boardroom, and prove ROI.
For years, the role of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) was defined in technical terms: securing systems, patching vulnerabilities, stopping breaches. But in Season 1 of the Candid CISO podcast, one truth emerged again and again: CISOs today are business leaders first, technologists second.
This shift isn’t optional. According to research from EY, CISOs contribute up to 20% of the value of strategic projects—yet they are too often excluded from the earliest decision-making stages. The same study found that effective cybersecurity initiatives can add $36 million of enterprise value per project[1]. Leaving CISOs out of the conversation doesn’t just weaken security—it leaves money on the table.
Speaking the Language of Business
When Chirag Shah reflected on his MBA journey during Episode 3, he wasn’t celebrating a credential. He was describing a new lens.
“MBA gave me the comprehensive understanding of various business functions… Now I can actually sit with finance and understand their motives and incentives. Cybersecurity operators exist in this context because the things around it need to function together.”
It was a reminder that credibility in the C-suite isn’t earned through technical detail—it’s earned by speaking the same language as finance, sales, and operations.
Mandy Andress, in Episode 9, drove this point home from a leadership perspective:
“It’s the opposite of command-and-control. It’s building trust, rapport, and understanding the business drivers… Successful CISOs really understand how to navigate those components of an organization.”
The best CISOs don’t fight for relevance—they create it, by showing how security supports revenue growth, market trust, and operational resilience.
Boardroom Conversations That Stick
Season 1 also revealed a candid truth: many boards still see cybersecurity as a black box. The leaders who break through are those who translate complexity into clarity.
Jason Elrod, in Episode 10, reframed the question of how to “speak to the board” in very human terms:
“Let’s say I’ll put it in the context of speaking to a board of directors. A lot of people say like, how do you speak to the board, right? The board. You know, the board is actually made up of people. So you need to understand the people.”
This reminder cuts through the intimidation that often comes with boardroom interactions. It’s not about delivering a flawless performance; it’s about understanding each director’s background, preferences, and decision-making style.
That simplicity is powerful. According to NACD, boards now expect CISOs to move beyond threat reports and instead link cybersecurity to business continuity, M&A activity, and strategic growth[2].
The strongest leaders don’t overwhelm boards with jargon or dashboards. They tell a story—where security isn’t just defense, but an enabler of enterprise resilience.
Proving ROI: From Cost Center to Value Creator
If aligning with the business and engaging boards are essential, proving ROI may be the hardest and most necessary evolution. Security leaders are being asked to show that every dollar invested generates measurable outcomes.
In Episode 4, Aysha Khan explained how she reframed the role of security inside her organization:
“Security needs to be a function of enablement… We run in parallel to innovation, not against it.”
This mindset is key to proving return on investment. CISOs must show that security not only prevents losses, but also enables innovation and accelerates business initiatives.
That’s the focus of Identient’s upcoming Strategic Finance for Cybersecurity Leaders workshop, which explores how CISOs can:
Translate security investments into risk-adjusted returns.
Build financial scenarios that demonstrate value creation.
Move conversations from cost avoidance to enterprise impact.
And it’s also a central theme of my book, The CISO on the Razor’s Edge. The next generation of security leaders won’t just manage controls—they’ll manage capital, proving that resilience is a business multiplier.
The Takeaway from Season 1
Season 1 of Candid CISO left us with a clear message: CISOs are no longer technicians at the edge of the network—they are strategic multipliers at the center of enterprise value.
The ones who succeed will:
Align security initiatives directly with business outcomes.
Simplify complexity into board-level conversations.
Prove ROI with the same rigor as their peers in finance.
The job still demands technical expertise, but leadership now requires something deeper: storytelling, influence, and financial fluency.
Call to Action
If these insights resonate, here are three ways to continue the journey:
🎙️ Explore more episodes from Season 1 of the Candid CISO
📊 Join the upcoming webinar on Strategic Finance for Cybersecurity Leaders.
📖 Grab a copy of The CISO on the Razor’s Edge on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
And if your company is interested in sponsoring Season 2 of the podcast, message me and let’s talk.
Footnotes
“EY study: How cybersecurity adds $36M value per initiative.” Cyber Magazine, June 2, 2025. Retrieved from: https://cybermagazine.com/news/ey-study-how-cybersecurity-adds-36m-value-per-initiative
“How CISOs can drive strategic board conversations.” NACD Directorship Magazine Online Exclusive, Q2 2025. Retrieved from: https://www.nacdonline.org/all-governance/governance-resources/directorship-magazine/online-exclusives/2025/q2-2025/CISO-board-conversations/