“The coalition provides a space for people to keep reconnecting”
Peter has a track record of more than 20 years in Information Security and IT-related risks, and is holder of the ISACA certificates CISA, CISM, CRISC, CDPSE and is holder of a post-graduate on big data and analytics. “Over the past decade, my attention has increasingly shifted to the risk aspect itself. In practice, this means I function as a second pair of eyes, verifying whether people, tools and processes are all adequately equipped to maintain control,” explains Debasse. “I also lead various projects as a senior expert and coach colleagues in achieving their goals.”
Defining the security scope
“My role is not the same as a traditional CISO, but is rather its counterpart in the risk organization”, he continues. In other words, Debasse instead oversees the activities of the CISO teams. “We do this through ‘challenges’, which are essentially the equivalent of internal audits, using technical tools, interviews and assessments. For example, we verify how internal cyber security awareness campaigns are organised and carried out. Thus, we are responsible to set groupwide controls, assure via monitoring and evidencing that the risks are under control, and report to group committees.”
At its core, Debasse’s role as Group Information Risk Officer is primarily about overseeing the security and IT-related risk scope. “This scope spans the entire domain, from malware protection and governance to detection. It’s very similar to the role the Cyber Security Coalition aims to play, which is why I’ve been closely involved with the organisation since the beginning.”
Trust as a cornerstone in a whirlwind sector
Currently, he serves as co-chair of the Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) focus group, which he has seen evolve significantly over the years. “The fact that this is an environment where people can get to know one another and build trust has proven particularly beneficial, especially in a field like ours, which is by nature constantly evolving. People often switch roles, and the Coalition offers a much-needed space to keep reconnecting.”
“With so many new members joining in recent years, we must continue to invest in that connection. It’s a constant balancing act,” he adds. The value of this ongoing effort within the sector is clear to Debasse, particularly in light of how readily external organisations are currently engaging with the Coalition. “Organisations including ISACA, L-SEC and Beltug are increasingly partnering with the Coalition, for instance, sending a powerful signal. After all, it’s impossible for every organisation to be equally strong in every subdomain. By recognising this, we help to strengthen each other,” he concludes.
