Gennady Duchovich
Head of Cybersecurity
Haventree Bank
Gennady Duchovich is an Information Security Leader who drives transformation and adoption of next generation cybersecurity.
He inspires cultural change through leadership, peer influence, and by building relationships and demonstrating value to the business.
Learn more about leaders in the Toronto CISO community here.
Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
Security is a mindset, regardless of the role. I have come a long way from serving in the military in the Middle East to practicing martial arts and always focusing on personal protection, criminal psychology and being able to identify danger.
In technology it was no different. For a decade, I worked on securing computers and protecting networks to build disaster recovery sites with test scenarios, only realizing at the later stage technology couldn't do it alone. Building secure solutions and working in managed services drove me to focus more and more on the other two aspects - process and people. This allowed me to have a broader look at how security programs fit into any business area, making continuous improvements and treating cybersecurity as the project without the finish line.
What are some of your guiding leadership principles?
Integrity and accountability. Always do the right thing, show example and make a difference
With disruption being a key theme of the past year, where do you see your role as a CISO going in the next 1-2 years?
The CISO role is yet to be recognized. It will be recognized as the key in uniting business units, Risk, and IT to work as one unit in driving security - as by design.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the role as a CISO?
Back to the first rule of business - find the need and fulfill it.
Tell us 3 fun facts about yourself.
I play chess, pool, and I practice martial arts.
What is the value of joining an Evanta community?
Reciprocity - We share common challenges and mistakes within our community and learn not to repeat them.
Evanta Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.
by CISOs, for CISOs
Join the conversation with peers in your local CISO community.