Spotlight on Dr. Hasan Ozkan

Dr. Hasan Ozkan is a senior executive with over 25 years of international experience leading security architecture, governance, and operations across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East. Currently, as Group CISO for Al-Futtaim Group, he oversees information security and risk for a global conglomerate operating more than 200 brands across 20+ countries. He holds a PhD in Business Administration focused on IT productivity and is passionate about building digital resilience in complex, multi-sector organizations.

A fun fact about Hasan, he has lived and worked in four countries the UK, Turkey, UAE, and Luxembourg, which has shaped my global perspective on both the cultural and technical nuances of security.

Learn more about the Middle East CISO community here.
 

Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.

My career evolved through the full spectrum of the “three lines of defense,” beginning in IT audit and systems analysis at institutions such as HSBC. Over time, I progressed into senior international leadership roles, including Head of Information Security Risk at HSBC Luxembourg and VP of Group IT Security Operations at First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB). Leading the security integration for the UAE’s largest banking merger, and now overseeing Al-Futtaim’s diverse global portfolio, has consistently allowed me to bridge technical execution with strategic business risk.
 

What is one of your guiding leadership principles?

Empowerment through Clarity and Collaboration. High-performing teams thrive when expectations, frameworks, and measurable outcomes are transparent. A modern CISO must lead beyond formal authority acting as an “informal leader” across the organization to ensure security is embedded as a business enabler rather than a barrier.
 

What is the greatest challenge CISOs face today, and how are you addressing it?

The primary challenge is securing a rapidly expanding digital landscape encompassing AI, Cloud, and IoT within a highly diversified conglomerate. I am addressing this by implementing a unified, group-wide risk and resilience framework that delivers consistent protection across automotive, retail, healthcare, and real estate, while preserving the agility required for digital transformation.
 

What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CISO?

Be a business partner, not just a security expert. C-suite success depends on the ability to translate technical risk into business impact and to build trust with boards and regulators by aligning security strategy directly with organizational growth, productivity, and operational resilience.
 

How do you measure success as a leader?

Success is reflected in measurable reductions in residual risk and continuous improvement in security maturity across global operations. Equally important is the development of my team building a true “Center of Excellence” where talent is empowered to innovate and security practices become recognized industry benchmarks.
 

What is the value of being a member of Gartner C-level Communities?

The real value lies in the collective intelligence of the peer network. In an environment of constant disruption, sharing insights and benchmarks with fellow CISOs enables us to stay ahead of emerging threats and jointly shape the future of security leadership on a global scale.
 

Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.