Nadeem Hussain
Director, Information Security (CISO)
Grant Thornton LLP (Canada)
Nadeem Hussain is a progressive IT professional with 20+ years of enterprise technical infrastructure and senior management experience. He is an infrastructure architect with hands-on working experience in infrastructure technologies, cybersecurity, cloud, databases and ERP systems. Nadeem is a strong believer of business-driven technology solutions and he has a thorough understanding of information technology management, project delivery and its relationship to the business strategy it supports. He is a recognized leader that develops long- and short-term strategies to meet both current and evolving business objectives.
Learn more about the Toronto CISO community here.
Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
I started my technical career in 1998; however, when I was at Deloitte, I discovered my hidden talent in people management. I stepped into a Technical Manager role in 2009 at RioCan Management Inc., and then I was promoted to a Director role in 2013 and AVP in 2017. There, I developed IT and OT cybersecurity practices.
During Covid, RioCan's mall business hit hard and I left the organization in November 2020. I joined Grant Thornton Canada in Jan 2021 as the Director, Information Security (CISO) where I directly report to CIO at Grant Thornton. My role focuses on GT's internal security where our client data is the most critical asset for the organization. My team is responsible for testing and securing IT systems, data governance, compliance, security policies and acting as advisor to senior management on cybersecurity matters.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
Transparency, alignment with business objectives, innovation and talent management. Secure business enablement should be IT's number one goal.
With disruption being a key theme of recent years, where do you see your role going in the next 1-2 years?
CISO roles will become more integrated with the business. It will require thorough understanding of business operations, goals and objectives in order to build secure business-enabled solutions.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out as a CISO?
It's very important to understand the business objectives, and map the IT roadmap to enable the business’ short- and long-term goals.
Tell us three fun facts about yourself.
I love long drives, cooking new recipes and fishing.
What is the value of joining an Evanta community?
Networking with other CISOs, sharing knowledge, and learning their perspectives on various industry trends.
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.
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