Interview with Franco Picchioni, Chief of Hera Information and Cyber Security Management
The lockdown, and consequent remote working, accelerated the process of digitalization in many companies. Unfortunately, it also increased the targets of many cyber criminals, as people were otherwise preoccupied with the Covid-19 crisis. In such a situation, it was therefore essential for Hera to have a department within our company network to defend us from such attacks. The arrival of Franco Picchioni, Chief of Information and Cyber Security Management within the Central Administration for Innovation, in January 2020, strengthened these processes.
Franco, what is your role in Hera and how long have you worked here?
I deal with all problems linked to cyber security for the entire Group, taking into consideration external threats (in continuous evolution), the internal drive for digitalization, and the balancing of security with user-friendly systems. I’ve been in this role since last January, when it was created. I arrived from another Italian company in the field, where I had a similar role for the past ten years.
Why is it an important issue, especially at this moment in time?
As well as the question of lockdown which forced many companies to use smart working extensively, over the last few years the issue of cyber security has been growing constantly, mainly due to the fact that companies are now pushing for a move to digitalization. This evolution means the computerisation of data and processes, as well as the introduction of cyber-space as the new field of action. In this context, the area of potential attack within our companies is huge, and the resulting defences must be appropriate and prompt.