A Ceo Christmas’ wish

Antonio Ieranò

Security, Data Protection, Privacy. Comments are on my own unique responsibility 🙂

December 13, 2024

Dear Esteemed CEOs,

On this festive eve, as the frost nips at our cheeks and the warmth of goodwill kindles our hearts, I humbly pen this missive to you—leaders of enterprise, architects of strategies, and stewards of dreams. To you who hold the destinies of many in your hands, I extend my most heartfelt wishes for a Merry Christmas and a New Year brimming with prosperity and joy.

Yet, dear captains of industry, as the yuletide bells ring out their tidings of comfort and joy, I find myself compelled to share a word of caution. You, who in your wisdom bear the weighty burden of balancing ledgers and trimming budgets, I beseech you to consider carefully the fate of one vital domain often left perilously unattended: cybersecurity.

I understand, as all must, the pressing need to cut costs in these trying times. But to pare down already meager investments in such a crucial field is not an act of foresight; it is a gamble fraught with peril. If digitization is the golden key to unlock greater productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness, then surely, the security of information—cybersecurity in all its forms—is its indispensable guardian.

Remember well, noble stewards, that the pennies saved today may multiply into pounds lost tomorrow. For when—alas, not “if,” but “when”—a Business Email Compromise, a CEO Fraud, or the icy grip of ransomware should cast its shadow upon your enterprise, the lament “I didn’t know” will ring hollow indeed.

And while I appeal to your prudence, let me also speak to your conscience. Yes, regulations like GDPR and NIS2 may seem as unwelcome as a winter chill, complex and burdensome to navigate. But to delay compliance or, worse, to wait for the heavy hand of sanction, is not merely a strategic misstep—it is an ethical lapse, a disservice to the trust and responsibility that should be the bedrock of your endeavors.

With the hope that these words might find a place amidst your reflections, and that Christmas, with its light of renewal, may guide your steps, I renew my warmest wishes. May 2025 herald a bright, prosperous, and secure future for you and your enterprises, where strategic vision and the safeguarding of digital integrity stand as unwavering pillars of your success.

Yours with esteem and hopeful regard,