President, Information Security
Cybersecurityhasemergedasoneofthemostvital
frontiersintoday’sdigitaleconomy—anevershiftingdomainwherevigilance,innovation,and strategyintersect.Asthreatsgrowinscaleand sophistication,thedemandforvisionaryleadershipinthis spacehasneverbeengreater Withinthishigh-stakes environment,anewgenerationofwomenleadersis redefiningwhatitmeanstolead,protect,andinspireinthe worldofcybersecurity.
The Most Influential Women Leaders in Cyber Security celebratesthetrailblazerswhoarenotonlyfortifyingdigital infrastructuresbutalsopavingthewayforgreater inclusivityandresilienceacrosstheindustry.Thesewomen bringmorethantechnicalacumen;theybringforesight, adaptability,andanunwaveringcommitmenttocreating securedigitalecosystemsforbusinesses,governments,and communitiesalike.
FromCISOsandcybersecurityarchitectstofounders, researchers,andpolicyshapers—theseleadersareshaping theglobalnarrativearoundcyberdefense,privacy,and
digitaltrust.Theirworktranscendsjobtitles.It’sabout impact:steeringorganizationsthroughcrisis,architecting forward-lookingsecurityframeworks,mentoringthenext waveofcybertalent,andchallengingthestatusquoin traditionallymale-dominatedspaces.
Whatunitesthesewomenisnotonlytheirprofessional excellencebuttheirpassionforpurpose-drivenleadership. Theyarefosteringacultureofcollaboration,transparency, andempowermentinafieldthattoooftengrappleswith isolationandburnout.Theirstoriesreflectcourageinthe faceofevolvingthreatsanddeterminationtocreatesafer, smarterdigitalenvironments.
Thisfeatureisatributetotheirachievements—andacallto actionfortheindustrytocontinueinvestingindiverse leadership.Asthecyberthreatlandscapeexpands,somust thevisionandvoicesthatguideitsdefense.
Theseinfluentialwomenarenotjustsecuringdata—they’re securingthefuture.
-AlayaBrownManaging Editor
A Trailblazer’s Journey in Securing the Digital World –Priyanka Sunder’s Cyber Shield: Driving Cybersecurity Excellence with Purpose, Precision, and PeopleCentric Impact
A
R T I C L E S
Leading from the Frontlines: Developing the Next Generation of Cyber Leaders
Securing the Future: Why Strong Leadership is Vital in Cyber Defense
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Featured
KristyHornland Director,Advisory
MariePatane CybersecurityHead
Brief Company
KPMGUS kpmg.com
NSWDepartmentof CustomerService customerservice.nsw.gov.au
MichelleRibeiro SeniorResearcher
PriyankaSunder VicePresident, InformationSecurity
SamF. CybersecurityAdvisor
UNSW unsw.edu.au
SMFGIndiaCredit smfgindiacredit.com
DavidJones davidjones.com.au
WithoveradecadeofexperienceatKPMG,Kristyleads engagementsfocusedonsecuringandgoverningadvanced technologies—securityprogramsfromstrategythrough deploymentfornumerousclients.
Withastrongfocusoncustomer-centricinnovationand digitaltransformation,sheplaysapivotalroleinshaping policiesandstrategiesthatstreamlinepublicservicesand fostertransparency,efficiency,andaccessibility
Michelle’scommitmenttofosteringknowledgeand innovationalignswithUNSW’svisiontocreatepositive impactthroughcutting-edgeresearchandtransformative education.
Withafocusonenhancingtechnologyriskmanagement, Priyankaplaysanintegralroleinstrengtheningthe organization'sinformationsecuritypostureandfostering sustainablecyberresilienceandacyber-awareculture.
SamF.isavaluedmemberoftheDavidJonesteam, contributingtothecompany’scommitmenttodelivering premiumretailexperiencesacrossAustralia.
Priyanka Sunder Vice President, Information Security Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group
Cybersecuritydemandsdynamicallyresilientleaders likePriyankaSunder,amulti-award-winning Informationsecurityleaderrecognizedasa dynamicexpertinCybersecurity,IT,InformationSecurity Governance,RiskandCompliance,leveraging2decadesof richexperienceinTechnologyRiskmanagement,ITAudits, CloudSecurity,VendorGovernance,BusinessContinuity Planning,DataSecurity&GovernanceandInformation SecurityProjectManagement.
Shedrivesstrategicresultsandisknowntopromote operationalexcellencethroughhervariousgovernanceroles atIndia’sleadingbank,telecomfirm,NBFC,andAPAC’s prominentstockexchangefirm.Shehasearnedher pedigreethroughher5-yearstintinITadvisoryroles globallyacrossIndia,UK&SingaporeattopBig4and morethanadecadeofpivotalInformationSecurity positionsheldatseveralFortune500FinancialInstitutes, NBFCs,HomeLoans,&InsuranceITservicesfirmshaving stakeholdersacrossAsiaPacific,UnitedKingdom,United StatesofAmericaandEurope.
APurpose-DrivenStart:FromIntuitiontoVocation
PriyankaembarkedonherjourneytoexploreInformation Securityashervocation20yearsagowithapassionfor simplifyingandsecuringtechnology,financialservicesand telecommunications.Thisintuitionbecamehercallingasa student.Atthesametime,shecameacrossseveral disturbingimpactsofterrorismdatabreaches,financial frauds,socialengineeringattemptstocompromisepersonal welfare,digitalfraudsandonlineabuse.Sheadvocates violence-free,stress-free,secureandresponsibleuseof digitalresources.Sheenvisionsthisdigitaleraasabig milestoneineconomicgrowth,innovation,andfinancial andsocietalinclusion.
TheAcademicPowerhouseBehindtheCyberGuardian
BeforePriyanka’sprofessionaljourneybegan,sheearned herBachelor'sinComputerEngineeringfromtherenowned SardarPatelCollegeofEngineering,MumbaiUniversity,a dualMaster'sinInformationManagementfromSyracuse UniversityandaMaster'sinCloudComputingfrom Simplilearnonline.Sheforgedherpost-graduationdegree in2005bycompletingaCertificateofAdvancedStudiesin InformationSecurityManagementfromtheSchoolof InformationStudies,SyracuseUniversity,USA.
Thislaidherfoundationinacombinationoffieldslike InformationSecurity,ArtificialIntelligence,
Information Security is industryagnostic. When integrated with people, process, and tech, it safeguards crown jewels while preventing massive losses.
InformationManagementandProjectManagementwhich wereherelectives.Shecontinuestoupskillwithrelevant professionalcertificationsinthelastdecade.
Sheholdsmorethan30+professionalcertificationsacross disciplineslikeCertifiedInformationSystemsAuditor,ITIL V3Foundation,ArtificialIntelligence,CloudSecurity, GenAI,ZeroTrust,ISO27701PrivacyInformationSystem Certificate,ISO20000LeadImplementer–ITService Management,Networksecurity,VulnerabilityAssessment, Penetrationtesting,MobileSecurity,ComputerHacking andForensics.ShealsoholdsaCertificateofProfessional developmentinAppliedNeurosciencesandBrainHealth andCertificateinHathaYogaamongstothervarious coursescompletedforholisticwellnessfromArtofLiving foundation,anon-profitorganization.
ShapedbyBig4Insights,GuidedbyStrategy
Priyanka'searlyexposuretodiverseglobalclientsthrough Big4ITAdvisoryfirmsgaveheranedgeinnavigating variedrisklandscapes.“Conducting IT audits for financial institutions, FMCG giants, and telco firms taught me to tailor security strategies to each organization’s unique environment,”shesays.“It also taught me how to present audit gaps in a way that drives executive action.”
GuardingMillions,GuidedbyRegulatoryMastery
Now,witharoleoverseeingsecurityofPANIndia employeesacross1000branchesandmillionsofcustomers acrossIndia,Priyankaemphasizesdata-drivendecisionmakingandoperationalexcellence.Herbroadregulatory knowledge—fromRBICybersecurityandITregulationsto
MASTRM-TechnologyRiskManagementguidelines, NISTCSF2.0,andISOstandards—enableshertodesign frameworksthatarecompliantyetflexible.“Information Security is industry-agnostic,”sheasserts.“When integrated with people, process, and tech, it safeguards crown jewels while preventing massive losses.”
PioneeringCybersecurityAcrossGlobalIndustries
Inherillustriouscareer,Priyankahassuccessfullyexecuted cybersecuritytransformationinitiatives,ledhigh-impact projects,andcollaboratedwithcross-functionalteamsto fosteracultureofenhancinginformationsecurityresilience acrossglobalfinancialservicesandtelcoindustries.Sheisa compellingthoughtleaderknownfortranslating complicatedindustryrisksintoactionableplanstodrivethe alignmentofcybersecuritystrategywithbusinessgoals. Shehasledlarge-scaleriskassessmentswhile implementingprocessenhancements&leadinghighperformingteams.
Herfocusisonproactivedefencemeasures&compliance withindustrystandards,wheresheeffectively communicatescomplexsecurityconceptstostakeholdersin ordertoprioritizeregulatorycompliance&optimize technologyandinformationsecuritycontrol implementationsacrossdiverseindustrylandscapes.
Sheisarespectedacademicianstrivingtobuildcyberresilientcommunitiesandmentorsaspiringwomen professionalstoaddresstheskilldeficitincybersecurityby volunteeringforDiversity,EquityandInclusioninitiatives atseveralNon-profitorganizationsandinhercurrentrole. ShepresentlyworksasVicePresidentofInformation SecurityatSumitomoMitsuiFinancialGroupIndia CreditCompanyLtd.
MetricsMatter:EvaluatingCyberHygiene
"When assessing the effectiveness of a cybersecurity program,"sheexplains,“It is important to prioritize key indicators like the number of critical incidents, remediation turnaround times, audit observation closures, patching compliance, access violations, endpoint security trends, and awareness training status. These metrics offer deep insight into an organization’s cyber-hygiene."
ChampioningCloudSecuritywithVision
Priyankaalsochampionscloudsecurity.Withdualmaster's degreesinInformationManagementandCloudComputing, sheunderstandsthebalancebetweeninnovationandrisk. “Migrating in phases, addressing misconfigurations, and ensuring proper key management are essential to managing cloud security challenges,”shenotes.
The
EvolutionofInformation
She is a compelling thought leader known for translating complicated industry risks into actionable plans to drive the alignment of cybersecurity strategy with business goals.
Security:Deep IntegrationintoBusinessandTechnologyOperations
Inhertwodecadesinthisindustryasaninformation securityprofessionalandamentoratnon-profits,Priyanka saysshehasnotedthestarkchangeinperceptionofhow thisdomainisviewednow.EarlierInformationSecurity wasanintriguingfieldmoreforthemilitary&government
initiatives;however;withtheadventofInternet2.0decades agoandsmartphonesandTabletPCsadecadeback,this beliefhaschanged.“I have witnessed Information Security grow as a discipline from just safeguarding CIA (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability) triad to being integrated into business processes and IT-IS operations,” sheadds.
ItisanintegralpartofIT-ISoperationslike
• Transactionprocessingwithmakercheckercontrols,
• Fraudmonitoringtoolsandprocessestoidentifyand respondtoonlinefrauds,
• Multi-factoruserandcustomerauthenticationduring login,
• BiometricIDauthenticationforservicerequests,
• Protectingagainstprivacyviolationsofcustomersand users/staff,
• Collaborationacrossdevelopment,securityand operationsteamsthroughDevSecOpsadoption,
• Sustainingbusinesscontinuityoperationsthrough BCPtestingalongwithDisasterRecoverytesting,and
• Calltreetestingtoverifyiftheend-usercanstill accessandusetoolsduringadisastertoperformhis regulartasksandsoon.
Cybersecurity:AMulti-DomainDiscipline
ErstwhileInformationSecurityhastransformedintoa comprehensivedisciplineoverarchingseveraldomainssuch asITAudit,InfosecCompliance,CybersecurityDefense,IT GRC,ISGRC,CloudSecurity,MobileSecurity, CybersecurityForensics,ProductSecurity,Network Security,DevSecOps,VulnerabilityAssessment, PenetrationTesting,IdentityManagement,DataSecurity andGovernance,DataPrivacyetc.Priyankasayssheis fortunatetohaveanacademicbentandtohavechannelled herpassioninmorethanoneareaofthisvocation,asshe firmlybelievesmoreislessinCybersecurity
UniqueRiskLandscapesinFinancial&TelecomSectors
AccordingtoPriyanka,therearesignificantrisksinthe financialindustry.Theywouldtypicallybebankingservice downtimesduetotechnologyglitches,lackofskilled Infosecprofessionalsfortechnicaltasks,lackof cybersecurityawarenessamongstemployeesand customers,inadequateprocesscontrolslikeBCPandDR readiness,useraccessreviews,privilegedaccess management,insufficientcloudsecuritytonameafew, she adds.
Also,significantrisksinthetelecomindustrywould essentiallybetelecomservicesdowntimeduetonetwork unavailability,misconfigurednetworkdevicesandsystems, includingcloudmisconfigurations,lackofnetwork redundancyaffectingkeydevicesastheybecomesingle pointsoffailure,lackofadequatemonitoringofnetwork trafficandsystemlogs,delayinincidentmanagement resultinginwideimpactofunavailabilityoftelcoservices andotherlike.
Whilesomeoftherisksarecommoninbothindustries, suchasoutsourcingrisks,phishingattacksandlackof cybersecurityawarenessamongststaffandcustomers,there aresomeuniqueindustry-specificrisks,suchasIoTdevice securityrisks,networksecurityrisks,datachannelsecurity risksthataremorecriticalinthetelecomindustry.
Withovertwodecadesofcybersecurityleadership, Priyanka,VicePresidentofInformationSecurity,has carvedanicheasapowerfulforceinsafeguarding organizationsacrossindustries.Herjourney,shapedbya strongfoundationinITauditsandBig4advisory experience,isgroundedinmeticulousstrategyanda human-firstapproachtorisk.
WinningAwards:
PriyankaSunderwonseveralawards,themostsignificant ofwhichare:
• RecognitionasTopCISOs2023–BFSI
• RecognitionasTop20IndianWomenInfluencersin Securityin2020.
ShewasalsorecognizedasoneoftheTopCybersecurity InfluencersIndia2022bythe Confederation of Indian Industry
LiftingOthersWhileClimbing
Beyondboardroomsandaudits,Priyankausesherplatform toupliftothers.RecognizedasaWomenTechGlobal AwardsMentoroftheYearrunner-up,sheactivelymentors aspiringprofessionals.“I struggled early in my career to find the right mentors,”sheshares.“Now, I’m ensuring others don’t face that same hurdle. Real-life scenarios, micro-learning content, and personalized guidance are at the core of my mentorship philosophy.”
AdvocatingforaSafer,InclusiveDigitalFuture
Furthermore,hervolunteerworkentailscreating informationsecurityawarenessandcybersecurityresilience amongstyoungtalent,students,womenandprofessionals fromotherdisciplines.Sheactivelycontributestoreducing theskilldeficitissueobservedforoveradecadein cybersecurity.Shesupportsgenderequityinthisfield throughDEIinitiativesatherfirmandwithnon-profits.
TheCreativeSoulofaCybersecurityLeader
Apartfrombeingacybersecurityprofessional,Priyankais anavidreader,prolificauthor,trainedclassicaldancer, artisticpainter,musiclover,moviebuff,amateur photographerandbakerwholovestravellingandexploring differentplaces,culturesandcuisinesglobally.Whilesheis aSTEMprofessional,sheisacreativeandspiritualperson atheartwhode-stressesbyspendingqualitytimewith nature,family,andfriendsandpursuingherhobbies, includingyogaandmeditation.
Lookingahead,Priyanka’smissionremainsclear: “Cybersecurity is not just a function—it’s a culture. It’s everyone’s responsibility. And through awareness, collaboration, and empathy, we can build resilient communities equipped to face the evolving threat landscape.”
