7-Eleven: Where InfoSec Is Non-Negotiable

CISO and Head of GSC, 7-Eleven, Share Why InfoSec and Innovation Are Inseparable Rahul Neel Mani (@rneelmani) • October 5, 2022

Sujeet Bambawale, vice president and CISO, and Jennifer Goschke, vice president and country leader, Global Solutions Center (GSC) India, 7-Eleven

Established in 1927, 7-Eleven is a global conglomerate with over 81,000 convenience stores across 18 countries. With a vision of being the first choice for convenience, anytime, anywhere, it is about doing things right, be it for customers, partners or associates. Technology and information security works in tandem at 7-Eleven. While security is given topmost priority, the CISO also works closely with business sponsors to create a unified strategy for corporate, technology and security outcomes.

Sujeet Bambawale, vice president and CISO, and Jennifer Goschke, vice president and country leader, Global Solutions Center (GSC) India, of 7-Eleven share how security and innovation are the two central disciplines of the company, working in tandem to achieve common objectives.

"Every team and department in 7-Eleven has an equal audience for InfoSec and vice versa. This helps immensely in creating a comprehensive risk mitigation framework," Bambawale says.

"Any product development or innovation remains incomplete without the involvement of InfoSec organization. Whether it is about the third-party vendors, supply chain or setting up networks, having the buy-in from InfoSec is crucial," Goschke says.

In this interview, Bambawale and Goschke talk about:

New innovations that bring more customer centricity;
Role of InfoSec in product innovations;
Importance of a CISO's relationship with business sponsors in risk management.

Bambawale is responsible for maturing 7-Eleven's security posture by driving execution to a well-socialized and accepted security strategy that benefits internal and external stakeholders. Prior to joining 7-Eleven, he held senior leadership roles in Symantec, NetApp, Intuit and KPMG.

With almost three decades of experience, Goschke is currently responsible for leading 7-Eleven's only GSC outside the United States. Prior to joining the company, she worked with Office Depot, Conn's HomePlus, IDEXX and Walmart.