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Balancing Tech Innovation With Privacy and Ethics

Belinda Finch, CIO of U.K.-based IFS, has journeyed from a programmer writing codes for the Bank of England to becoming a leading voice in the technology sector. She strongly advocates for challenging the status quo and balancing the need for rapid innovation with the imperative of maintaining security, privacy and ethical standards throughout the software development life cycle.

See Also: Addressing the Imperative of a Secure Digital Business

"CIOs must resist all pressure to blindly follow the speed of technology development," she said. To achieve this, it is crucial to foster an organizational culture that prioritizes security and ethical standards. CIOs must manage expectations, prioritize effectively and employ innovative methods to improve efficiency.

In today's interconnected ecosystem, where collaboration between enterprises, third-party suppliers and software supply chains is increasing, resilience becomes important. "Outages like CrowdStrike's are inevitable, despite all precautions. However, CIOs must advocate for a business continuity plan that ensures not just technology resilience, but also business resilience," Finch said.

In this video interview with Information Security Media Group, Finch also discussed:

• Strategies for ensuring seamless integration in multi-cloud environments;
• The emergence of generative AI and its strategic use by CIOs;
• Top goals for 2025, including AI implementation, fostering cultural change and enhancing sustainability.

At IFS, Finch ensures the efficient and innovative development of its IT infrastructure. As part of the executive leadership team, she oversees IFS' ongoing digital transformation and strategically guides the adoption of AI across the organization. She was previously the CIO of Three UK.