Jineesh Vavukkal

Served as the organization's first dedicated Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), establishing and leading the enterprise information security function from the ground up within a professional services environment.

• • Led the organization's Information Security strategy by establishing security governance, ISMS, and cybersecurity programs aligned with business objectives and regulatory requirements.

• • Directed ISO 27001 certification activities, coordinated internal and external audits, and ensured continuous compliance with GDPR, NIST, and industry security standards.

• • Established and maintained cybersecurity policies, governance frameworks, and security standards aligned with ISO 27001, NIST, NIS2, SOC 2, GDPR and international regulatory requirements.

• • Directed enterprise ICT/OT risk assessments, developed measurable mitigation plans, vulnerability management, third-party reviews, and coordinated response activities for critical security incidents.

• • Collaborated with executive leadership, engineering, operations, and quality teams to integrate security controls into business processes and technology initiatives.

• • Advised executive leadership and Board members on GDPR compliance, privacy requirements, data protection controls, and security postures.

• • Translated complex security risks into clear business impact for executive decision-making.

• • Developed security awareness programs, monitored compliance, and delivered executive reports with actionable recommendations.

• • Led AI driven automation for compliance tracking, policy management and evidence collection initiatives.

Acted as a reliable cybersecurity advisor within a regulator fintech setting, harmonizing executive strategy with operational security to safeguard assets, maintain compliance, and enhance the organization's security framework.

• • Delivered cybersecurity advisory services to fintech and enterprise clients, implementing security, governance, and risk frameworks aligned with ISO 27001 and SAMA CSF, improving compliance and audits readiness.

• • Designed enterprise IAM, PAM, and data protection frameworks using MFA, SSO, least privilege, and data classification to enhance identity governance and protect sensitive data assets.

• • Managed enterprise risk, third-party security assessments, and security awareness programs, reducing cyber risk exposure and addressing gaps related to phishing, social engineering, and compliance.

• • Led and implementing security governance, policies, and controls that strengthened enterprise security posture and ensure successful certification for ISO 27001 and PCI DSS.

Managed global IT and Information Security operations across India, USA, and Europe, driving secure digital transformation, cloud security enhancements, enterprise risk management, and ISO 27001 external audit engagement.

• • Managed enterprise-wide security governance including firewall policies, network security controls, endpoint protection, vendor risk management, and security awareness programs.

• • Ensured compliance with GDPR, NIS2, ISO 27001 and internal policies by embedding governance frameworks into operations, while developing and maintaining security policies, procedures, and internal controls to enhance resilience and audit readiness.

• • Led ISO 27001 and CMMI Level3 certification programs, managing audits, control implementation, and remediation while improving compliance efficiency and reducing operational overhead.

• • Led global security incident management and 24/7 SOC operations across 6 countries, serving as escalation lead for critical incidents while improving response efficiency and business continuity.

• • Implemented and managed security awareness training programs and reduced phishing risk significantly and improved organizational security maturity across global teams.