According to Zechariah Akinpelu, "If you think technology can solve your security problems, then you don't understand the problems, and you don't understand the technology." Over his nearly 20-year career, he has proven his understanding beyond a doubt.
This is an individual who is not only tech-savvy but who also knows how imperative it is to stay one step ahead of any potential cyber threats. This requires talent, intuition, and creativity, almost getting inside the mind of malicious hackers. He lives and breathes security, so it is no surprise that it is his primary focus both in and out of the office.
Zechariah started his career working as a full-stack developer in his home country of Nigeria. It was during this time that he gained a deep understanding of the tech industry, working with various software companies.
He is extremely driven and demands such a high level of excellence from himself that, during the development of one of his applications, he taught himself about secure coding to ensure that his application was effectively resilient against hacking.
From then on, Zechariah was a strong advocate for increased security measures - so much so that he was soon tasked with leading quality assurance and security engineering for the entire company. As he gained a greater understanding of the inner workings of security, Zechariah saw the immense potential at the intersection of security and the finance industry.
As global digitalization continues to push more systems and operations online, cyber threats have become an even greater risk for both corporations and individuals. For this reason, he left his role in software engineering to lead security for financial institutions.
Over the years, he has worked in many interesting roles - with each one, learning something new. At Enterprise Bank (now Heritage Bank), he strategically developed the information security unit to align with the company's overall objectives.
At FirstBank, he led one of the largest teams of security engineers in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. Zechariah also led the information security organization of the region's largest digital payment company, Interswitch.
Nowadays, Zechariah is a seasoned cybersecurity executive. He holds the title of Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Unity Bank, one of the largest financial service providers in Nigeria. He was recruited for his vast experience, as well as his long-term vision. He recognizes the importance of supporting cybersecurity across all sectors of the company, and so he is eagerly working to establish an in-house Information Security Group for the bank.
He also leads stealthy penetration testing and adversary simulation engagements to evaluate his systems' security, which he is constantly working to improve and update. His expertise is an absolute asset.
This expertise didn't just appear overnight. Zechariah has invested a significant amount of time, money, and energy into developing his career. In addition to the numerous professional certifications he has obtained over the years - CISM, CRISC, CDPSE, and ECSA, to name a few.
He is also an alumnus of the MIT Sloan School of Management and holds a BSc in Physics from the University of Ibadan, an MBA in cybersecurity from the Business School Netherlands, as well as a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from the EC-Council University, New Mexico, United States. His diverse and global education has helped him develop a unique perspective and ability to think outside the box.
Outside of the office, Zechariah is constantly looking for ways to raise the bar within the industry. He has worked as the Cybersecurity Nexus (CSX) Liaison and the Lagos Education Director with ISACA, a global professional association and learning organization with over 170,000 members working in digital trust fields.
His work as Education Director was particularly fulfilling as he helped to develop content for CPEs, conferences, and seminars. Along the same lines, he has worked as an examiner with CISM for almost a decade and has been a CDPSE Certification Working Group member since 2021.
While Zechariah enjoys public speaking engagements, his first experience was quite a surprise. He had organized a conference for the ISACA Lagos chapter, and at the last minute, a speaker canceled. Quick on his feet, he decided to fill in and presented the topic with such confidence and expertise that nobody knew what had happened.
Since that first engagement, he has hosted events and workshops across the US, the Middle East, Europe, and the United Kingdom. He loves the opportunity to share his knowledge with the next generation.
Along his career path, he has also received several esteemed awards. He was named EC-Council Ethical Hacker of the Year in 2016 and was inducted into the EC-Council's Certified Ethical Hacker Hall of Fame in 2021. He was named the Leader in the 2022 World CIO 200 Summit and, most recently, was invited to join the prestigious Forbes Technology Council.
It is clear that Zechariah Akinpelu's expertise in cybersecurity is recognized on a global level. His passion is unmatched, and his dedication is helping to make the industry stronger and more resilient than ever before.
