In an era where cyber threats evolve at breakneck speed and financial institutions remain prime targets for sophisticated adversaries, the role of the chief information security officer (CISO) has never been more critical — or more complex. Cezary Piekarski, group CISO at global bank Standard Chartered, is helping shape the modern security executive: part technology expert, part business strategist, and part cultural architect. His journey from early tinkering to leading cybersecurity for a global banking institution offers insight into how technical expertise can evolve into strategic leadership.
In this interview for Dark Reading's Heard It From a CISO series, Piekarski shares his unwavering belief that successful cybersecurity isn't built on technology alone, but on mission-driven teams united by a shared purpose. In an industry where sleepless nights come with the territory, he's learned to "worry productively" — channeling the anxiety that comes with the job into action that protects clients, colleagues, and the broader financial ecosystem. Through his approach, Piekarski argues that executives who exist in the space between technology and business must be executives who understand commercial trade-offs, technology visionaries who shape strategic direction, and cultural influencers who embed security consciousness throughout their organizations.
This is especially the case as artificial intelligence reshapes both defensive capabilities and threat landscapes, obviously. Piekarski sees its rise not as a job-killing disruption but an evolution that demands new skills; and one that likely will draw in more people to cybersecurity. His vision for the future is one where security becomes increasingly automated and intelligence-led, with professionals transitioning from hands-on defenders to curators of sophisticated protective systems. Piekarski's perspective is ultimately shaped by the realities of protecting a major financial institution while remaining optimistic about the profession and field's trajectory, he says.
In this conversation with Dark Reading associate editor Kristina Beek, Piekarski discusses the challenges of building world-class security teams, the art of communicating cyber-risk to business leaders, and why the financial sector's regulatory maturity makes it both uniquely accountable and well-positioned to lead in cybersecurity innovation.
This is part of Dark Reading's ongoing Heard It From a CISO video series, which features frank, exclusive conversations with cybersecurity leaders in the trenches. Check out the entire series here.
Heard It From a CISO With Standard Chartered's Cezary Piekarski: Full Transcript
This transcript has been edited for clarity and length by Informa TechTarget's internal AI assistant. For the full experience, please watch the video.
Dark Reading's Kristina Beek: Hi, everyone. My name is Kristina Beek, and I'm an associate editor with Dark Reading. Today, I'm joined by Cezary Piekarski. Cezary, thank you so much for joining us today. I'm so excited for this conversation. I'd love if you could just introduce yourself.
Cezary Piekarski: Hey, Kristina, and hello, everyone. Thank you for having me. My name is Cezary Piekarski. I'm the group chief information security officer for Standard Chartered Group.