Interviews

60 seconds with: Paul C Dwyer

By Business & Finance
12 December 2016
Paul C Dwyer

Cyber security expert Paul C Dwyer takes the Business & Finance 60 second challenge.


Q. What was your first job?

My first IT job was for a company called Pascal Software.

I was thrown in at the deep end in the support department, providing IT support to customers and implementing networks. It was great learning experience.

Q. What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date?

Cyber Risk International went from a start-up to protecting over 100 clients, turning millions and employing over 20 people in its first year.

A little pat on the back for that please!

Q. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Focus: as a born entrepreneur the temptation is to keep creating, keep reinventing. That is important but it’s also important to learn how to rise, wash and repeat.

Get successful business processes working and refined before moving on to the next greatest thing.

Q. If you could step into the shoes of one business person for the day, who would it be and why?

Grainia Long, CEO of ISPCC.

I can imagine it must be amazing to work in a role where the results are far more valuable than commercial success.

Q. In three words or less, how do you define success?

Doing your best.

Q. How do you motivate yourself and your staff?

Personal motivation comes from the positive feedback I receive from clients and business partners. On a down day, personal motivation comes from remembering the responsibility that comes with being an employer and remembering how many clients rely upon me and my team to protect their businesses.

Q. How do you relax?

Every morning I walk my four giant Bernese mountain dogs on the beach. It completely balances the stressful parts of my life.

Failing that, a nice cold bottle of Peroni with one of my dogs.

Q. What’s your motto?

It used to be ‘I can’t be beaten’; these days it’s ‘I can win’.

Q. What are your aspirations for the future of your business?

I have built an amazing loyal team around me and our combined aspirations are to continue to build trust and loyal relationships with our clients. 2017 is our next big step with expanding our cyber risk managed service to the financial services in the UK.

Personal motivation comes from the positive feedback I receive from clients and business partners

SECURITY SAGE

Paul C Dwyer is an internationally recognised cyber security expert with over two decades experience and serves as president of International Cyber Threat Task Force (ICTTF), co-chairman of the UK NCA National Crime Agency Industry Group and deputy chair of the Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF) for the PSNI at Stormont NI.

As an industry networker Dwyer is a member of a number of distinct groups including the Institute of Directors (IoD), Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) and the Institute of Risk Management (IRM).

He has worked extensively around the world and trained with such organisations as the US Secret Service, Scotland Yard, FBI, National Counter Terrorism Security Office (MI5), is approved by the National Crime Faculty and is a member of the High Tech Crime Network (HTCN).