Posted by Mumbai: After spending close to six years at Wipro as VP & CISO, Sunil Varkey has quit the Bangalore based IT services company and joined the global security software company Symantec early this December.
Varkey has taken a new role of Symantec’s CTO (Chief Technology Officer) & Security Strategist – Emerging Region, which includes the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern European countries.
He operates and oversees his role functions from company’s Dubai based office in the UAE and reports to Symantec’s Darren Thomson, CTO & VP – EMEA Region.
Probably, Varkey for the first time in his close to three decades long illustrious, career is leading the CTO’s role in a global security software products giant.
“The primary role of the CTO is of a Security strategist actively involved in Thought leadership, Innovation and Evangelism with the objective to improve security posture on a continues basis,” said Varkey.
As an IT and business management professional, Varkey has largely worked in the Information Security domain across some of the large organizations, namely Genpact, GE, Barclays, The Saudi British Bank, Idea Cellular and Wipro.
“Almost (spent) two decades full time in the security domain, handled various functions within the domain during this period, each of which was a great learning and experience. Over the last 8 years was in CISO role, with Wipro and Idea Cellular,” commented Varkey.
About his previous role as CISO in large IT service company Wipro, Varkey shared that exposure he has as CISO was amazing, considering the size and complexity of the operating environment.
“Wipro was great for me in all aspects,” he recalled.
“Was keen to work with a company who defines security market globally, Symantec was the choice since they are the best and proven as security leader globally with their innovative approaches,” Varkey commented on his decision to join a global security software products company Symantec.
“With my two decades of experience and learning in Cyber Security strategy, looking forward to collaborating with industry peer’s and security stakeholders to participate in their security strategy decisions,” he noted.
Beside working with these large companies, Varkey also has taken a voluntary role of Commander & Cyber Security Advisor with Kerala Police – Cyberdome.
Since February 2016, he has been associated with Cyberdome – a technological research and development unit of the Kerala Police Department, working in the area of cybersecurity and prevention of cyber crimes on a public-private partnership model.