5-minute read
This is the first article in a five-part series covering cybersecurity leadership hiring and organizational structure.
3 Takeaways
- No single solution fits all: The ideal CISO reporting structure depends on your company’s size, goals, and industry. Whether your company is backed by venture capital, private equity, or publicly traded, understanding your unique business needs is key.
- The traditional CISO reporting model is evolving: With growing cybersecurity risks, companies are exploring alternative structures, like CISO reporting to the CEO or General Counsel, especially as regulatory demands like the SEC’s 2023 rules gain importance.
- Emerging roles are reshaping cybersecurity leadership: The rise of the Chief Trust Officer and alternative setups like IT reporting into security show that companies are rethinking how cybersecurity fits into their overall strategy, particularly as trust and privacy become key differentiators.
Deciding who your Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) should report to has become a hot topic. It’s not as simple as picking a title. Between new SEC rules on cybersecurity reporting, the rise of generative AI, and the growing need for privacy and security oversight, CISOs are now more central to a company’s success than ever.
We spoke with Sean Cleary, head of Riviera Partners Cybersecurity Executive Search practice. His take? There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. What’s best for one company might not work for another. But after years of conversations with clients and candidates, Cleary identified a few solid ideas and emerging trends when it comes to CISO reporting structures.
Here’s a breakdown of four common reporting setups and three emerging trends that are shaping the future of cybersecurity leadership.
4 Common CISO Reporting Structures
CISO Reporting to the CIO
The classic option is having the CISO report to the Chief Information Officer (CIO). This setup works best in companies where technology is more of a back-office function rather than the product itself. The CIO and CISO can work closely together on tech infrastructure and cybersecurity, ensuring IT and security are well-integrated.
Why it works: In fast-growing startups or private equity-backed companies, this can make decision-making faster, helping align security with IT’s needs.
Why it might not: If the CIO doesn’t have deep cybersecurity expertise or security budgets are constantly competing with IT, you could run into resource issues. And for public companies, having security take a back seat to IT concerns could increase cyber risk.
CISO Reporting to the CTO
If your company’s product is tech-driven, you might want your CISO reporting to the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In this setup, security is embedded directly into product development, making sure everything from code to architecture is designed with cybersecurity in mind.
Why it works: Startups and product companies love this structure because it keeps security tied into the product lifecycle, preventing issues down the road.
Why it might not: The risk? Security could get buried under tight product deadlines or fast deployment schedules, leading to gaps.
CISO Reporting to the General Counsel (GC)
With recent regulatory changes, we’re seeing more companies have their CISO report to the General Counsel (GC). Since security and compliance go hand-in-hand these days, this model ensures that the legal and security teams are aligned on incident reporting, data privacy, and overall compliance.
Why it works: Aligning security with legal can keep everything buttoned up for compliance and privacy needs. For public companies, it creates a structure that can be best suited to comply with SEC reporting regulations.
Why it might not: If the CISO gets too focused on compliance, innovation can suffer, especially in product-heavy companies.
CISO Reporting to the CEO
For some companies, security is so critical that they want their CISO reporting directly to the CEO. This structure ensures cybersecurity has a voice at the highest levels, meaning it gets prioritized and integrated into the company’s overall strategy.
Why it works: For fast-growing startups, this sends a strong message to investors: cybersecurity is top of mind.
Why it might not: If the CEO isn’t tech-savvy or doesn’t give enough time to cybersecurity issues, the CISO might end up under-resourced or overlooked.
3 Emerging Trends in Cybersecurity Reporting Structures
The Rise of the Chief Trust Officer
The Chief Trust Officer role is becoming more popular in large tech firms, combining cybersecurity, privacy, and customer trust under one umbrella. This role ensures security isn’t just about compliance but about building trust with customers and stakeholders.
Why it’s trending: The focus on trust is a natural evolution as data privacy and security become central to brand reputation.
VP of Security Reporting to the CTO
Some product-driven companies are opting for a VP of Security to report to the CTO instead of having a high-profile CISO. This trend lets security sit closer to the engineering team without the heavy burden of CISO-level responsibilities.
Why it’s trending: It’s a way to make security part of the product development process while avoiding the liability that comes with a senior CISO role.
IT Reporting into Security:
A growing number of companies are flipping the traditional structure and having IT report to the CISO, ensuring that all tech decisions are driven by security needs. This model is attractive to top CISO candidates who don’t want to report to the CIO but prefer direct oversight of IT.
Why it’s trending: As cyber threats increase, companies are realizing that technology decisions must be made with security at the forefront.
There’s no “right” answer when it comes to who your CISO should report to, but making an informed decision can have a huge impact on your company’s security posture. Whether you’re a venture-backed startup, a private equity firm, or a publicly traded company, the right CISO structure depends on your specific needs, goals, and growth stage.
By keeping an eye on emerging trends and tailoring your cybersecurity leadership structure, you can ensure your company stays resilient in an increasingly complex security environment.
About Riviera Partners
Riviera Partners is a global driver of innovation for today’s most influential companies – expertly placing executive talent in the crucial areas of IT, software engineering, product management, security, AI/ML/Data, and design. Riviera combines over two decades of recruiting expertise with a proprietary platform that uses machine learning to score and predict the best candidate for a company’s specific needs, driving successful outcomes. As a result, the company has become the go-to talent partner for leading private equity investors, venture capitalists, public companies and technology innovators.
