Meet the WIICTA winner: Shamane Tan of Sekuro

As the winner of the Women in ICT Awards (WIICTA) Shining Star (Partner – Multinational) award in 2021, Shamane Tan’s talent for business has helped her build up the confidence of Privasec – now part of Sekuro – to operate at home as well as abroad, heading up expansion plans into Singapore and Malaysia.

As a result, Shamane’s efforts have generated significant growth for the company over the past year.

How did you get your break in the IT industry and progress to the role you have today?

I did my Bachelor’s (Hons) degree in Computer Engineering years ago but landed up in a very different career; I started out in executive recruitment. My specialty was in helping CIOs and CTOs build their leadership team, but as the digital landscape evolved and they started expanding and building out cyber security hubs, my experience adapted with the growth in market demand.

I began to find cyber security a fascinating industry; I have always been passionate about wanting to understand the needs of the IT sector and explore ways to bridge the gaps. Speaking the language of cyber security to C-executives and business leaders became my niche. I started building international communities, known as Cyber Risk Meetups, to help security folks exchange learnings and insights.

I was headhunted into my current position where I was groomed into an executive advisor role before eventually stepping into the chief growth officer position to spearhead and drive my company’s growth strategy and industry outreach initiatives, helping businesses strengthen their position with cyber resilience. 

What have been some of your career highlights and proudest moments?

Building a thriving community of senior leaders who are active in exchanging experiences and mentoring the aspiring leaders who are next in line. I see our industry as an ecosystem that every individual needs to contribute; everyone is able to make a difference.

It means so much to me knowing that I have contributed in giving people a voice and connecting them in a community that has become invaluable. One of my proudest achievements would be being able to bring all the needful intelligence and experiences together in the form of a book, publishing a few cyber books and winning multiple awards as a cyber security influencer in the last few years.

What are some of the key lessons you’ve learnt along the way?

I would say the key lesson first is in overcoming the inner voices of doubts, the critics in your mind and the imposter syndrome that I’ve always had to battle with in persuading me to let the extroverts, stronger personalities and the louder voices dominate the room.

At some point in their life, everyone would have worked with a jealous colleague, an insecure boss or too heavily opinionated leadership. My advice would be to only give weight to feedback if you know it’s coming from a good place and a good heart. Don’t give weight to people trying to tear you down or discourage you, instead of building you up. Surround yourself with mentors and a community of healthy and positively-minded people who will inspire you for greatness.

There are also the big dreamers like myself, but they are encouragers at the same time and give practical ideas on how I can be better whilst cheering me on with my aspirations. They believe that the platter is big enough for everyone. Someone once told me that sky’s the limit and it has just stuck in my mind. Whenever my limiting beliefs start to rise within me, I just remind myself that only I can limit my own potential.

What are some of your professional ambitions in the months ahead?

To continue driving industry outreach and growth strategies as well as working closely with the C-executives on uplifting their cyber resilience maturity.

Who or what has influenced you professionally?

I believe in the power of building strong, deep and authentic relationships. I have had the privilege of being able to have more than a thousand coffees with different industry leaders over the years. These ended up carrying me really far and helped navigated the corporate landscape years ahead of my time.

Highlights of those who have influenced me professionally definitely includes my immediate circle, i.e. the leadership team at Sekuro, but it also includes the wider industry global community and luminaries like Brigadier General Gregory J. Touhill, who was the first federal US government chief information security officer (CISO) to be appointed by President Barack Obama; the world’s very first CISO, Steve Katz; CISOs and CIOs of huge enterprises, Interpol and FBI cybercrime fighters and many more.