Strategic cyber security advisor in high demand due to increasing threats

Serious, organized cybercrime has become highly scalable and as a result has assumed industrial proportions in recent years in terms of victims, damage and criminal proceeds, states the report “Cybersecurity Assessment of the Netherlands 2022” by the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV). Given the nature and growing scope of this cybercriminal threat, resilience is a fundamental challenge for the coming years. Fortunately, there are cyber security strategic advisors to help organizations with this, such as Raymond Bierens. “I've been trying to create a website since I started in 2016, but the demand for my work is so high that I still haven't gotten around to it.”

Making organizations more resilient

Digital threats are only increasing. Because of the pace at which cyber security is developing and with it the amount of information that is available, it remains of great importance and at the same time a considerable challenge to keep track of and interpret everything. Raymond explains, “Many organizations already take the necessary measures to guard against cybercrime. But are these the right ones and is it enough? And is what is put on paper being implemented in practice? To answer these questions, among others, I am asked as an external consultant to provide clients with high quality and up-to-date information through (customized) advice. In addition - if desired - I hook up with the right professionals to bring my observations to fruition.”

Purebred entrepreneur

Whereas the DBA law has been severely plaguing independent professionals and clients since 2016, Raymond has fortunately been little affected by it. He is currently working on multiple assignments simultaneously. “Ideally, I have about two or three assignments running in parallel, but I enjoy my work so much that I don't like saying 'no' to a new assignment,” Bierens said. It is hectic at the moment for this entrepreneur pur sang, as he is also conducting doctoral research at the Free University of Amsterdam. “Continuous learning is crucial to my role, so I like to do that to keep differentiating myself from other professionals.”

In the past six years, Raymond has already had several assignments through one of HeadFirst Group's brands. “Help with my search for assignment is I fortunately do not need, I am sometimes already approached before my other assignment has ended, but it is nice that all peripheral issues are taken out of my hands. For example, I do not have to worry about the contractual handling and invoicing” he concludes.