FS-ISAC’s AP Executive Director Kunal Sehgal Named a 2019 "Ones to Watch"

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 8 January 2019 - Kunal Sehgal, executive director of the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Centre's (FS-ISAC) Asia Pacific (AP) hub is a 2019 "Ones to Watch" award recipient. IDG's CIO and the CIO Executive Council present the award to rising technology leaders.

One of Sehgal's most notable accomplishments is spearheading the opening of FS-ISAC's AP Regional Analysis Centre's office and operations in Singapore, which has grown to support 55 members across 13 countries. Staffed and operated entirely by FS-ISAC, the hub opened in November 2017 in association with the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

The global expansion has enabled FS-ISAC to provide its nearly 7,000 members world-wide with 24/7 threat and incident coverage along with FS-ISAC's U.S. office and operations, ultimately leading to better protection of the financial sector as a whole. Under Sehgal's leadership, the AP intelligence team have monitored and responded to cyberattacks targeting financial institutions in the AP region by gathering key information through the cooperation of its regional members. Overcoming the language barrier, FS-ISAC with the help of its regional members are able to sift through the noise of the local media, connect the dots, translate the information and share it with FS-ISAC members worldwide.

Sehgal was also heavily involved in the launch of the CEntral banks, REgulators and Supervisory entities (CERES Forum), a premier threat information sharing group for central banks, regulatory agencies and supervisors that are increasingly the target of cyberattacks. The Forum, which was launched in June 2018, helps member organizations improve their defenses against attacks that could impact the global financial services sector and the world's economies. The CERES Forum is separate from the FS-ISAC community of banks, credit unions, insurance companies, investment companies and other financial institutions, which provides a trusted space for private financial institutions to share information. A new standalone secure portal and processes ensures FS-ISAC member confidentiality.

"The Ones to Watch Awards are an effective way to acknowledge the success of those individuals who have the right mix of technology and management skills to maintain continuity, drive innovation and lead solutions teams," said Tim Scannell, director of strategic content at the CIO Executive Council.

"Cyberthreats, vulnerabilities and attacks require financial institutions and FS-ISAC to share information, assess risks, collaborate and create innovative solutions to combat cybercrime," said Steve Silberstein, president and CEO, FS-ISAC. "We are extremely proud of Kunal for this CIO recognition, which highlights to the industry at large, the outstanding work he does in strengthening intelligence capabilities and cyber-resilience solutions at both a local and regional level."

In 2018, FS-ISAC earned IDG's CIO 100 Awards for its exemplary operations management and strategic excellence in information technology.

Sehgal will accept the award at the AGENDA19 Conference held March 18-20 at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, U.S.

About FS-ISAC

The Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) is a non-profit corporation that was established in 1999 and is funded by its nearly 7,000-member firms headquartered in 50 countries with users in 72 countries. FS-ISAC is a member-driven organization whose mission is to help assure the resilience and continuity of the global financial services infrastructure and individual firms against acts that could significantly impact the sector's ability to provide services critical to the orderly function of the global economy. FS-ISAC shares threat and vulnerability information, conducts coordinated contingency planning exercises, manages rapid response communications for both cyber and physical events, conducts education and training programs and fosters collaborations with and among other key sectors and government agencies. Follow us on Twitter @FSISAC, on LinkedIn or visit https://www.fsisac.com.

About CIO

CIO focuses on attracting the highest concentration of enterprise CIOs and business technology executives with unparalleled peer insight and expertise on business strategy, innovation, and leadership. As organizations grow with digital transformation, CIO provides its readers with key insights on career development, including certifications, hiring practices and skills development. The award-winning CIO portfolio provides business technology leaders with analysis and insight on information technology trends and a keen understanding of IT's role in achieving business goals. More information on CIO is available at www.cio.com.