Cyber leadership is business leadership

In business today, trust is the new currency. Customers, investors, and partners want to know not only what a company delivers, but how securely it delivers it. That shift has changed the rules of leadership. Leading in the age of cyber risk means making digital trust as much a priority as financial discipline.

The stakes are real. Around the world, businesses are facing unprecedented levels of cyber threats, from ransomware attacks to data breaches. The financial cost is staggering, but the reputational damage is often worse – a single breach can undo years of brand-building in days.

Mid-sized businesses, in particular, face a double challenge: they are targeted just as aggressively as large enterprises, but often lack the deep in-house resources to mount the same level of defence.

“Cybersecurity can no longer be treated as an IT side project or a compliance checklist,” says Frank Mullen, CEO of Zinia, a technology group and managed services provider. “It belongs in the same league as finance, legal, and strategy. Just as no business can grow without sound financial practices, no business can thrive without cyber resilience.”

The lesson for boards and executives is clear: protecting digital trust is protecting growth. Increasingly, customers are choosing suppliers based on trustworthiness, investors are weighing resilience alongside revenue, and regulators are raising the bar for accountability. Cybersecurity has moved from the server room to the boardroom – and CEOs must lead that shift.

“We see cyber risk as good governance. It’s about showing discipline, foresight, and responsibility,” Mullen adds. “The companies that get this right earn a real advantage: customers feel safe, investors feel confident, and employees feel proud to work there.”

4 ways CEOs can lead on cyber risk

Mullen shares his top strategies for success:

1. Put cyber on the board agenda

Cyber resilience should be reviewed alongside financials and strategy. When CEOs and directors discuss cyber risk regularly, it signals to the entire company that this is a leadership priority. This visibility drives accountability and ensures cyber readiness is tied directly to business performance.

2. Frame digital trust as growth, not cost

Strong security practices are not just about meeting regulatory standards. They win business, attract capital, and enable faster partnerships. Increasingly, customers and investors ask tough questions about resilience before signing contracts or making commitments. Companies that can demonstrate strong cyber practices position themselves as low-risk, high-value partners.

3. Invest in people as much as tech

Firewalls and tools are critical, but they are not enough. The majority of breaches involve human error. A security-aware culture – built through regular training, clear accountability, and leadership buy-in – reduces risk at every level. When employees understand that they are part of the defence strategy, the whole business becomes stronger.

4. Communicate cyber as good business practice

Recast cybersecurity as ongoing stewardship of the business. Just as financial governance underpins strategic decisions, digital trust should be woven into every business process. This shift moves the conversation from cost and compliance to growth and resilience. It shows stakeholders that the company is not only protecting itself, but also protecting everyone it works with.

The leader’s mandate

Protecting digital trust is no longer optional. Leaders who weave cyber resilience into governance aren’t just defending against risk: they are building stronger companies, reputations, and futures. In today’s world, cyber leadership is business leadership.

Or as Mullen puts it: “Cyber risk isn’t a distraction from growth – it’s the foundation of it. When trust is strong, businesses can innovate and scale with confidence. When trust is weak, even the best ideas falter. The choice for CEOs is clear.”