"When I started in the Technology Industry, I was an absolute oddity"

As managing director at Accenture, Jacky Fox helps clients understand their cybersecurity posture and ensure its appropriate for their business. She has grown alongside a fast-paced industry that has completely transformed itself since her earlier years of education.

Equipped with a passion for cybersecurity and the aptitude for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), Jacky has built her skills and knowledge around her dream of having a positive impact on the world. While this dream has manifested itself in her service to help people be more secure online, she has also positioned herself to be a role model for young people aspiring to a career in STEM. As a woman in the industry, Jacky has seen an incredible change towards diversifying teams, boards, and entire businesses to be more inclusive of women.

 

 

"Nobody is really competing...there is an opportunity for everybody to grow"

In response to the statistic that there is a skills shortage of one million specialists in the world, Jacky points out that although this is a large number, the industry is now budding with opportunities for incoming talent from every angle of knowledge. Whether it be young people with a passion for all things technological or someone wanting to pivot their career. Jacky admits that you do need to have a passion or interest to enjoy the industry. Once you realize this passion and join the community, she assures us that you will be supported and uplifted in an environment where competition has no room to thrive.

 

"Data is everything these days"

In a world where your digital communications are so exposed to threat and misuse, Jacky shares her four-step guide to protecting the people and the information you value most.

1. Understand what your core assets are.
   Whether you are a mother wanting to protect her children or a bank wanting to protect its core banking system, understanding what keeps you moving forward in life is key to understanding what your core assets are.

 

2. What would you like to do to protect that?
   If you want to protect your children online, start thinking about what exactly you want to do to keep them safe. Is it that you want to password-protect certain files, websites, apps or even their devices?
    
3. Put controls in place to protect your assets.
   Whether you can do such on your own or you need to reach out to someone who can help you, putting that extra password or anti-virus software in place is vital to cybersecurity.
    
4. Monitor those controls.
   Just like the times when toddlers start to crack the code of the 'child-proofing' you have installed around your home, so too might they find ways around your attempts to secure their digital data. By monitoring the controls, you put in place, you will ensure they are working efficiently to keep your core assets secure.

 

"We are aiming to have 50/50 gender diversity in about three years"

Jacky opens up about the diversifying landscape of STEM, and how much it has evolved since she began her career. If ever there were an industry where women are not only welcomed but sought after, STEM would be it in Jacky Fox's eyes. "You will receive positive bias in STEM at the moment because people are trying to work at making things more diverse". With examples of meetings with women in high power positions, Jacky sheds a light on the realities of being a woman in the industry. Another example that this community is one where support trumps competition and there is a place for everybody at the table, especially the head table.

Perhaps you should take Jacky's advice and follow your passion with a career in STEM, or simply start thinking about how you can protect your families, homes and businesses with Jacky's straight-forward four-step system to cybersecurity. Either way, you will see the important role that cybersecurity plays in our everyday lives, from online retail to simply signing up for newsletters.

 

The Savvy Women Podcast is now on iTunes! Subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode.

 

Explore Accenture Careers:  Has Jacky's passion for cybersecurity inspired you to explore your own interest in STEM? Unleash your talents and explore the opportunities waiting for you at Accenture today.

14 Takeaways from Ireland's Cyber Security Challenges and Role in Global Arena: In this article, Susan shares her fourteen key takeaways from a recent virtual event with even more useful insight from guest-speaker Jacky Fox.

Balance for Better Business: Brid Horan:  Just like Accenture's goal for 50/50 gender diversity, Brid Horan discusses her mission to enforce gender balance in business by setting measurable inclusivity targets for Irish companies.

 

Savvy Women Podcast with Jacky Fox (28.32 MB)

 

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