In this latest Digital Excellence 2019 Speaker Insight article we interview Martin Fishman, Head of Member and Partner Engagement at the Chartered Banker Institute. He will be talking about why you should hack your own data security alongside Lorraine from Blue Rock Cyber Defence.

What does your organisation do and how many members does it have?

The Chartered Banker Institute is the oldest banking institute in the world and the largest professional body for bankers in the UK. It works with banks, bankers and regulators to enhance the highest standards of customer-focused, ethical professionalism in banking in the UK and around the world. It currently has over 30,000 members.

What is your session about at Digital Excellence 2019?

The session is about recognising the current risks to data security and why employees are one of the weakest links in an organisation’s defences. It will look at the benefits of testing your defences and provide some practical tips around user risks from passwords and mobile devices.

Why is this a topic of interest to membership professionals?

Under the Data Protection act and GDPR all membership organisations have a responsibility to ensure that the personal data they manage is held securely but the threats and risks to information security continue to grow. Smaller organisations, which includes SMEs and many membership bodies, are being increasingly targeted and can be more vulnerable due to lack of resources and specialist knowledge.

Who is your session useful for, who would find it useful?

This session should be of interest to anyone working within a membership organisation but may have particular interest to those in an operation role or with responsibility for IT or data protection. We all have a responsibility to contribute to information security and we can all put that security at risk if we fail to follow good practice.

Why did you agree to take part in Digital Excellence 2019 as a speaker?

I think information and cyber security is an important topic which hasn’t had a lot of discussion within the membership community. By sharing our experiences as an organisation I hope it encourages others to give it more consideration.

Are you looking forward to attending and what do you hope to get from it?

I’m very much looking forward to attending. MemberWise conferences help me benchmark what we do as an organisation. They highlight the latest thinking, inspire new ideas and help to foster a sense of community and collaboration amongst membership professionals.