Kevin Gordon urges businesses to embed cybersecurity in digital transformation

Kevin Gordon is urging organisations to treat cybersecurity as a core part of digital transformation, not as an add-on after systems are built or after an attack has already exposed weaknesses.

The discussion linked cybersecurity directly to business outcomes, with the point made that major investments in infrastructure lose value if a breach disrupts operations. Gordon’s remarks came in the context of businesses and public-facing services moving toward digital-first models, including the wider push around smart cities and other technology-led services.

The central issue, he said, is customer experience. A service may have strong systems and redundancy, but if those systems are unavailable when people need them, the user experience suffers. The example raised was a visit to the tax office: even the best digital platform fails the customer if it is down at the point of service.

Gordon said organisations of every size should think about cybersecurity from the start of their technology planning. In his view, it should not be seen simply as a cost centre or a measure taken only after infrastructure is completed, another company is compromised, or a business suffers its own incident.

He said cybersecurity should be built into each stage of the digital journey. That means pairing infrastructure with the necessary controls so organisations are not only defending systems, but also preserving dependable service for every customer who relies on them.