Episode 109: Bob Zukis and the Digital Directors Network: Helping corporate boards mitigate systemic risk

ob Zukis is a man on a mission to improve the ability of corporate America to succeed in a complex digital world, even when under constant cyber attack. Bob is the CEO and founder of the Digital Directors Network, the global pioneer in helping corporate directors advance their understanding of systemic risk. We consider Bob to be the world's leading advocate for improving cybersecurity governance. His many articles published in major business journals and impactful books on the topic make this case well.

Bob has worked with, studied, and been on corporate boards for years and now teaches corporate governance as an Adjunct Professor of Management at the USC Marshall School of Business. He is co-author of the book The Great Reboot. We examine the book and Bob's approach to helping corporate directors mitigate cyber risk in this OODAcast.

Topics covered include:

How the 1200 strong members of the Digital Directors Network collaborate together to seek to reduce systemic risk.

The creation of the Qualified Technical Expert (QTE) program and how the need for QTEs on boards is analogous to the need to have a Qualified Financial Expert (QFE) on boards when Sarbanes-Oxley drove that requirement.

The new SEC regulations on cybersecurity that will require corporate boards to designate cybersecurity experts.

How the new US Cybersecurity Strategy is helping create positive momentum in corporate America (Bob says "the White House has declared war on systemic risk with this strategy").

Actions directors can take to ensure corporate management is appropriately engaging to mitigate not just cyber attacks against the company, but broader systemic risks. Bob explains that "It's not just enough for board members to ask questions on cyber risk, as the questions are meaningless if corporate directors don't understand the answers." Very well put! Board members should continuously seek to improve their ability to understand. And then on top of that should ask the right questions. What is Bob's view of a powerful question boards should be asking? " What's the value of what we are trying to protect, and how safe is it for what we're spending?"

Bob provides information on an event that brings together the Digital Directors Network called Domino (16-17 May 2023 in Chicago). This is a gathering of 200 of DDN's corporate director, CIO and CISO members for a unique executive learning experience. This year's event will feature keynotes from experts like SEC Commissioner Jaime Lizarraga explaining the new cyber rules being rolled out by the SEC.

For more see:

The Great Reboot

The Digital Directors Network

Bob Zukis on LinkedIn

DDN Domino 16-17 May 2023