Bitdefender’s Nicholas Jackson on cyber maturity, the ‘exciting evolution’ of AI and the importance of mentorship.
“Today, technology doesn’t just support the business – it is the business,” says Nicholas Jackson.
Jackson is the director of cyber operations at cybersecurity company Bitdefender, a role he has held since August of last year. At Bitdefender, Jackson is responsible for three services – offensive security, security advisory and delivery management.
“From customer engagement to operational efficiency, everything runs on a digital infrastructure,” he tells SiliconRepublic.com. “That interdependence means security can’t be an afterthought or a siloed function.
“It must be embedded in every strategic decision to drive innovation without introducing unacceptable risk. My role is about making sure security is seen as a business enabler, not a blocker.”
While Jackson maintains that technology has become the backbone of most businesses today, he adds that alongside this increased reliance on digital systems comes an “elevated exposure to risk”.
“From a cybersecurity perspective, the challenge is making sure security doesn’t become a barrier to progress,” he says. “Too often, it’s seen as something that slows things down, but when done right, it can be a key enabler of innovation.”
Pace of change
Among the top challenges facing the IT sector today, says Jackson, is the rapid development of the tech world.
“The pace of change is outpacing many organisations’ ability to adapt securely – whether due to AI, rapid cloud adoption, evolving regulatory frameworks like DORA, or the ongoing shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals,” he says. “These challenges, combined with cost pressures and the perception that security is not always an enabler, make adaptation even harder.”
AI in particular, to no surprise, is having a significant effect on the cybersecurity world – reshaping both sides of the “cybersecurity battlefield”, according to Jackson.
“We’re seeing attackers utilise large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT to scale social engineering and refine malicious code, while defenders are using the same tools (or leveraging them in some way) to enhance threat detection, streamline triage and gain broader context at much greater speed,” he says.
While he doesn’t believe AI will have as great an impact as some suggest, he says it still represents an “exciting evolution”, particularly in how it can benefit organisations.
“AI won’t replace individuals such as SOC analysts anytime soon, but it can augment and support their roles freeing up time to focus on higher priority tasks,” he says.
“More broadly, cybersecurity maturity within organisations continues to grow, especially at the board level. Leaders are increasingly asking the right questions and seeking guidance, which is a positive sign that we’re moving in the right direction.”
The long game
On the subject of leadership, we asked Jackson about his own techniques when it comes to getting the best out of his team. At the core of his management style, he says, is trust and clarity.
“I take a relatively hands-off approach providing high-level direction and making sure my team understands the ‘why’ behind our work and not just the ‘what’,” he explains. “It’s physically impossible for me to be everywhere (though I do try), so I have to empower them to make decisions and sometimes solve their own problems on their own and not just be task orientated.
“And it doesn’t hurt by building strong personal relationships and adding my own touch of humour where I can.”
Mentorship is extremely important to Jackson. He describes how multiple people have invested time and energy into guiding him throughout his career, and how he tries to “pay that forward” when he can.
“I’ve been fortunate to have guidance from so many mentors over the years, each offering something valuable at different points in my journey,” he says. “A few lessons have really stuck with me: pay attention to the details, stay self-aware, build meaningful relationships, and never underestimate the power of internal and external networks.”
But one piece of advice sticks out to him especially, due to its long-lasting effect on Jackson’s outlook.
“One mentor once told me, ‘Work on yourself; you might not be here forever’.
“That perspective shifted how I think about growth,” he says. “Career success isn’t just about short-term wins – it’s about playing the long game, continuously investing in yourself, and becoming the kind of leader others want to work with and learn from.”
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