Thomas Kicker
Reflecting on my first 100 Days as CEO at cyan Digital Security Group,
I'm struck by how quickly the time has passed and how much we've achieved together. It's been an intense, exciting, and above all, rewarding journey, grounded in consistency and a clear set of priorities.
My key priorities and learnings:
1. Team: It was a pleasure to reunite with many familiar faces from my telco days and to see new ones. The experienced and welcoming team at Cyan has made it natural to forge a robust and cohesive unit in a very short time, critical for our transformative agenda.
2. Customer Engagement: From visiting and getting feedback from our clients across the world to celebrating the launch of 'Ciber Protección by Orange' in Spain, it’s clear our customers are not only satisfied but eager to co-create future security solutions.
3. Strategic Focus: We’ve sharpened our focus, exiting the OSS/BSS sector to concentrate solely on cybersecurity. This strategic realignment, coupled with a lean operational model, positions us to expand in our core telco market but also beyond.
4. Investor Relations: Enhancing communication and relationships with our investors is pivotal, increasing transparency and making sure they are aligned and supportive of our strategic direction.
5. Prioritization: It’s not easy not to get distracted with the myriad of topics in a new company. Therefore, my daily “mantra” has been to remind myself of our set strategic priorities.
6. Pace: Recognizing the need for both speed and patience has been crucial. While the first 100 days felt like a sprint, they are only a small part of a longer marathon.
7. Trust: Accepting that one cannot control and analyze everything, but instead judging whom to trust and what to trust is key to follow an effective pareto-principle.
8. Communication: Especially in the beginning of a new journey, there cannot be too much communication imho. Embracing Kim Scott's concept of "radical candor" has been invaluable. Clear, honest communication has been key to quickly identifying and addressing misunderstandings within our new team setup.
As we move forward, I am incredibly excited about the future. Together with the amazing Cyan team, we are committed to building and growing a safer tomorrow. |