Chris and Kurt chat with cybersecurity regulatory and policy experts Chris Hetner and Robert Peak about cyberthreats that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal and state cybersecurity regulatory landscape, and cybersecurity regulatory priorities in the Biden Administration.
Featured in this Episode
Christopher Hetner
Chris Hetner is a Senior Executive, Board Director, and leader in cybersecurity, and is recognized for raising cyber risk to the Corporate Board level in order to protect industries, infrastructures, and economies. He creates operational resilience by aligning robust cybersecurity strategies with business objectives. Currently, he is an Expert Advisor to the Institute for Defense Analyses U.S. Department of the Treasury), the Special Advisor for Cyber Risk for the NACD, and a National Board Member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.
Chris previously served as the Senior Cybersecurity Advisor to the Chair of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and as Head of Cybersecurity for the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examination at the SEC. He also represented the Chair of the SEC as a senior member of the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Banking Information Infrastructure Committee. His greatest contributions included vision for and implementation of the first agency-wide cybersecurity governance structure, the threat intelligence program, and incident response capabilities. The cybersecurity framework he implemented improved the National Examination Program’s ability to monitor and respond to cyber risks and threats across the U.S. securities market.
Throughout his career, Chris has created and launched cybersecurity programs in the public and private sectors. Identifying potential risks and initiating solutions that can be replicated across industries is a hallmark of his career.
Chris’s thought leadership is actively sought by governments, private and public entities, industry associations, and media outlets as the threats to critical infrastructure and economies increase. Chris also shares his professional expertise by mentoring students at Columbia University, New York University, Fordham School of Law, and Pace University.
Chris is a Certified Information Security Manager (ISACA), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (ISC)2, and holds a high-level USA security clearance.
Robert Peak
Robert Peak is a thought leader in capital markets policy, having served in senior capital markets policy roles at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), and in the U.S. Senate.
During his 20-year tenure with the SEC, Robert worked in the Division of Corporation Finance, the Division of Enforcement, the Office of the Chief Accountant, and served on the Commission’s executive staff.
From 2013 to 2019, Robert was responsible for providing policy counseling to Commissioner Kara Stein on a wide range of securities and capital market issues, accounting and auditing matters, rulemakings, international affairs, and financial crimes enforcement.
Before joining Commissioner Stein, Robert was an Associate Chief Accountant in the Commission’s Division of Enforcement where he coordinated and conducted complex investigations involving corporate financial reporting, auditor misconduct, whistleblower actions, and internal controls. He also advised the Commissioners, staff, criminal authorities, and U.S. judges on technical accounting and auditing matters. Robert brought some of the Commission’s most influential enforcement actions, repatriated over $200 million from offshore accounts, and is responsible for over $600 million in other monetary sanctions against firms and individuals.
Robert also worked on banking, securities, and investment issues for U.S. Senator Jack Reed and staffed the Senate Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment.
Most recently, Robert advised former PCAOB Board Member J. Robert Brown, Jr. on all matters that came before the Board.
Robert is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).
