Edna Conway ─ Creating secure operating models for the consumption economy...
September 9, 2021 • 3 Minute Read
Edna Conway
Vice President, Chief Security &
Risk Officer, Azure
Microsoft
Are you looking for a next-generation leader who can deliver secure cloud consumption to meet surging demand? We know the person—Edna Conway!
Edna is the Vice President and Chief Security & Risk Officer for Azure at Microsoft. She is responsible for the security, resiliency and governance of the cloud infrastructure upon which Microsoft’s Intelligent Cloud business operates. She brings over 30 years of experience and success in the IT Industry, and is globally recognized for developing architectures that deliver security, sustainability, and resiliency.
Please meet this IT Wondrous Woman™, Edna Conway!
Our 10 Questions for this IT Wondrous Woman.
Fun Facts
1. What’s the one thing about you that your business colleagues don’t know about you?
My undergraduate degree is in Medieval Renaissance Literature.
2. Before the pandemic, how many air miles/KMs did you flying annually?
168,000 miles.
3. What is the most adventurous food you have eaten and what city/location did you eat it?
Fried scorpion skewer from a street vendor in Beijing, China.
Your Career
4. What are the top two experiences, achievements or failures that shaped your journey as a successful leader?
With an undergraduate degree in Medieval & Renaissance literature, I went on to law school. My skills in successful quick pivots and deep resiliency came immediately after law school when I joined the NH AG’s Office to practice environmental law. Upon arrival was told I would, instead, be prosecuting homicide and working with forensic pathologists, crime lab technicians and state police officers. It is a story of embracing “Yes”. Say “Yes” when a choice is offered or a change lands in your lap.
15 years of private practice of law allowed me to learn from many as clients. A move into industry provided a two-decade opportunity to “translate” technical hurdles to government regulators. The flip side of this was an opportunity to present security goals to deep technology experts in “plain language” and drive innovation through process and experimentation.
5. Did you have a mentor in the early part of your career and, if so, what is the biggest lesson you learned from your mentor or influencer?
N/A
Walking In Your Shoes
6. What is one piece of business or career advice you would give to your younger self?
I would tell myself to be who you are, stay relentlessly curious, and collaborate with wild abandon as only together will we truly succeed!
7. As a leader, how do you remain a resource for people early in their careers?
I passionately promote and advocate for diversity of thought, background and skill in cybersecurity and technology. I answer when people reach out, and embed dedicated time on my weekly calendar to speak with any and all who reach out via any mode of communication.
I also participate in corporate forums for women, and am mentoring multiple individuals across many companies and educational institutions. I currently support industry colleagues as a member of the MASS High Tech Council’s Security Advisory Board and serve on the NYU Tandon School of Engineering Cyber Fellows Advisory Council.
Today’s Business Environment
8. What is the most interesting project you have worked on in the last few years?
In my first year as VP, Chief Security & Risk Officer for Microsoft’s Azure, I had the privilege of building a team and a comprehensive architecture to ensure Azure’s infrastructure is secure and resilient.
9. What skills are you currently developing or refining (in yourself) that will make you a more successful leader in the digital economy?
Ensuring that the richness of a portfolio of perspectives, from those of varying cultures, education, skills and other aspects requires a consistent and coordinated focus.
10. What is your greatest business challenge today?
While we automate and deploy digital innovation to enhance our productivity, it is the human who creates technology and humans who must safeguard the security & integrity of that technology. And…let’s never lose sight of the reality that it is humans who attack the security of technology.
When I say that security is an inherently human challenge, I am reminding all of us to ensure we keep the human factor in mind as we develop, deploy and evolve our security and resilience strategies and practices.
