Memo Hayek, General Manager, Group Cyber Transformation & Delivery, reveals how her team is leveraging the latest cybersecurity technologies and strategies to ensure the Commonwealth Bank (CommBank), its community and the Australian economy are protected from cybercrime.
CommBank, is a multinational bank and Australia’s leading provider of integrated financial services. Driving the quest to ensure its 16 million customers can carry out their banking needs safely and securely, Hayek brings over 25 years of experience in IT and finance. She has a strong background as an engineer working at some of the world’s leading financial services organisations, and working across capital markets in her previous role at CommBank as General Manager & CIO for Global Markets & International Institutional Banking.
Cybersecurity
Hayek is currently leading a team executing the technology transformation required to fortify cybersecurity for CommBank. Leveraging the latest cutting-edge technologies – in demand as the global attack surface grows – she is flying the flag for women in STEM careers and delivering the strategies to ensure the bank, its community and the wider Australian economy are protected from cybercrime.
Transformation through tech
Strengthening the Group’s cyber posture is a key responsibility for Hayek’s team and includes the delivery and transformation of services such as third-party threat hunting; increased bot detection; network security; malware protection; secure access and multi-factor authentication.
“It’s critical we remain aligned with global leading practice, strategic partners, government and other industry bodies,” she adds. “We must ensure we are continuously improving our risk management and control environment.”
Digital collaboration
A core part of CommBank’s digitisation journey has been recognising that in today’s connected economy you can’t get by on your own. “Getting the foundations right to enable innovation and agility with industry and market changes at velocity, whether that is engineering capabilities, becoming more of a data driven organisation or simplification around product, all create value for our customers in the resulting experience,” says Hayek.
To that end, the bank has fostered deep relationships with its strategic partners to help it transform. Maintaining a fit for purpose and future proofed IT strategy aligned to the business vision has been achieved with key partners important for CommBank’s growth and continuing digital journey.
