The future of CISO
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In this episode of Cloud Security Today, host Matt Chiodi sits down with Michael Piacente, co-founder of Hitch Partners and a leading expert in CISO talent and recruitment. Piacente shares his journey from IT operations and data center management to executive search, emphasizing how his firsthand experience as an operator shaped his unique approach to recruiting. He highlights the evolving role of the CISO—now a strategic, technical, and operational leader with expanded scope across IT, product security, and AI governance. A central theme is the critical gap in storytelling: both candidates and organizations struggle to articulate their value, vision, and challenges. Piacente reveals that only 16% of CISOs feel confident in recruiting teams' ability to assess technical depth, underscoring the need for specialized, narrative-driven hiring processes. He also discusses the rise of 'next-gen' security leaders—technical builders who outpace traditional CISO compensation growth but often lack executive storytelling skills. The episode concludes with a call to action for current CISOs to mentor and empower the next generation through intentional leadership development and shared responsibility.
The modern CISO role has expanded beyond compliance to include strategic leadership in AI, product security, and IT operations.
Only 16% of CISOs trust recruiting teams to assess technical depth—highlighting a systemic gap in hiring processes.
Next-gen security leaders are in high demand, with compensation growing 6–10% annually, outpacing traditional CISO growth.
Storytelling is the most underdeveloped skill among top technical talent—candidates must learn to 'yo-yo' between technical expertise and business narrative.
CISOs have a responsibility to develop successors by placing them in high-pressure, high-visibility roles with intentional mentorship.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Evolution of the CISO Role
“The pandemic changed the game for the young CISO career. It was the single greatest moment in history for the young CISO history.”
Burnout, Balance, and the Human Cost of Leadership
Piacente shares personal insights on career burnout, emphasizing the importance of family and personal well-being. He reflects on the disconnection caused by constant travel and the toll it took on his health and relationships.
Why Recruiters Must Understand the Technical Landscape
“We interview the entire executive team before we introduce real humans to the process. It's not about the job spec—it's about the story.”
The Rise of the Next-Gen CISO
“Execution capability is now more valuable—or at least as valuable—as executive presence. People who can build and operate are getting paid like CISOs.”
The Crisis in Technical Talent Assessment
“It takes seven rounds of interviews before anyone has the confidence and authority to make the call. No one knows how they want the program built.”
“The adversaries are not thinking that way. We're just going to go about it and hopefully it just goes away. And it won't be a problem.”
“The pandemic changed the game for the young CISO career. It was the single greatest moment in history for the young CISO history.”
“Execution capability is now more valuable—or at least as valuable—as executive presence. People who can build and operate are getting paid like CISOs.”
Host
Guest
CISO
other
Michael Piacente
person
Matt Chiodi
person
Hitch Partners
organization
Next-Gen CISO
other
AI Governance
other
SaaS
other
NIST AI RMF
other
VMS
other
RAID
other
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