Transcript
Transcript: Finding Inspiration from Cloud Leaders: Understanding the Role of Leadership in Adopting the Cloud
[The text "GC Cloud For Managers and Executives" appears onscreen.]
[00:00:07] My name is Sami Khoury, and I am the Head of the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. I'm spending a few minutes to share with you my experience when I was the CIO [Chief Information Officer] at CSE [Communications Security Establishment] and our journey to the cloud.
[00:00:21] The cloud is a proven technology; it has been with us for some time. It's used by some of the biggest tech names. It comes with many opportunities and also unlocks a lot of potential. It's as much of a journey about technology as it is a journey about leadership. And while I am curious about technology, I worry less about it because I'm surrounded by some of the smartest teams that will solve some of our toughest problems.
[00:00:49] But the leadership aspect is one that we need to pay attention to. As a leader, taking risks has to be part of the equation. Supporting our teams during their failure (and there will be a number of setbacks) is very important, but also giving them the license to innovate and try new ideas and explore the potential of what the cloud has to offer.
[00:01:12] It also gives us an opportunity to build new partnerships. Partnerships, for example, with our finance team, where now we have to review how budgets are allocated because the cloud brings in a consumption model. Partnerships with our procurement team because now it's all about acquiring licenses as opposed to buying things outright. But also, it's a leadership challenge in a cultural way, because now it's about changing the way we work.
Over the years, we've refined the way we work on-prem with our technology. The cloud changes that model, and it's our job to try to adapt to how the cloud works and not force the cloud to adapt to how we work. In the end, I couldn't be happier with the journey that we took and the pride the team has in the solution that they delivered. And I wish everybody who embarks on a cloud journey as successful an outcome as we did at CSE. Thank you.
[The video fades to the CSPS logo followed by canada.ca/school.]
[The Government of Canada logo appears and fades to black.]
