Cybersecurity talent and leadership: challenges, opportunities and levers of change in a changing sector

Cybersecurity has established itself as one of the most strategic areas for economic competitiveness, institutional resilience and digital trust. However, the accelerated growth of the sector coexists with a structural challenge facing administrations, companies and professionals: development, retention and leadership of talent.

This was the focus of the round table “Talent and leadership in cybersecurity”, held in the framework of the Cyberhub Afterwork | Talent and innovation in cybersecurity, a day organised by AMETIC within the Cyberhubs project , with the collaboration of Huawei and ONCE Foundation. The panel was moderated by Rosa Díaz, Vice President of Women4Cyber Spain and Head of Public Sector at S2 Grupo, and was attended by Ana Díaz (INCIBE / National Coordination Center), Eva Puerta (Check Point Software Technologies) and Elena Maestre (EY Spain).

From complementary perspectives, the main challenges of cybersecurity talent were addressed throughout the debate: from training and profiling, to leadership, diversity and impact of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

Europe and Spain: a coordinated commitment to the development of talent

The table opened with a European vision of developing cybersecurity talent. Ana Díaz explained how, from the European Commission, capacity building in cybersecurity is addressed as a strategic priority and in a coordinated way between Member States.

In this context, Spain plays a relevant role through the National Coordination Centre, acting as a liaison point with the European Competence Centre. Among the outstanding initiatives is the Cybersecurity Skills Academy, conceived as a European platform that integrates training, academic-industry collaboration and mapping of investments in cybersecurity. This is in addition to the European competency profiling framework, which identifies specific roles of the sector, its functions, necessary skills and career paths, facilitating both the guidance of professionals and the planning of talent by organisations.

From the national level, Ana Díaz highlighted the broad ecosystem of initiatives promoted by INCIBE: training programs, practical challenges, MOOCs, agreements with universities, bootcamps such as the Cybersecurity Summer Bootcamp and a sustained investment in chairs, strategic projects and territorial networks. All this reflects a firm commitment to strengthening talent, although – as will be discussed below – it is not without its challenges.

The gap between training and real market needs

From a business perspective, Eva Puerta provided a clear vision of one of the great tensions of the sector: the distance between available talent and the talent that many organisations, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, really need.

Unlike large corporations, which can afford highly specialized teams, the majority business fabric needs profiles capable of encompassing a comprehensive vision of cybersecurity: regulatory compliance, prevention, detection, incident response and coordination of external suppliers. Finding professionals with this “helicopter vision”, capable of orchestrating a complex ecosystem, is one of the biggest challenges today.

This mismatch responds not only to a quantitative question, but to a qualitative one. The sector demands transversal profiles, with technical capacity, understanding of the business and coordination skills, something difficult to replicate only from traditional training itineraries.

A sector in full redefinition: the impact of artificial intelligence

The debate highlighted that the talent challenge cannot be addressed without considering the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence on cybersecurity. Elena Maestre stressed that the sector is facing a turning point: profiles, skills and career paths are changing rapidly.

Process automation, AI's ability to identify vulnerabilities or execute traditionally manual tasks force us to rethink what competencies will actually be differential in the future. More than purely repetitive technical skills, the capacity for analysis, adaptation to change, decision-making and strategic understanding of risks will gain weight.

In this context, initial training, however solid, is no longer sufficient. Both Eva Puerta and Elena Maestre agreed that continuous learning is not an option, but an inherent condition of working in cybersecurity. The ability to reinvent themselves professionally will be key to employability and growth in the sector.

Professional development, retention and “war for talent”

Another of the axes of the table was the retention of talent. In a market marked by high demand and growing global competition, frequent organizational change has become a common reality.

Elena Maestre pointed out that the so-called ‘war for talent’ has an obvious economic dimension, amplified by teleworking and international recruitment. However, he warned of the risk of oversizing profiles or accelerating careers without the necessary maturity, which can generate frustration for both organizations and professionals themselves.

From this approach, sustainable professional development involves combining economic attractiveness with interesting projects, learning opportunities, solid leadership and an organizational culture that accompanies growth. The new generations arrive better prepared than ever, but they also need references, context and stability to consolidate their talent.

Leadership, diversity, and self-confidence

The conversation also addressed leadership in cybersecurity, with special attention to diversity and the development of female talent. Ana Diaz shared an honest reflection on how, in many cases, differences in access to leadership come not only from the environment, but also from self-perception and self-confidence.

Working assertiveness, defending one's own capabilities and making professional value visible were identified as key elements to move towards more inclusive leaderships. Always, yes, from the support of training, experience and commitment to professional excellence.

Levers to attract talent and generate references

In closing, the speakers agreed on the need to activate clear change levers to attract new talent to the sector and foster leadership roles. Among them, they highlighted the importance of better communicating what cybersecurity is: a dynamic, cross-cutting sector with multiple career opportunities, good working conditions and a real impact on organisations and society.

The importance of giving visibility to the role of cybersecurity in senior management and strategic decision-making was also underlined. When cybersecurity is perceived as a key element of the business – and not just as a technical function – it becomes a powerful magnet for talent.

A shared challenge

The “Talent and leadership in cybersecurity” table gave a clear message: the future of the sector does not depend solely on training more professionals, but on accompanying them in their development, offering them references, encouraging diverse leadership and building environments where continuous learning is part of culture.

A shared challenge between administrations, companies, education system and professionals, which will be decisive to ensure a robust, innovative and inclusive cybersecurity in the coming years.