While Ossie Munroe is relatively new to the security industry, his career at Bloomberg spans three decades. Munroe joined the organization in 1990, moving through a variety of positions before transitioning into the security field in 2013.
“While my career journey within Bloomberg has seen me move between five departments since my start at the company, that bares no reflection on the company’s culture for internal career changes. Instead, this decision was driven mostly by my focus on bettering my craft in each role I held. At this point, however, I can very comfortably say that security will remain at the center of any potential career opportunities that I consider. I want to be a part of this industry for the rest of my career,” Munroe says.
CREATING A SECURITY COMMUNITY
Munroe currently works as Bloomberg’s Deputy Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). He also leads a team of Business Information Security Officers. Munroe describes his BISO team as the “connective tissue” between the business, risk and security sides of the company.
“When a line of business is looking to install a new system, modify a design or introduce new code, it’s important security is factored into those decisions. There are many different lines of businesses and technology stacks to secure,” Munroe says.
A project Munroe worked on recently was one of Bloomberg’s acquisitions.
“I was designated as the security lead for the acquisition, which involved migrating systems, data and people to Bloomberg’s environment. Understanding the security technology and controls previously in place at the acquired company and making the decision to either partially integrate with or fully adopt Bloomberg systems was pivotal to the migration effort,” Munroe says. “It was high-stakes and a lot of work packed into an accelerated timeline.”
Munroe and the project team worked hard to ensure a smooth transition. It meant a lot of long hours, but their hard work paid off.
“The project was a defining moment for me. I met some interesting people across several different departments that I don’t think I would have otherwise met, and I still maintain many of those relationships today. I’m proud of what the team was able to accomplish,” Munroe says.
In between large-scale projects, Munroe’s day-to-day responsibilities include constant security awareness.
“There are some days full of planned meetings and even still, those days involve — as anybody else in a security role will understand — a level of unpredictability. You’re always preparing, but never really know when the next big vulnerability will be announced. Whether you’re impacted or not by that vulnerability, there’s typically a level of due diligence required. Those interruptions must be factored into your planned work,” Munroe says.
BUILDING BRIDGES THROUGH MENTORSHIP
In addition to his security responsibilities, Munroe also serves as a mentor both within and outside his organization. Within Bloomberg, Munroe encourages his team members to consider him a resource when problem solving.
“My style is typically to not solve problems for individuals unless I absolutely must. It’s natural for people to sometimes feel like they’ve exhausted all possible solutions until they’re pushed a little bit further. Sometimes, when people come to you for guidance, it’s your job to just listen. Other times, the most effective method is just asking them the right questions to allow them to arrive at a conclusion themselves,” Munroe says.
Munroe also works with mentees outside of his organization, especially those coming from non-traditional backgrounds. He mentors within Minorities in Cybersecurity as well as American Corporate Partnerships, a nonprofit designed to help military members transition back to civilian life.
“I served in the military, so anything to help veterans really hits home. There’s also a program based out in New York City called Scholarship Plus, where students from low income households, whose families can’t afford the cost of college tuition, get financial assistance and opportunities to be mentored,” Munroe says. His mentorship roles range from formal panel discussions to one-on-one calls with individuals looking for advice.
Munroe’s interest in giving back in this way comes from his personal journey of learning how to solve problems on his own.
“Through my life’s journey I had to learn a lot on my own. My dedication to giving back is rooted in making sure others have the opportunities I wasn’t afforded. One of my main pieces of advice to others is to not let your past define you. The timing of this interview is quite interesting. Recently, while on vacation with my wife and daughters, we talked about what we each felt was the strongest aspect of each of us and what we struggled with the most. They came to the consensus that my willingness to try new things and push myself to uncomfortable places is the thing they most admired about me. That’s essentially me finding new paths, while also actively choosing which parts of my past get to come along for the ride. I also truly believe that, without pushing yourself to the uncomfortable places, it’s very hard for anyone to grow beyond their natural boundaries.”
