MIWIC25: Lisa Landau, CEO and Co-Founder of ThreatLight - IT Security Guru

Organised by Eskenzi PR in media partnership with the IT Security Guru, the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards aim to shed light on the remarkable women in our industry. The following is a feature on one of 2024’s Top 20 women selected by an esteemed panel of judges. Presented in a Q&A format, the nominee’s answers are written in their own words. In 2025, the awards were sponsored by BT, KnowBe4, Mimecast, Varonis, Bridewell, Certes, Pentest Tools and AI Dionic. Community partners included WiCyS UK & Ireland Affiliate, Women in Tech and Cybersecurity Hub (WiTCH), CyBlack and Inclusive InCyber (LT Harper). What does your job role entail? As the co-founder and CEO of a young global startup, it’s an around-the-clock commitment. You have to wear more hats than one head can handle – so you better be very passionate about it, or at least be into headwear. (that’s a joke…) Being half of the founding team, I oversee all business and customer-facing aspects – from long-term strategy to short-term tactics. This includes planning, operations, and ensuring we stay true to our mission of helping organizations strengthen their defenses and security posture. On any given day, my role can range from speaking to customers and prospects, understanding their needs, ensuring the team is productive and well-taken care of, to managing Financial, Legal, Marketing, and Sales aspects. It’s about balancing Go-To-Market strategy, operations, and everything in between and creating a long term horizon to building a company we and the team are proud of and genuinely makes a difference for our customers. How did you get into the cybersecurity industry? By accident, but not entirely. With years of experience in customer-facing roles, I was offered a role to build out the post-sales and customer excellence organization in a startup – an opportunity that facilitated my transition into cybersecurity. In many ways, it felt like coming full circle, reconnecting with my roots in Intelligence from my military service. While I now work in a private sector setting, it’s meaningful to know that what we do is essential – protecting businesses and people alike. Even if it’s a for-profit venture, the impact is real, relevant, and needed. What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it? Spending my entire career in male-dominated environments, I’ve found that the challenges only become more pronounced as you climb the ladder. The biases are often so deeply ingrained that we risk being blind to them ourselves. Our own go-to may be to assume that something is impossible before even trying, lowering our expectations or demands, or worse, unintentionally making assumptions about other women through that biased lens. That said, not all companies or countries are the same – some have evolved, and there are great organizations genuinely working to eliminate these barriers. Overcoming these challenges has meant focusing on results, building a strong network, and working with those who value expertise over stereotypes. But the reality is that fighting for titles, promotions, having your voice heard, and ensuring your team gets what they deserve has been a long and challenging road. Many of us women know how hard it is to get a seat at the table without having your ideas repeated back to you by others claiming credit. It takes thick skin to keep fighting, knowing you won’t win every battle. But the wins you do secure make things a little better now, and a lot better for those who come after you. What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry? I strongly believe in inclusivity and that everyone should get a fair shot – whoever they are. Women and other underrepresented groups have often been overlooked, so while it should always be about finding the best candidate, I make it a point to actively mentor, advise, and support those who need an extra push or opportunity. I’m not a fan of tying hiring to “diversity quotas”, rather set inclusivity goals and walk the walk. Moreover, it’s crucial to check in with your own biases regularly – asking if you’re giving a capable person the fair chance they deserve. There are people with amazing potential out there, who just happen to come from the “wrong” background, experience etc., but who they are is more important than their CV. Sometimes, especially in the case of women, they may need an extra push to believe they are deserving. Removing barriers and assessing people based on their progress and results, whilst providing support and mentorship – not corrective bias metrics on paper – is, in my view, the way forward. Who has inspired you in your life/career?  I don’t have a single person in mind. I’m forging my own path, but I believe there is something to learn from everyone around us. Inspiration doesn’t have to come from people in grand positions; often, the most impactful lessons come from everyday actions and qualities of those we interact with. I am inspired by people who practice integrity, resilience and compassion in their actions, people who think creatively and dare, and I am fortunate to have come across them in every possible capacity. Sometimes, even negative experiences can be a powerful source of inspiration – teaching us what to avoid and who we don’t want to become. Learning from both the good and the bad has been crucial to my growth.