– When executive management needs to understand the implications of regulations such as NIS2, the AI Act, new cybersecurity requirements, or how the organization can actually reduce cyber risk, they need advisors who can connect corporate governance with practical security work. This is the area we are now investing further in by building Norway’s leading professional environment within IT-GRC and security management That is why we have brought in Lars Reidar Vold-Andersen, says Gaute Lien, CEO of Sicra.

Vold-Andersen has played a central role in the Norwegian IT security industry for more than 20 years. He is known in the industry as one of the few people who masters the full spectrum, from strategic risk assessments to the practical implementation of security solutions.

Vold-Andersen joins Sicra from his role as Head of Modern GRC and CEO of Eficode Norway. Before this, he held several leadership roles at Transcendent Group, where he helped build the Norwegian business and later became CEO of the entire group. Earlier in his career, he also held leadership roles at PwC. Both companies are among the most recognized players within governance and information security in the Nordic region.

Vold-Andersen has assisted public sector organizations, financial institutions, and large industrial companies in establishing governance models, building GRC functions from the ground up, and making IT security an integrated part of corporate governance.

Sicra bridges the gap between strategy and practice

– What motivated me most was the opportunity to build a leading professional environment within security leadership and IT-GRC, closely integrated with some of Norway’s most skilled experts in technical cybersecurity and OT security. Many organizations want one partner that both understands corporate governance and can translate strategic decisions into practical security measures. I believe Sicra is uniquely positioned to deliver that combination, says Vold-Andersen.

– I want to build an environment where talented people can develop, learn from each other, and help shape how we work. The best security environments are not created through technology and methodology alone, but through people who thrive, challenge each other, and succeed as a team, says Vold-Andersen.

– Lars Reidar has a rare combination of leadership experience, strategic understanding, and broad expertise within governance, risk, and IT security. He is a leader who enables others to succeed. We have been looking for someone who can both build a strong professional environment and serve as a strategic advisor to our clients. Lars Reidar has done both throughout his career, which is why he is the right person to lead this investment, says Gaute Lien.

Lien adds that the investment in security leadership and IT-GRC addresses a growing need:

– NIS2, DORA, the AI Act, and new regulatory cybersecurity requirements will place significantly higher demands on corporate governance, risk assessments, and documented security work. At the same time, digital and industrial systems are becoming increasingly integrated, making the need for holistic security leadership greater than ever, says Lien, continuing:

– The result is a growing gap between the responsibilities of boards and executive management and organizations’ ability to translate risk into concrete security measures. This is the gap we want to help our clients close.

– Threat actors do not care whether an organization complies with regulations. They exploit weaknesses in actual security. That is why good security leadership must be about more than documentation and reporting. It is about understanding risk, prioritizing the right measures, and ensuring that they are actually implemented. When governance, leadership, and technical security work together, the organization becomes both more secure and better equipped to document its security work to clients, owners, and authorities, says Vold-Andersen.

Building a leading professional environment

Lars Reidar Vold-Andersen will join Sicra on September 1 as Head of IT-GRC and Security Leadership and will build a leading national professional environment in this field.

The goal is to build a professional environment that helps organizations make security leadership an integrated part of the entire organization, from the board and executive management to corporate governance, risk, IT, OT, project portfolios, transformation projects, architecture, and development teams. The ambition is to translate strategy, risk, and regulatory requirements into concrete priorities and security measures that actually reduce risk.

– We are looking for people who want to help build something new. At Sicra, you will have the opportunity to work closely with some of the Nordic region’s leading experts in security leadership, cybersecurity, operational technology (OT), identity, networks, and Security Operations. It is through the interaction between these professional environments that we create the greatest value for our clients, says Gaute Lien.