Editor’s note: The ISACA Now series titled “Faces of ISACA” highlights the contributions of ISACA members to our global professional community, as well as providing a sense of their lives outside of work. Today, we spotlight Mike Krajecki, KPMG director in emerging technology risk services.
Mike Krajecki was studying information technology as a college undergraduate when his career goals crystallized.
“I loved what I was doing, but I wanted to find a way to tie it to business,” Krajecki said. “I didn’t want to be a programmer or a data base administrator or a network engineer. I wanted to do something on a bigger and more strategic level.”
That notion led Krajecki to graduate school, where he studied accounting at DePaul University, and eventually to an internship with professional services firm KPMG. The internship was in 2007, and he has remained at KPMG since, leading to his current role as director in emerging technology risk services. Krajecki, an ISACA member, specializes in helping KPMG clients navigate disruptive technologies, such as Internet of Things devices.
The goal is to “help them manage that risk versus reward equation of adopting something that’s disruptive and new to the market, but doing it in a responsible manner,” Krajecki said. “We’re kind of trailblazing a little bit. It’s really exciting. It’s almost like we have a little bit of an entrepreneur’s mentality inside of a huge global firm.”
Krajecki, a lifelong resident of the Chicago area, made pursuing the CISA certification one of the first major elements of his career strategy – calling CISA “kind of the de facto seal of approval” for IT audit and assurance professionals – and he has continued prioritizing his professional development since.
That’s especially important given his focus on the fast-evolving IoT space. Gartner projects 8.4 billion connected things will be in use this year, and the range of opportunities that staggering growth presents enterprises – along with the related security and compliance considerations – can be overwhelming.
Krajecki said many organizations are beginning to at least recognize potential IoT-related hazards, but often need assistance with developing a more comprehensive risk approach. That tends to include the need to coax stronger collaboration between the products team and other functional groups within the organization.
“Today, companies are getting it, but they’re very tactical,” Krajecki said. “It’s still device by device, and still very focused on the minutiae, and it needs to be more focused on a strategic risk strategy, and how do we build a responsible program that is principles-based, that helps us keep focused on the return this product is going to give the company, why we invested in it, and making sure those profits aren’t diminished by risk exposures. That strategic governance layer is what’s lacking the most right now.”
Krajecki points to the automotive industry as being ahead of the curve, noting successful connectivity for many automobiles and a general realization that there is too much at stake to take security shortcuts.
Still, Krajecki said too many large, global organizations “are still kind of stuck in the past.” Going forward, Krajecki expects he and his colleagues will spend more of their time helping organizations think through their digital strategies on a holistic, enterprise level, as opposed to focusing on the risk elements related to specific technologies or products.
To ensure he’s positioned to help his clients transform, Krajecki is an avid consumer of industry guidance and resources.
“You have to be a lifelong student and keep learning,” Krajecki said. “I learn from my clients every day. I’m very active in the industry in attending ISACA events and other large industry events to keep learning what people are saying, and I just read a lot. There’s a tremendous amount of information available if you seek it out.”
On occasion, though, Krajecki feels compelled to take a step back, prioritizing quality time with his wife, Megan, and their 2-year-old son, Grayson. At 6-foot-6, Krajecki is a former basketball player and remains a fan of the sport, while also pursuing cooking as a more recent passion. He calls his cast iron pan, used for grilling, “my best friend.”
“It’s a way to escape technology and data and risk, and just put together a fun meal for friends and family,” Krajecki said.
This content was originally published here.
