Following the Gong, a Podcast of the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State
Schreyer Honors College
78 episodes
1 month ago
Are you a Schreyer Scholar looking to connect with Scholar Alumni for career and life advice? Or perhaps you are a recent graduate looking to take the next step in your career, or are a prospective Scholar looking to learn more about the College. When our Scholars submit their honors thesis, they ring a ceremonial gong to mark the completion of their honors experience. #FollowingTheGong is a show that features conversations with Scholar Alumni and friends with stories and advice on how to maximize your Scholar experience, prepare for your career and further education, and make new connections with a strong network of Scholar Alumni that blazed the trail before you. Episodes are released bi-weekly on Tuesdays when Penn State classes are in session and are available on major platforms.
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Are you a Schreyer Scholar looking to connect with Scholar Alumni for career and life advice? Or perhaps you are a recent graduate looking to take the next step in your career, or are a prospective Scholar looking to learn more about the College. When our Scholars submit their honors thesis, they ring a ceremonial gong to mark the completion of their honors experience. #FollowingTheGong is a show that features conversations with Scholar Alumni and friends with stories and advice on how to maximize your Scholar experience, prepare for your career and further education, and make new connections with a strong network of Scholar Alumni that blazed the trail before you. Episodes are released bi-weekly on Tuesdays when Penn State classes are in session and are available on major platforms.
FTG 0063 – From Technical Expert to Executive Leader with Cybersecurity Executive and CEO Atif Ghauri ’00
Following the Gong, a Podcast of the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State
59 minutes 54 seconds
1 year ago
FTG 0063 – From Technical Expert to Executive Leader with Cybersecurity Executive and CEO Atif Ghauri ’00
Overview:
Cybersecurity executive Atif Ghauri ’00 Business joins Following the Gong to discuss his career and advice for Scholars interested in both technical and relational leadership roles. Atif currently serves as the President of Ultraviolet Cyber after a career of increasingly senior roles in cyber security. Atif discusses his experience reluctantly coming to Penn State and then having an incredible experience in the Smeal College of Business and the Schreyer Honors College. Atif also shares insights from his career at companies like Comcast and the Herjeavec Group – led by Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec and taking control of your life and career. An overarching theme is making the shift from technical roles to the executive leadership in a business. Any Scholar can gain wisdom from this episode, and especially any interested in roles in technology and/or business. Atif’s bio is available below along with chapter markers detailing the topics discussed.
Guest Bio:
Atif Ghauri ’00 Bus is currently the President of UltraViolet Cyber. He is an established C-Level Executive with 20+ years of experience in Cybersecurity, serving roles as CTO, CPO, COO, and Managing Partner. He is an energetic leader, skilled team builder, strategic thinker, and adept negotiator possessing a rare combination of both high business acumen with deep technological expertise. He is an industry recognized expert in cybersecurity, sought after for speaking engagements and regularly quoted in media. He is an adjunct professor teaching at the University of Michigan, Drexel, Yeshiva, Rutgers, and Wharton School. Atif holds a patent for security analytics algorithms on embedded consumer devices monitoring user anomalies.
Prior to UltraViolet Cyber, Atif led Cyderes (formerly known as Herjavec Group) as COO. Atif was responsible for all go-to-market activities related to sales and product management. Reporting directly to CEO Robert Herjavec, he served multiple leadership roles in his tenure as CTO, CPO as well running revenue operations, marketing, human resources, M&A, legal, and product management. Prior to Cyderes, Atif was a Managing Partner at Mazars. He was the Global Cybersecurity Practice Leader, responsible for all aspects of the business from sales to service delivery.
Atif has held leadership roles for both business and technology organizations at Comcast. He was head of Business Operations for Xfinity Home. He also served as Chief Product Security Officer for the technology engineering group, where he directed all security work streams to launch next generation X1 Platform, including invention and deployment of his patented fraud detection technology operational on millions of subscriber devices. Prior to Comcast, Atif was Director of Security at Unisys, where he launched a global security practice focused in Application Security. He started his career as a Managing Consultant at IBM Global Services advising and implementing security to Fortune 100 companies. Atif received a Masters in Technology Management from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems with Honors from Penn State’s Smeal College of Business and Schreyer Honors College.
Episode Topics & Chapters:
00:00 Introductions
00:13 Choosing Penn State and the SHC
02:50 Starting a Business as a Student
05:09 Using Campus Leadership Roles in Your Career
06:55 The Honors Thesis
08:56 Job Searching as a Scholar and Being the "Strongest Athlete"
12:26 Communicating technical "jargon" to different audiences and deciding on technical vs business paths
16:22 Developing the skills...
Following the Gong, a Podcast of the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State
Are you a Schreyer Scholar looking to connect with Scholar Alumni for career and life advice? Or perhaps you are a recent graduate looking to take the next step in your career, or are a prospective Scholar looking to learn more about the College. When our Scholars submit their honors thesis, they ring a ceremonial gong to mark the completion of their honors experience. #FollowingTheGong is a show that features conversations with Scholar Alumni and friends with stories and advice on how to maximize your Scholar experience, prepare for your career and further education, and make new connections with a strong network of Scholar Alumni that blazed the trail before you. Episodes are released bi-weekly on Tuesdays when Penn State classes are in session and are available on major platforms.
