re:invent security is a podcast where we, on a monthly basis, learn from industry leaders how they reinvented security and how you can turn their experiences into action. Join us as we chat with inspiring information security professionals, dissecting the field of information security and its developments. Because when an episode ends, the real question begins: 'What will you do differently tomorrow?' Let's reinvent our field, one strategy at a time.
re:invent security is hosted by Jeroen Prinse and Irfaan Santoe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
re:invent security is a podcast where we, on a monthly basis, learn from industry leaders how they reinvented security and how you can turn their experiences into action. Join us as we chat with inspiring information security professionals, dissecting the field of information security and its developments. Because when an episode ends, the real question begins: 'What will you do differently tomorrow?' Let's reinvent our field, one strategy at a time.
re:invent security is hosted by Jeroen Prinse and Irfaan Santoe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of re:invent security, hosts Jeroen Prinse and Irfaan Santoe sit down with two cybersecurity leaders tackling the talent gap from opposite directions. Laurens Jagt, founder of Cyber Security District, is building one of Europe’s most vibrant security communities—mentoring and guiding professionals at every stage of their career. Medea de Jong, Global CISO at Sonepar, brings the inside view of what it takes to lead, grow, and keep effective security teams in highly regulated industries.
Together, they explore what’s broken in how we hire, why job descriptions miss the mark, how to spot hidden talent, and what it really takes to build security teams that stick. Whether you’re building your first team or reshaping a mature one, this candid conversation is packed with insights you can act on tomorrow.
Tune in and ask yourself: What will you do differently tomorrow?
Chapters:
00:00 - 03:33 - Introduction
03:33 - 07:09 - How do Medea and Laurens see reinventing the field?
07:10 - 08:22 - Are soft skills more important then certificates?
08:23 - 10:07 - What is more difficult: finding or retaining talent?
10:08 - 19:01 - What is the new generation looking for?
19:02 - 24:46 - Should we take more risk on new or transitioning talent?
24:45 - 31:04 - What is going wrong with our job descriptions?
31:05 - 34:49 - Should development be driven by the organization or the professional?
34:50 - 43:19 - Talking to the board on team development
43:20 - 45:21 - What’s one example of a development program that works?
45:22 - 47:52 - Are we looking for talent in the right places?
47:53 - 51:14 - What makes a transition into the cyber security field work?
51:15 - 53:56 - Building a brand new security team
53:57 - 58:09 - Key take aways Irfaan and Jeroen
58:10- 59:45 - Outro
Resources:
1. TierPoint – Building Your Cybersecurity Team (2025)
Link: https://www.tierpoint.com/blog/cybersecurity-team
A practical guide for building an effective cybersecurity team, covering roles, strategies, and policy foundations. Ideal for modern organizations aiming to be scalable and agile.
2. TechTarget – Maximize Business Impact with the Right Security Team
Link: https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/How-to-build-a-cybersecurity-team-to-maximize-business-impact
This article explores how the right team structure directly influences risk reduction, operational efficiency, and talent retention. Especially relevant for security leaders and HR decision-makers.
3. Airiam – 14 Strategies for Building Cyber-Resilient Teams
Link: https://airiam.com/blog/building-cyber-resilient-teams
A clear and actionable blog post offering 14 strategies to enhance team culture, training, and awareness within cybersecurity teams. Useful for leaders looking to strengthen team dynamics.
4. ISACA - State of Cybersecurity 2024 report
Link: https://www.isaca.org/resources/reports/state-of-cybersecurity-2024
Connect with Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/medea-de-jong-aa1b771/
Connect with Laurens: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurensjagt/
Subscribe to this channel to find all new episodes:
https://youtube.com/@reinventsecurity?feature=shared
Listen on:
Spotify: https://ap.lc/SzTrY
Apple Podcasts: https://ap.lc/HmXhf
FOLLOW ►
Jeroen Prinse
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jprinse/
Irfaan Santoe:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irfaansantoe/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
