Phishing, Fork Bombs, Honeymonkeys and Pings of Deaths

How do you manage risk?

Information security, like physical security, is more urgent, carries greater risk and is more vulnerable than ever! Paradoxically, it seems that while physical security feels personal, corporate leaders push the protection of their own identities, employee information and customer data far behind other priorities.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, more than 52 million account records were placed in jeopardy because of security breaches in 2005. In 2006, an additional 30 million cases of compromised data, and in 2007, North American corporations are at a loss rate of 6 million/month.

There is some change on the horizon, though. Corporations are increasingly asking the question about how to integrate all of the threats and look at the comprehensive picture of risk. Like barbarians at the gate, your board, customers and employees will go on the offensive the moment you or even one of your competitors experiences a breach that becomes known to the public!

“Many of our clients have consolidated all aspects of security into one senior leader’s accountability, often the Chief Security Officer” says Peter Gordon, Partner, CIO & Technology for Epsen Fuller/IMD International Search Group. “There is a definite blurring of the lines between what is a physical threat vs. an IT threat.”

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Women and Minorities Targeted to Fill Executive Suites

Women and minorities are the coveted demographic for executive search firms throughout the world to help meet the critical talent shortage at the top due to Baby Boomer retirement, according to IMD International Search and Consulting experts who recently met in Paris to discuss this burgeoning issue.

As the critical talent shortage worsens and nearly 80 million Baby Boomers in North America alone enter their retirement years, executive search leaders from throughout the world discussed the pressing question: Who will take their place in the executive suite?

More than 50 delegates, including Thomas J. Fuller, one of IMD International’s seven board partners, director of the Americas and general managing partner of New York-based Epsen Fuller/IMD, gathered for a biannual conference in Paris in late November, where they discussed the phenomenon.

Critical Talent Shortfall

The baby boom generation is generally defined as the population born between 1946 and 1964. Employees in this demographic group range in age from 43 to 61, and are expected to begin leaving the workforce in 2008, as the first wave of boomers turn 62. There is a 33 million person shortfall expected in the U.S. alone over the next 5 – 15 years.

“In terms of age, origins, gender… there is a need to open the doors to new profiles and how organizations will manage to deal with the problem,” said Albert Hiribarrondo, chairman of the IMD International board, representative from France and managing partner of Sirca/IMD.

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"Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them -- a desire, a dream, a vision."                                                    ~ Muhammad Ali

Epsen Fuller/IMD continues to see job seekers relying on networking and their relationship with executive search firms as their top resources when looking for a new job. In a recent survey, conducted by the firm, 27% of those surveyed take advantage of business and/or personal networks during their job search, while 24% concentrate their efforts on the expertise of executive search firms. Blogs and company websites attract a fair amount of job seekers, whereas Job Boards and industry related associations/organizations only attract a small percentage (6 and 7% respectively) of professionals. In addition, many executives are looking for better feed back from search firms, advanced search capabilities, speed of execution, and more focused networking groups during their search.

Pressure to retain talent is intense, according to a recent AESC survey of 1000 global executives, showing that 75% of executives are actively or passively looking for another job and 40 percent of employers worldwide say they have difficulty finding talent. 87% of respondents said they were concerned about their work-life balance and 48% of male executives demanded less travel. A global shortage of executive talent is forcing companies to be much more accommodating as increasingly restless senior executives demand less travel and more flexibility, executive search firms say.