Max Shier, Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, Optiv

Additional Info

Job title of nominated professional (or team name)Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer
Company (where nominated professional or team is working)Optiv
Websitehttps://www.optiv.com/
Company size (employees)1,000 to 4,999
CountryUnited States
Headquarters RegionNorth America

Overview

Max Shier is a results-driven cybersecurity executive with over 25 years of security experience across several disciplines and has a demonstrated history of building high-performing teams and security programs, both within the government and in the industry. He is also a retired U.S. Air Force veteran, where he served as a security forces flight chief, cybersecurity test lead and cyber operations lead.

As vice president and chief information security officer for Optiv, Shier is responsible for leading cybersecurity strategy and security program implementation across Optiv, Optiv Canada Federal and Optiv + ClearShark.

Shier joined Optiv from Lockheed Martin, where he was the cybersecurity director for the Lockheed Martin Space business area, leading the cybersecurity efforts of several critical national security programs. Prior to Lockheed Martin, he was a cyber team lead with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), where he was responsible for leading cybersecurity assessments and government oversight of defense contractors within the Rocky Mountain states of the United States.

In addition to a master’s degree in cybersecurity from Colorado Technical University, Shier holds certifications from ISC², EC Council, DCSA, Proofpoint and Amazon Web Services. He is also an avid Ironman triathlete and cyclist.

Accomplishments

• Thought Leadership: Max Shier was a vocal advocate and ambassador of cybersecurity in 2024, presenting at the National Classification Management Society (NCMS) national conference, several NCMS and Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) chapter meetings and LinkedIn Live sessions. Additionally, he has been a prominent thought leader in the industry, appearing in several podcasts and articles, including The CyberWire, TechTarget, CRN, Help Net Security, CSO Online, Business Security Weekly Podcast, CISO Stories Podcast, the Optiv Cyber Awareness Month Blog and others.


• Focus on Streamlining: His work on technology rationalization and the implementation of a request-for-proposals process allowed for Optiv to streamline the procurement process, which saved the company more than $1 million in 2024 alone. Those savings, combined with the addition of several added security capabilities, allowed for the increased visibility of vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in both the cloud and on-premises environments, reducing the overall vulnerability numbers by 45% over the past year. Additionally, he oversaw the successful transition of several security capabilities to the company’s managed security services, streamlining the incident response process, and oversaw the response to more than 17,000 security tickets.


• Staunch Support and Advocacy of Veterans: As a retired Air Force veteran himself, he has dedicated his time to mentoring several transitioning veterans who are looking to get into the cybersecurity industry. He also co-led Optiv's employee resource group for veterans, OVETS, for the past two years. Additionally, he is the executive sponsor leading Optiv’s intern program efforts, partnering with the National Security Alliance’s National Center for Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity to help mentor and cultivate cybersecurity talent.


Shier has significantly impacted the cybersecurity community by serving as a thought leader, mentoring and cultivating cybersecurity talent, and supporting military veterans through DEI initiatives and mentoring.


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