Cybersecurity Series E21: Risk, Compliance and Cybersecurity Leadership in Modern Businesses with HCS' Lesley Whelan

About this episode

Today's guest is Lesley Whelan, Head of Risk and Compliance at HCS. Founded in 1994, HCS is one of Ireland’s leading managed IT services and cybersecurity providers, supporting organizations with digital transformation, cloud solutions, AI technologies and IT infrastructure. With offices across Ireland and a highly accredited team, HCS combines deep technical expertise with a customer-first approach, helping businesses strengthen security, improve operations and drive sustainable growth through innovative technology solutions.

Lesley specializes in operational resilience, information security, governance and regulatory compliance across shared services, IT, managed services and cyber environments. Lesley supports organizations in strengthening governance frameworks, improving operational processes, and implementing standards such as ISO 27001 and ISO 20000. Her approach focuses on practical, outcome-driven solutions that enhance compliance, reduce risk and improve service quality across day-to-day operations.

In the episode, Lesley talks about:

0:00 Her career journey from IT engineering to cyber leadership

3:01 Focus on cyber leadership, governance and management systems

4:08 Emphasizing leadership’s role in embedding culture and security

4:56 How ISO 27001 provides governance, accountability and decision clarity

5:58 The need for pragmatic governance, decision-making and balanced AI adoption

7:48 HCS as a managed IT partner offering cyber and advisory services

9:11 Why investment in cyber requires practical testing, not just documentation

11:14 Using LinkedIn, peers, events and courses to manage constant industry change

12:30 Advice to embrace opportunities, stay open and learn from experience

To find out more about all the great work happening at HCS, check out the website www.hcs.ie