Kamlesh Soni

About Kamlesh Soni

Experienced Cybersecurity and IT Leader with 18+ years in the FinTech and BFSI domain, driving strategic planning, digital transformation, and secure technology integration across web, mobile, and cloud ecosystems. Proven success as CISO, Head of IT, and Principal Security Consultant with deep expertise in cybersecurity architecture, governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance aligned with ISO 27001, PCI DSS, Cert‑In, NIST, GDPR, and India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act.Globally certified (CISSP, CISM, CISA,ITIL,PMI-ACP), with strong hands‑on capability in incident response, threat intelligence, SOC operations, business continuity, and third‑party risk management (TPRM). Adept at strengthening data protection frameworks, improving SOC maturity, and enabling clear executive‑level communication for strategic decision-making.Deeply experienced in implementing DPDP Act compliance, including privacy‑by‑design, data lifecycle governance, consent management, lawful processing, breach notification readiness, data principal rights enablement, data fiduciary/processor alignment, and privacy impact assessments across SAP and Non‑SAP ecosystems. Skilled in building enterprise‑wide privacy programs that ensure secure data handling, transparency, and regulatory adherence.Passionate about leveraging AI/ML and Agentic AI to modernize SOC operations, enhance predictive threat detection, automate response workflows, and build future‑ready cyber defence models. Committed to elevating cyber resilience, regulatory alignment, and security‑driven business growth across enterprise environments.

Experience

1. Cyber Security Expert Public Sector Mcgm Bmc Mumbai

   Grant Thornton Bharat LLP

   Mar 2024 — Present

   As the dedicated CISO for MCGM, I am leading the cybersecurity strategy and execution for one of Asia’s largest municipal corporations, securing digital infrastructure that supports over 13 million citizens, users, 300+ servers, and 50+ SAP and Non-SAP applications, including SAP GRC modules.1. Policy & Governance: Drafted and secured Board approval for 20+ IT security policies and SOPs covering SAP GRC, Non-SAP systems, and enterprise-wide IT operations.2. Risk Management: Conducted risk assessments across 12 departments, identifying and mitigating high-impact vulnerabilities through tailored controls.3. Security Architecture: Designed and implemented Zero Trust architecture and hardened infrastructure across SAP/Non-SAP systems, servers, and endpoints.4. Security Operations: Successfully rolled out SOC components—SIEM, SOAR, UBA, Brand Monitoring, Network Flow Monitoring, now fully operational.5. Compliance Leadership: Ensured compliance with ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and DPDP Act, supported by VAPT assessments and continuous control monitoring.6. Incident Response: Developed and operationalized incident response plans, reducing average response time by 40% and minimizing operational disruptions.7. Awareness & Training: Conducted 15+ cybersecurity workshops and awareness sessions for internal teams and stakeholders.8. Vendor Risk Management: Managed onboarding and compliance of 10+ strategic vendors under the ₹100+ Cr security transformation program.9. Technology Implementation: Oversaw deployment of 14+ security tools including PIM, PAM, DLP, EDR/XDR, NAC, APM, ITSM, and ITAM.10. Data Privacy & Protection: Implemented privacy-by-design principles across SAP and Non-SAP systems, ensuring full compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act and safeguarding citizen data.11. Metrics & Reporting: Established 10+ KPIs and dashboards for real-time monitoring and reporting to senior leadership and the Board.

Education

• RCCIT CHHINDWARA MADHYA PRADESH

  BCA, Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services

• LNCT Group of Colleges

  Master of Computer Applications - MCA, Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management