Nithya Viswanathan

About Nithya Viswanathan

Cybersecurity leader with over two decades of global experience across information security, risk management, and compliance—driving secure digital transformation and aligning security strategy with business growth. Currently serving as the Business Information Security Officer (BISO) for Asia Pacific, 1 Unilever and global Data Foundation at Unilever, I lead enterprise-wide security initiatives across diverse markets, enabling resilience, trust, and innovation at scale.Core strengths include- Security Strategy, Governance & Risk Management- Business-Aligned Cybersecurity Leadership- Global Security Program Design & Execution- Regulatory Compliance & Risk Mitigation- Digital Trust & Resilience Enablement- Cross-Functional Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement- Talent Development & Security Culture Transformation- Board-Level Influence & Executive CommunicationIn my current role, I partner with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to embed cybersecurity into business operations, enhance governance frameworks, and proactively manage risk across a complex, multi-market environment. I’m passionate about building secure digital ecosystems that empower innovation and protect what matters most. Professional OutlookI envision a future where cybersecurity is a strategic enabler of trust, growth, and sustainability. I’m committed to evolving as a security leader who inspires confidence, drives enterprise value, and shapes the future of secure business.🤝 I welcome meaningful connections with peers, thought leaders, and organizations navigating the next wave of digital transformation and seeking strategic security leadership.

Experience

1. Business Information Security Officer (Biso), Asia Pacific, 1 Unilever & Global Data Foundation

   Unilever

   Mar 2025 — Present

   Lead the cybersecurity strategy and governance for Unilever’s Asia Pacific region, covering India, China, Southeast Asia, and 1Unilever markets. Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and the Management Committee, functioning as the de facto CISO for Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL). Drive secure digital transformation, regulatory compliance, and enterprise resilience across diverse business and technology landscapes.Key Responsibilities & Impact- Strategic Leadership: Advise global and regional CISOs on cybersecurity strategy, risk governance, and business resilience. Develop and execute strategic plans for the design, implementation, and operation of security capabilities- Security Architecture & Integration: Collaborate with enterprise architecture and engineering teams to embed secure-by-design principles into digital transformation initiatives, cloud platforms, and AI adoption- Cyber Risk & Compliance: Lead regional cyber risk management, maintain risk registers, and align with enterprise risk frameworks. Ensure compliance with local and global regulations across high-risk markets- Operational Excellence: Oversee cybersecurity operations in complex environments, including China’s decoupled IT architecture and regulatory landscape. Achieved 80%+ reduction in critical vulnerabilities across regional systems- Global Service Enablement: Drive secure adoption of collaboration technologies, ERP systems, and cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure), ensuring scalable and resilient operations- Thought Leadership: Architected Unilever’s cybersecurity framework for responsible AI integration. Presented global cybersecurity strategy and business value to senior leaders using outcome-driven metrics- Talent & Culture: Lead a distributed team of 15+ security professionals across Asia Pacific. Foster a high-performance culture through mentoring, training, and behavioral change programs.

Education

• ICFAI Business School

  MBA, IT & Systems

  2002 — 2004

• Bannari Amman Institute of Technology

  B.E., Computer Science & Engineering

  1997 — 2001

• Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, Coimbatore

  12th

  1993 — 1997

Skills

• Information Security Management
• Cism
• Information Security
• Risk Management
• IT Compliance
• Security Audits
• Information Security Governance
• IT Audit
• Sox
• Itgc
• Bcm
• Disaster Recovery
• Isae 3402
• Consulting
• Security
• Iso 27001
• Grc
• Risk Assessment
• Sarbanes-Oxley Act
• Business Continuity
• Governance
• Sas70
• Pci Dss
• Cisa