Kirsten Davies is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Unilever.

Kirsten brings to her role a unique blend of leadership, business acumen, and information security and technology experience from working and living on four continents. She is a proven leader in guiding largescale global transformations focused on cyber and information security, technology, business process, and organizational transformation. Previous to her role with ELC, Davies was the Group Chief Security Officer (CSO) for Barclays Africa/ ABSA, where she was tapped to build and run the unique, end to end security function which included cybersecurity, information security, fraud, analytics, and physical security for operations across the continent. It was there she led the establishing of the first-ever Africa Converged Security Academy, an immersion-based, 14-week program that is now creating a pipeline of entry-level, cybersecurity talent for the continent.

Prior to her role with Barclays, Davies served in two capacities at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), both as Vice President and Deputy CISO, and as Vice President for Enterprise Security Strategy, heading up one of four worldwide, strategic customer-facing areas for HPE.

In her tenure with HPE, she achieved the first-ever Cyber Security Master Agreement with the German Workers Council, now replicated across HPE’s 20+ Works Councils in EMEA. She also led the strategic overhaul and reorganization of the Cyber Security Program, and broadened the capability of “Next Generation Security”, including Insider Risk and the IT/OT convergence. Prior to HPE, Kirsten served as the CISO for Global InfoSec Strategy and Governance at Siemens, while based in Munich, Germany. There she managed the three-year, global InfoSec Transformation Program to refine the policies, processes and technical portfolio of the global Information Security capability. Prior to that, she held senior leadership positions at Booz Allen Hamilton and Deloitte Australia.

Davies holds a bachelor’s degree in International Politics & Government from University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA, has studied International Law at Johns Hopkins University and has an advanced certificate in Change Management from the PROSCI Institute. She speaks fluent German, and has a long history of rescuing adorable dogs.