Show Summary – Episode 13
Tania Neild interviews BlackCloak, Abacus and Copia about keeping the family and the office secure. The discussion introduces these companies and their services, and focuses on the impact and future implications of the 7/19 CrowdStrike incident on cybersecurity practices for family offices. Topics include:
- Changes in the security stack post-incident
- Strategies for protecting client endpoints and evaluating EDR tools
- Mitigating single points of failure in security tools
- Maintaining robust security for remote users and cloud servers
- Expected changes in client due diligence processes
- Client communication practices during such events
About the Moderator
Tania Neild, CTO & Owner, InfoGrate
Dr. Neild began her career as an applied scientist for the National Security Agency, which awarded her the National Physical Sciences Consortium Award to fund her research in heterogeneous database integration. She earned a PhD in computer engineering and a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer sciences.
Abacus
Abacus Group is a global managed IT and Cybersecurity service provider with specialized cloud, compliance and IT-as-a-Service offerings built specifically for the financial services industry. The innovative and award-winning abacusFlex platform provides financial services firms with a one-stop-shop of IT and security solutions and the ability to scale securely and compliantly as needs evolve.
Represented by Paul Ponzeka, CTO, Abacus Group
Paul Ponzeka is the Chief Technology Officer at Abacus Group, responsible for R&D, systems engineering, disaster recovery and networking. Before joining Abacus in 2012, he was head of engineering for Davidson Kempner Capital Management. Prior to Davidson Kempner, he was a senior engineer at Eze Castle Integration, responsible for high-level VMWare and SAN implementations, as well as serving as the company’s senior messaging expert. Paul earned a BS in Operations Management at the University of Scranton and is CISSP-certified.
Copia
Copia Wealth Studios is a platform that offers real-time portfolio management, allowing users to oversee their wealth across various asset classes, including alternatives like real estate and venture capital, as well as cash and other liquid assets. The service is designed to enhance asset management, termed as “Assets Under Intelligence™,” and caters to a diverse clientele. The Copia team boasts a strong background, with achievements such as creating global #1 applications, building Deloitte Fast 500 companies, winning National Entrepreneur of the Year awards, launching successful challenger banks, and developing software for numerous complex enterprises.
Represented by Michael Sikorsky, CEO, Copia Wealth Studios
Michael Sikorsky (@mjsikorsky) is an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Winner, Deloitte Fast 500 Recipient His current company, Copia Wealth Studios, is a wealth operating system for modern allocators. It was founded in 2021 after discovering that existing solutions don’t solve for the wealth owner after the establishment of his own Family Office.
BlackCloak
BlackCloak protects corporate executives and high-profile individuals from cybersecurity, privacy, financial, and other reputation risks. The BlackCloak Concierge Cybersecurity & Privacy™ Platform is a holistic solution including mobile and desktop apps as well as concierge support. Executives and high-profile individuals get peace of mind knowing their family, reputation, and finances are secured. Companies rest assured that their brand, intellectual property, data, and finances are protected against threats coming through executives without having to invade their personal lives.
Represented by Dr. Chis Pierson, CEO, BlackCloak
Prior to BlackCloak, Chris served for over a decade on the Department of Homeland Security’s Privacy Committee and Cybersecurity Subcommittee, and is a Distinguished Fellow of the Ponemon Institute. He has also held leadership roles as the Chief Privacy Officer for Royal Bank of Scotland, the world’s 3rd largest bank, leading its US privacy and data protection program; as the Chief Information Security Officer for two FinTechs, and as President of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Arizona InfraGard.
Previously, Chris was a founding executive of Viewpost, a FinTech payments company, serving as their CISO and General Counsel. Chris began his career as a corporate attorney for Lewis and Roca, where he established its CyberSecurity Practice representing companies who were hacked and fell victim to data breaches.
Chris received his B.A. and M.A. from Boston College and his Ph.D. and J.D. from the University of Iowa.
