My journey into cybersecurity

March 8, 2024

3 Min read

Available in other languages

DE EN

Virginie Amar

Head of Cloud Cybersecurity Posture Management, Amadeus

Share it!

On International Women’s Day this year, the Amadeus Women’s Network is hosting an event that reflects on this year’s theme from the United Nations, “Invest in women: Accelerate progress” and which will discuss upskilling women in tech fields.

By investing in women's skills and careers in tech, we get a more equitable, inclusive and healthy work environment for all genders and diversities, as well as better decision-making, innovation, and overall business success. Upskilling and reskilling are great ways for us to help increase the number of women entering tech areas and this theme led me to reflect on my own experience as a woman in a technology field and my shift into cybersecurity.

I enjoy learning new things every day and the tech field's dynamic nature provides a large playground, which drew me to study Computer Science. I’m fascinated by the power of code and its ability to transform ideas into tangible solutions.

Technology and engineering are demanding fields, requiring creativity and innovation, and that really aligns with my personal and professional expectations.

Upskilling and reskilling

Having joined Amadeus in software development, my work with the company today is focused on cybersecurity, a fast-moving, technically complex field. When I decided I wanted to move into this area, I was able to develop a personal training plan with support from our Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

I have had access to online training and conferences, and I was enrolled in EC-Council cybersecurity certification, where I spent a week in London to develop my skillset. I have also been able to gain accreditations, passing Azure and cybersecurity certifications, like CEHv11. In addition, I have had the opportunity to exchange information with security experts inside and outside the company to help me to increase my technical skills.

Securing the future

We need to be prepared for the challenges that cybercriminals will present in the future, as they use new technologies to further develop their own criminal ecosystem. We must be on guard.

Thus, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is continuously growing. And, for women looking for a new field of expertise, cybersecurity offers a dynamic and rewarding career path and an important role in creating a safer digital world for all.

It’s a large area that values diverse perspectives and skills. Technical, analytical, problem-solving and communication skills are needed, and I strongly encourage women with those skills or who would like to develop those skills to join us in fighting cybercrime.

Practical Steps

Women are underrepresented in IT fields, and our presence is felt even less in cybersecurity. So, it’s important to highlight the contributions women are making to the field.

One example of this is my colleague Elisa Chiapponi, who was a finalist in the2023 European CyberWomen Trophy, in the research category. The awards are given byCEFCYS, a French association of women in cybersecurity, and Amadeus has been invited to sit on the jury for this year’s awards.

Last November, Amadeus sponsored theWomen4Cyber conference in Madrid, which was focused on hacking gender barriers.

And I’m looking forward to representing Amadeus at a lunch on International Women’s Day at the French Senate, organized by CEFCYS. I’m excited to share some of our activities to promote the entry of women into cybersecurity.

Internally, our CISO office has sponsored the creation of a new employee resource group aimed at women in cybersecurity, the Amadeus CyberWomen Community. The group brings together women from Amadeus offices all around the world and works to foster diversity and inclusion in the cybersecurity field, empowering women to excel, lead and develop their careers in this space.

Through these initiatives, we hope to inspire more women to join the cybersecurity field and make a positive impact on the industry and society. We also want to recognize the achievements of women who are already leading the way in this domain. We believe that diversity and inclusion are essential for innovation and excellence, and we are committed to fostering a culture where everyone can thrive and grow.

TO TOP