Hector Coronado Navarro, Head of Security Ops LATAM, Mercado Libre discusses the factors that Chief Security Officers will need to take into account in 2024.

Corporate security in Latin America faces significant challenges stemming from economic instability, sociopolitical changes and a growing sense of insecurity.

The corporate landscape

Insecurity is escalating in the corporate realm, influenced by economic shifts like nearshoring and sociopolitical transformations in Latin American governments.

These transitions often lead to reprisals by criminal groups or the pursuit of opportunities to expand their influence.

Exacerbated by well-known risks such as pandemics, increased crime and more violent offenses, the lack of effective government strategies intensifies challenges.

The future in Latin America

Emerging technologies: the adoption of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, predictive analytics and automation will be crucial for more efficient threat detection.

Cybersecurity: companies will need to invest in advanced defense systems to protect digital assets.

Focus on prevention: preventing threats before they occur will include early identification of risks, the implementation of robust controls and ongoing employee education.

Integration: the integration of physical and digital security systems will allow for more efficient responses.

Collaboration: sharing information among companies, government agencies and security organizations will be essential.

Resilience: security strategies will focus on organizational resilience, involving the ability to recover quickly after incidents and adapt to constantly changing environments.

Data privacy: companies will need to prioritize the protection of sensitive information of their customers and employees.

Continuous training: ongoing employee training will include awareness of cyber-threats, safe practices and the importance of physical security.

Geopolitics: companies will have to understand and mitigate risks associated with global political and social events.

Sustainability: corporate security will increasingly align with sustainable practices, including in the supply chain.

The Chief Security Officer of the future

In the future, the role of the Chief Security Officer (CSO) will require key soft skills to address changing challenges and lead effectively.

Some of these skills include effective communication with diverse stakeholders, ensuring inspirational leadership to motivate and lead security teams, adaptability to change with new scenarios and negotiation skills to find solutions that balance security with business needs.

Even more skills include empathy and social awareness to understand the concerns and needs of employees and stakeholders, collaboration and teamwork, crisis management and resilience to manage security crises and lead organizational resilience, being results orientated to align with business objectives, presentation skills to emphasize the importance of security measures and emotional intelligence to manage one’s own emotions and those of others, especially in crisis situations.

These soft skills, combined with technical expertise, will be crucial for future CSOs to successfully lead security in an ever-evolving business environment.

About Hector Coronado Navarro

Hector Coronado Navarro is an accomplished expert with over 17 years of experience in loss prevention and 18 years in security.

He is the author of the book Una Segunda Oportunidad, 8 Lecciones en Seguridad Corporativa.

This article was originally published in the Special February Influencers Edition of Security Journal Americas. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.