Strategy Layer Live • Episode 4
The Next-Gen CISO: Leading Beyond Risk and Certs with Jimmy Sanders
July 28th, 2025 / Cyber leadership is shifting — and the gulf between yesterday’s CISO and tomorrow’s is only growing.
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In this episode of The Strategy Layer Live, we sit down with one of the most respected and candid voices in cybersecurity today — Jimmy Sanders.
Jimmy is the CISO of Save Mart overseeing more than 200 stores across the West Coast, the former CISO of Netflix DVD, and the current President of ISSA International — giving him a rare, global vantage point on how the role of CISO is being redefined in real time.
But this conversation isn’t just about job titles. It’s about transformation.
Together, Steve and Jimmy dive into how the CISO role is shifting from technician to strategist, why governance frameworks often crumble under real-world politics, and what it takes to lead when budgets are flat, expectations are exponential, and trust is the only currency that matters.
What we cover in this episode:
Why automation must come before AI — and how to prepare your team for agents
The hidden costs of being “just the technician” instead of the strategic partner
The politics of governance and why frameworks often fail without enforcement
How to measure human-centered risk: burnout, fatigue, and decision friction
Why trust and presence — not titles — determine whether you get heard at the board level
The future of the CISO: from risk manager to Chief Trust Officer, or even CIO
Whether you’re leading your first security team or steering global strategy, this episode will challenge you to rethink what leadership looks like when the CISO’s true mandate is to create resilience, not just reduce risk.
