Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality and a true leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. A living example of leadership and a true leader is Laszlo Dellei who is CEO and Founder of Kerubiel. His exemplary leadership style is inspiring. Let’s learn about his journey.

The outset story of his career.

The world of IT has always been fascinating for him. Information technology is a double-edged sword capable of good and bad things. An IT professional shall stand in the middle and try to exploit technology for the good of society and, at the same time, prevent and defend against misuses. This way, the IT professional is a benefactor, a protector as well as an investigator whose everyday work is always interesting and challenging.

That is why, from the beginning of his career, he has focused on IT and information security issues. In this respect, he approached his carrier very consciously, continuously widening his expertise and knowledge in these fields. Work and learning went hand in hand in his life: He always sought out new challenges, focused on areas that interested him the most and took courses, professional trainings, and qualifications (e.g., CISA, CGEIT, CRISC, CDPSE, CEH, C|CISO, Security, expert witness certifications) in that respect, after which he applied the knowledge thus gained in his professional life, and so on.

Aims and ideals that guide Dellei as an individual and a professional

Innovation, adaptability, and creativity are guiding principles for him. Cybersecurity for instance is rapidly changing and developing field where new technologies and their application as well as the social and other developments (e.g., the pandemic) necessitate constant change. Adapting to the new situations, exploiting knowledge from other areas are foundational regarding success. For instance, since the beginning of the current pandemic, online presence in almost all aspects of our lives has been strengthened, from social interactions to the provision of different goods and services. There are many ways to adapting to the new needs and expectations, such as applying anywhere operations, distributed infrastructures, and autonomous decision-making processes. However, the network and the connected architectures are still vulnerable against various threats, such as theft and fraudulent or attacks. Thus, protective measures need to be applied in order to detect data leakages and other deficiencies.

All About Kerubiel and his roles and Responsibilities

In 2017, Kerubiel was established to operate as an enterprise specialized in complex counselling in the fields of IT, information security, and related fields, such as data protection. The company began its operation to aid a wide range of SMEs, big and multinational corporations, such as financial and insurance companies, as well as governmental organisations, e.g., healthcare providers and hospitals, etc.

In 2019, Kerubiel decided to widen its operation and began its R&D division. In this regard, the company participates in several scientific as well as professional research projects in the field of modern, developing technologies, such as AI or VR. Domestic and international projects provided a unique opportunity for Kerubiel to establish itself as a scientific think tank that continues to venture to emerging areas that may be effectively utilized in everyday operations. The company also became a member of the Hungarian AI Coalition and contributed to the Hungarian AI strategy adopted in 2020.

In 2020, the pandemic has brought new challenges to the surface that needed to be tackled with. Cybersecurity and threats in the online environment became the focus of professional discussions and efforts. Thus, Kerubiel decided to strengthen its operations and tools in this respect. For instance, the company developed several state-of-the-art product, based on AI such as dynamic defence capabilities.

In 2021, Kerubiel continued to apply new, innovative and complex IT security measures to provide assistance to its clients, as well as carrying out research in the previously mentioned scientific fields. One of their newest tools specifically targets the automotive industry assisting the relevant actors to provide objective evidence of compliance with information security requirements. This is the Verband der Automobilindustrie the Trusted Information Security Assessment Exchange (VDA TISAX) that provides common standards for information security and data protection measures fully conform to the GDPR regulation and  also prototype protection requirements. This way the tool becomes a highly effective method in reducing the company’s evaluation process effort when there is a demand to process sensitive information from customers or when facing the demand to assess and evaluate the information security practices of suppliers.

Today, the other pillar of Kerubiel’s operations is data protection. In this field, the company provides complex counselling on data protection and data security measures based on GAP assessments, outsourced activities (DPO or CISO services) and other services, such as trainings and education. Furthermore, Kerubiel acts as a designated EU representative for controllers and processors outside the EEA, especially in the APAC region. Finally, the company utilizes its specialized knowledge from other areas, such as IT and information security, to complement the already existing data protection and data security measures (e.g., by developing encryption mechanisms, BCPs etc.).

As the CEO, his primary responsibilities are developing the business strategies as well as defining the course of growth and expansion of Kerubiel. However, being a CEO is a rather manager-type occupation, but he is still very much interested in the development of his profession, thus, to avoid lagging behind the newest trends, he still enjoys participating in the daily work routine of the company.

His greatest strength

In the digital age, interdisciplinary connections are essential as knowledge necessary to succeed becomes more complex. Therefore, he prefers to foster such connection from both a professional and an individual point of view, and he managed to implement this approach at Kerubiel as well.

Kerubiel has a culture where the company acts as a professional and scientific forum where employees are not only professional experts but scientific experts working to further develop their fields of interest. That is the reason why employees are supported to widen their knowledge. Participation in trainings and earning qualifications are strongly encouraged even if they are not “closely” related to one’s field of expertise, since a wide knowledge and view would only benefit the company (beside the individual). He also tries to make an example in this regard, for instance he went back to the Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Law where he took a specialized training concerning data protection and data security. Furthermore, as a member and Mob of ISACA Hungary, he also accompanies his colleagues to specialized information security trainings.

On the other hand, he tries to imply a culture of shared ideas at the company. Discussing new ideas, utilizing new knowledge enables a culture of innovation and at the same time supports integrity at the workplace as well. Without the sharing relevant ideas and information, a company cannot succeed.

Advice to the next generation of aspiring and budding Businesspeople

Creativity, perseverance, and patience are of utmost importance for a successful company. Success is not immediate. You must find an idea which is both unique and may be considered a valid solution for certain challenges in the industry. Then you must skive it, make it adaptable to various situations that may arise, and to listen to feedbacks from colleagues as well as from clients. And do not forget even if you have found the right way, minor setbacks are always waiting for you, but if you overcome them with patience, you will experience success.