Cybersecurity Leadership and Responsible AI Implementation
I’m Brian Burnett. I bring cybersecurity and technical leadership across multiple sectors that include complex and heavily regulated environments, along with hands-on experience building AI policy and enabling responsible AI adoption. I help organizations mature technology and security programs—and give executives and boards a clear basis for decisions.
EXPERIENCE ACROSS
complex, critical environments
PRACTICAL RESOURCES · BOOKS & TOOLKITS
Explore the Executive Cybersecurity Reporting Toolkit and my book, Building a Cybersecurity Program in the AI Era.
01 / HOW I CAN HELP
Whether you’re building a program, navigating change, or preparing for your next board conversation, the work starts with your business priorities.
Experienced security leadership aligned to your organization’s maturity, resources, and risk tolerance.
Connect technical environments and delivery decisions to the direction of the business.
Turn useful AI ideas into a responsible adoption plan with clear ownership and safeguards.
Make governance, risk, and compliance useful to the people making decisions.
Resilience runs through every engagement. Incident readiness, crisis leadership, and the realities of IT and operational technology inform the work from the start.
02 / EXPERIENCE THAT INFORMS THE WORK
My career began investigating fraud and computer crimes. That foundation still shapes how I work: understand the evidence, ask the right questions, and focus on what matters.
Today, I bring more than 15 years of cybersecurity leadership across global banking, electric utilities, healthcare, and professional services.
Field / Fractional CISO
Chief Security Office Director
Head of Network Security Product & Delivery
Director of Cybersecurity
IQVIA — Information Security Manager; global security operations and digital investigations.
Cherry Bekaert, Mediant Communications, BB&T, and Deloitte — Experience spanning IT audit, cyber risk, digital forensics, and e-discovery.
Greensboro Police Department — Detective, Fraud and Computer Crimes.
SELECTED LEADERSHIP IMPACT
Selected work in program leadership, governance, and professional engagement.
01 / PROGRAM MATURITY & GOVERNANCE
I strengthened the statewide organization’s cybersecurity program and developed it to support 26 electric cooperatives, with assistance shaped around each cooperative’s needs as requested.
I aligned the program to CIS and provided executive and board communications to inform risk and program decisions.
02 / ENGINEERING & CYBER RISK
I built relationships with Idaho National Laboratory and introduced Cyber-Informed Engineering to the electric cooperatives.
The approach connects cybersecurity with engineering decisions throughout a system’s life, including how design can limit the operational consequences of a cyberattack.
03 / RESPONSIBLE AI ADOPTION
I developed board-level AI policy and guidance, implemented AI tool usage and AI-enabled cybersecurity capabilities, and incorporated AI risk assessment into the work.
This connected the adoption of new tools with governance, security considerations, and executive oversight.
CONFERENCE SPEAKING
I have presented at multiple cybersecurity conferences across the United States.
EDUCATION IN PRACTICE
Teaching cybersecurity and digital forensics since 2011, with experience in online instruction, course development, live simulations, and student career counseling.
– Present
Adjunct Instructor
Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics
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Instructor / Tutor
Postgraduate Certificate Program
Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age
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Adjunct Professor
Cybersecurity Program Management
03 / EXECUTIVE PROFILE
Cybersecurity, technology & AI leadership
Brian Burnett is a cybersecurity and technology executive whose experience spans regulated global banking, electric utilities, healthcare, and professional services. He connects technical strategy with governance, operational needs, and the decisions facing executive teams and boards.
As Chief Security Office Director and Head of Network Security Product and Delivery at Deutsche Bank, Brian leads global network security strategy, architecture, engineering delivery, budgets, and strategic vendor relationships.
Previously, as Director of Cybersecurity at North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, he strengthened NCEMC’s statewide program and developed tailored support for its 26 electric cooperatives as they requested assistance. His work included CIS alignment, executive and board communications, incident readiness, and board-level AI policy. He also built relationships with Idaho National Laboratory and introduced Cyber-Informed Engineering to the cooperatives. RE Magazine recognized him as a 2025 Co-op Rising Star.
Brian’s earlier experience at IQVIA, Cherry Bekaert, Mediant Communications, BB&T, and Deloitte spans security operations, audit, risk, digital forensics, and investigations. His foundation as a fraud and computer crimes detective continues to inform an approach grounded in evidence and practical decision-making. He has presented at multiple cybersecurity conferences across the United States.
Alongside his industry work, Brian has served as an Adjunct Instructor at American Public University since August 2011, teaching cybersecurity and digital forensics, developing courses, and providing student career counseling. He served as an Instructor / Tutor for Harvard University’s Postgraduate Certificate Program in Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age from November 2017 to April 2025, delivering online instruction, leading two live simulation sessions per course, and developing and updating course content. From June 2025 to May 2026, he also provided online instruction in Cybersecurity Program Management as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland Global Campus. View teaching experience.
Through Legion Cyberworks, Brian provides Field / Fractional CISO and advisory support to organizations building or maturing security programs, modernizing technology, strengthening governance, and adopting AI responsibly.
04 / A PRACTICAL WAY FORWARD
A useful strategy reflects the way your organization actually operates: its people, budget, obligations, and tolerance for risk.
Understand business goals, critical services, existing capabilities, and the risks creating the most uncertainty.
A shared view of prioritiesTranslate findings into a practical roadmap with ownership, investment choices, and a sequence your team can execute.
A plan grounded in your resourcesSupport execution, review the evidence, and communicate progress and remaining risk to leaders and the board.
Clear accountability and reportingFLEXIBLE ENGAGEMENTS
Ongoing fractional CISO support, a focused advisory project, or an executive working session. Scope and cadence are shaped around your needs through Legion Cyberworks.
05 / START A CONVERSATION
Whether you need advisory support or want to discuss an executive leadership opportunity, there’s a direct way to connect.
Based in North Carolina · Available for remote advisory engagements
When your organization needs experienced security leadership but may not need a full-time CISO, or when an existing team needs additional direction through growth, change, or a specific initiative. The first conversation helps establish the scope and decision-making responsibilities.
Yes. My background also includes healthcare, life sciences, and professional services. Advisory work can support small and mid-sized organizations as well as larger enterprises, with scope tailored to their operating environment and available resources.
Yes. A focused engagement can address a maturity assessment, AI governance, a technology roadmap, third-party risk, incident readiness, or executive and board reporting. Ongoing advisory support can be discussed separately through Legion Cyberworks.