Meet the Senior Security Consultant Gi-gi Simmons

As long as I can remember, I was always interested in science and maths. They were my favourite subjects at school, and naturally led to an interest in technology too as I got older. More specifically, physics was my main fascination and that’s what I went on to study at university.

Like a lot of physics students, the course and subject doesn’t necessarily come with a life plan, and it’s more a case of following your passion at that stage. I was given the opportunity to study it at Durham - it was tough going but I wouldn’t have chosen anything else.

Some programming was introduced to a degree at that stage, but I wouldn’t say it was the crux of the course, nor my strong point. It certainly wouldn’t have led to a prediction that I’d be working in the computer security space afterwards.

 

Rather, I thought I might go into engineering, and actually had my first exposure to BAE Systems via an internship with BAE’s Electronic Systems business, the summer before I finished my degree. Through that experience, I heard about digital opportunities at BAE Systems. The world of cybersecurity consulting sounded really exciting, and - more surprisingly - suitable to my interests and skill set. 

The thought of joining such a seemingly fast-paced industry immediately appealed, and now here we are.

 

I joined BAE Systems as a security consultant in 2016, enticed by the fact that it seemed quite a new field, especially compared to something like engineering. I remember thinking I didn’t have any specific skills for it other than a basic knowledge of programming, and I certainly hadn’t done anything security-focused before. But I was reassured that my STEM-based skills and passion for joining a fast-moving industry would suit. And that was absolutely the case.

Initially, I started off working with defence accounts in more of a Junior Project Manager role. Here, I got to understand how clients worked, how finances moved around, and how to handle the management of these relationships. 

From there, I have moved into more security-focused roles, starting with being part of the Cyber Threat Intelligence team, where I spent two-and-a-half years delivering bespoke threat intelligence internally to our parent business. This included clients across the BAE Systems footprint, such as Air, Maritime, and Land, before bringing that service to the attention of broader industry players.

No matter where I’ve moved to across the company, I’ve definitely not been the most technical on any team. We have a lot of great computer science and software engineering graduates and trainees who bring that kind of knowledge. But that’s what’s so exciting about the breadth of skills needed for threat intelligence and cyber security – where I come in is through project management, report writing, liaising with clients, relaying technical information to non-technical people. 

Really, it is ‘consulting’ in every sense of the word that I believe I’m strongest in.

 

There are a lot of differences between the physics degree I undertook at university and the work I’m doing now, but one thing they have in common - unfortunately - is that both spaces are very male dominated. The engineering sector I also considered a few years’ ago… ditto! 

That being said, I never saw it as a barrier, and the lack of female role models didn’t put me off entering the industry. I guess, as a young woman, I saw (and see) it as an opportunity to come in and be part of the change, and BAE Systems is certainly one of the exciting companies enabling that change. 

By seeing how things work from the inside, you grow to understand more of the systemic barriers that are in place; chief of which is the lack of women in senior positions across STEM industries. From my perspective, that is one of the big improvements I’d like to see, as having greater diversity across leadership and management teams would have a significant knock-on effect from the top down. Plus, if young girls are seeing women already at the top, it’s a lot more inspiring.

From the other side of the equation, I think there needs to be a better connection between industry and academia to clearly state: “we as a tech, or cyber, or engineering sector, are looking for bright and talented people with these personality traits, or these skills, or this level of communication and problem solving”. Soon, people would realise that it’s not just down to technical expertise or how much programming you’ve done in your basement. There is no ‘type’ of person that thrives in this sector. 

Changing this preconception, and improving the gender balance, must also be driven by male allies. Our industry’s talented men, both in positions of leadership, and young men early in their career, have a big part to play in the shift towards a diverse and inclusive industry.

 

For my part, I’m trying to provide support through our women in cyber security network and the buddying scheme we have here within the security consulting community. I’ve really enjoyed that process of encouraging the next groups of people in, and hopefully being a good mentor.

The more people I meet, the better it is for my development too, as I work towards being the best security consultant I can be. I want to be able to go into any type of company and help them improve their approach and make their operations more secure.

That adaptability is crucial and I’d like to think that I can be flexible as a consultant, as well as a team leader in the future as well.

In general, cybersecurity is such an exciting field to be in, just as I hoped it would be when first exploring my options. Six years on, it still feels like a young field with the threat landscape changing so quickly. 

No doubt it will look different again in another 10 years, and that’s why it’s so important to keep encouraging young talent from all backgrounds to join the sector.