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CHRIS POPOVSKI
Westwood,NJ
Summary
Cybersecurity executive with years of experience leading enterprise data security, cyber hygiene, and governance programs across the U.S., Canada, and South America. Proven ability to build new teams, establish operating models, and deliver scalable data protection capabilities in highly regulated environments. Expert in DLP, secrets management, tokenization, email security, data discovery/classification, and third-party data governance. Known for driving innovation, strengthening enterprise resilience, and translating complex technical risks into clear, actionable insights for senior executives and boards.
Overview
1
1
Certification
2027
2027
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Information Security, Americas
Volvo Cars USA
2023 - Current
- Lead regional cybersecurity strategy for Volvo Cars Americas operations, overseeing governance, risk, compliance, and operational resilience across three countries.
- Built and led the Americas Data Security & Cyber Hygiene team, establishing operating rhythms, roles, and responsibilities aligned with global security architecture.
- Directed enterprise-wide Microsoft DLP deployment across VCUSA and Volvo Car Financial Services, protecting regulated and sensitive data for users.
- Implemented Azure Key Vault for centralized key and secret management, reducing unmanaged secrets by an estimated 70% across critical applications.
- Deployed tokenization and format-preserving encryption for regulated data fields, improving compliance posture for financial and customer data.
- Introduced Microsoft Purview Sensitivity Labels and TLS enforcement, strengthening email security and reducing unencrypted external transmissions.
- Established third-party data governance program with automated certification tracking and contract lifecycle management, ensuring continuous compliance monitoring and enhanced oversight.
- Strengthened collaboration between U.S., Canadian, and Swedish security teams, improving cross-regional alignment and service delivery.
- Created executive information exchange program, delivering quarterly cybersecurity posture updates and risk insights to senior leadership and boards, fostering informed decision-making.
- Developed and enforced enterprise security policies aligned with global Volvo standards and regulatory requirements.
- Major Incident Manager for the Americas, leading incidents from inception through RCA and mitigation planning; improved incident response efficiency and reduced repeat incidents.
- Championed security awareness through workshops and hands-on training, enhancing secure data handling behaviors across the region and promoting a culture of cybersecurity.
Senior Security Analyst
Volvo Cars USA
2021 - 2023
- Implemented Microsoft DLP and MFA across VCUSA and VCFs.
- Deployed Azure Key Vault for KMS and secret management.
- Implemented Microsoft Purview Sensitivity Labels, enhancing data classification and TLS email security for improved protection.
- Developed incident response plans, strengthening enterprise IR operations through effective support and coordination.
- Partnered with Legal, Privacy, Compliance, and IT to align policies with regulatory requirements.
- Presented cybersecurity updates to VCFs leadership and cross-functional stakeholders, ensuring alignment on threat landscape and response strategies.
Security Analyst
Volvo Cars USA
2018 - 2021
- Led SIEM implementation and security tool deployments to enhance threat detection capabilities.
- Conducted vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify security weaknesses and improve overall security posture.
- Developed security requirements for major IT projects and migrations.
- Produced risk dashboards and data visualizations for senior leadership, enabling informed decision-making.
- Collaborated with global security teams to align U.S. and Canadian initiatives.
Marketing Execution Analyst
Axioma Inc.
New York, New York
2017 - 2017
Active International National Junior Negotiator
Active International Media
Pearl River, New York
2015 - 2017
Education
Master of Science - Cyber Security
Saint Peters University
2641 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07306Bachelor of Science - Business Administration, Management
Commonwealth University
400 E 2nd St, Bloomsburg, PA 17815Skills
- Incident response strategy
- Risk assessment frameworks
- Cybersecurity awareness training
- Threat detection strategies
- Secure software development
- Data loss prevention
- Regulatory alignment
- Vendor & third-party management
- Cybersecurity team leadership
- Cross-functional influence
- Executive communication
Certification
ISACA Advanced in AI Security Management (AAISM), In Progress Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), ISC2, 04/01/24 Software Development Security, LinkedIn, 03/01/23 Defending Web Applications Security Essentials, SANS, 09/01/18 Recorded Future Certified Analyst, 04/20/2026
Timeline
Head of Information Security, Americas
Volvo Cars USA
2023 - Current
Senior Security Analyst
Volvo Cars USA
2021 - 2023
Security Analyst
Volvo Cars USA
2018 - 2021
Marketing Execution Analyst
Axioma Inc.
2017 - 2017
Active International National Junior Negotiator
Active International Media
2015 - 2017
Master of Science - Cyber Security
Saint Peters University
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration, Management
Commonwealth University