For Marie-Christine Vittet, cybersecurity is more than a job, it’s a way of life. In this month’s blog series, Vittet describes how data protection has become a part of her DNA.
How long have you been at AccorHotels and what is your role?
Marie-Christine Vittet: I joined Accor Group more than nine years ago working as the tech compliance manager for PCI. All of my jobs in hospitality always related to security before becoming a project manager for Accor. PCI DSS became, for me, an expertise in 2012 when we started to roll out the strategies project with Accor Group. I work closely with a lot of departments in the company but more exclusively with IT, digital and security teams. My goal is to adopt and roll out PCI requirements at any level of the entity from headquarters to hotels.
How did you get started in cybersecurity? What led you to that career choice?
Marie-Christine Vittet: Cybersecurity is in my DNA. The security files are huge and keep me very busy. I like to be involved in change management, data protection, and sometimes in crisis management when something goes wrong. My position with the company is based in the risk and compliance department. The evolution of the regulations drove me recently to address and include GDPR with data privacy in my program.
What do you see in the future for women in the cybersecurity industry?
Marie-Christine Vittet: Security offers a lot of space for different profiles and expertise equally for women and men. The framework is very active and demanding. To be curious and an enthusiast is key for me.
What advice would you give to young women who are interested in a career in cybersecurity?
Marie-Christine Vittet: My advice would be, join us. We need to change the face of this world. Cybersecurity is more than a job. For me, it’s really a way of life. If you hesitate, just try it.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy?
Marie-Christine Vittet: What I like best about my job and PCI is all the relationships I have with my colleagues, trying to solve issues, and making the best of compliance to secure our data.
What value do you get out of serving on the Board of Advisors for PCI SSC?
Marie-Christine Vittet: The first value is the engagement. They can count on me to provide, receive and distribute my knowledge, good advice and feedback as a merchant. The second value is promoting awareness about PCI and the best practices we put into place. The third value is that we apply all PCI requirements back in our daily work.
