It’s fair to say Christopher Adjei-Ampofo has enjoyed a varied and interesting career, working for companies of all shapes and sizes operating across numerous industries.
After graduating from the University of Westminster with a degree in computer science back in 1994, Adjei-Ampofo initially took his IT expertise to insurance giant RSA, before spending a short stint at Sainsbury’s building its stock management software.
But, recognising the need to challenge himself, this ambitious tech talent began successfully contracting across insurance and financial services.
There was an itch Adjei-Ampofo still needed to scratch, however, prompting him to launch his own software company where he built his own product based around FX and travel.
Following its acquisition in the early 2010s, the technologist and entrepreneur served in a number of senior roles at Debtdomain, IPREO and goAfrica, before Uphold came calling in 2018.
“The thing I love about Uphold is that everyone is an owner,” says Adjei-Ampofo. “There's no nine-to-five routine. We trust you to manage your time, do everything to the best of your ability and know that you can be supported by your colleagues.
“We have a common goal to make the safest platform offering the best-possible services to our consumers. If we all work towards that, we all benefit, and it’s very rare to find that kind of atmosphere.”
Getting the balance right
In his dual role as CIO and CISO, Adjei-Ampofo is responsible for various areas including information security, fraud, data privacy, procurement, change management and cost optimisation.
The former – all about cutting costs and improving processes – relies heavily upon the implementation of an efficient strategy, with Adjei-Ampofo checking in on a regular basis to ensure everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet.
But he associates bigger challenges with the CISO role, such as keeping abreast of the rapidly-evolving cybersecurity landscape and managing insider threat.
“The front door is pretty much secure,” adds Adjei-Ampofo, “but the people you give the golden keys to are your internal employees.
“The balance of making sure you allow them to freely operate and do their jobs, while protecting the company, is a challenge, because one careless mistake could really have detrimental effects and compromise all your front-door controls.”
Needless to say, the rapid advancement of AI goes hand in hand with these cybersecurity headaches.
Adjei-Ampofo goes on: “We've already seen forces using AI to try and compromise our systems – and the technology can only get better.
“Making sure we’re prepared and getting better at protecting ourselves is what’s keeping me awake at night.”
Why listening is key
Despite the aforementioned challenges, Adjei-Ampofo possesses some admirable qualities that leave him better positioned to navigate turbulent waters and make important decisions in high-pressure situations.
“As part of the leadership, you need to listen to people, be patient and analyse what it is they’re trying to achieve,” he continues.
“Also, being a good listener allows me not to panic. In my role I can't afford to panic because every decision I make is critical and could have a detrimental effect. It allows me to be clear and focused when I do finally make that decision.”
In tandem with this line of thinking, he recalls a piece of advice he was once given and has endeavoured to live by on a daily basis.
“Listen before you speak,” Adjei-Ampofo concludes. “I make sure I do that as part of my personal and professional life.
“Everyone has a life story; listen to them and you'll learn something you can apply to your own experiences. And you should always be ready to offer your own experiences and advice to support others.”
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