Place of residence: Napoli, Italy
Position: CEO Cybhorus
Please describe a day in your life
My days are marked by my passions: cybersecurity, which is also my job; sports, which is the gateway to mental well-being; and my family, which is the source of inspiration and energy. I sleep little because I love working late into the night. Moreover, I wake up early and take the kids to school when I can. I work on my blog, Security Affairs, between meetings. Only in the evening do I find time for sports—long swims and exhausting gym sessions help me clear my mind. Once I’m at home, I listen to my kids; they are pure energy. I also spend time with my wife, especially enjoying long walks, breakfasts, and coffee with true friends. In addition, I don’t drink alcohol or smoke, but coffee is my passion. I am an expert in its preparation.”
How many projects are you currently working on? Please describe them
Too much. Many ongoing, many in the pipeline. The most interesting one concerns a new disruptive technology based on Generative Adversarial Networks. It’s a hard, challenging research that can pave the way for a new generation of cyber tools. I’m also committed to driving my NewCo to the same success as the previous one. My dream is to turn my passions into helping others. Don’t ask me how, but I would love to one day help those who have lost their smile or never had one to find it. I’m thinking especially of children and teenagers. The world is cruel.
In your opinion, who is the most influential person/company in the world of technology these days?
It depends on how you perceive the world around you. Someone could tell you that it is Musk, but I’m still waiting for a new person like Aaron Swartz. Back to your question, Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, today has immense power due to the exponential growth in the demand for graphics processing units (GPUs) that power AI applications.
If you could pick one app/product/project existing now that you wish you were involved in, what would it be?
I would like to be a member of a technical committee that evaluates the ethics of AI-based applications that are invading our daily lives. Today, there are wrong people in crucial positions, especially in Italy. And we will pay for all this soon.
How do you see technology evolving in the next ten years?
Technology is getting out of control. Profits are overwhelming the need to protect human privacy and security, which is very dangerous. Thanks to technology, I hope that people will be more involved in the epochal change we are experiencing. Today, an oligarchy is upsetting balances and ignoring human needs.
What would you like the industry to look like in ten years?
Free and not driven by profit alone, founded on the requirements of equality and respect.
What are the three characteristics you have that make you successful in tech?
the passion, dedication and ability to empathize with people
What is the most challenging thing you had to deal with during your career?
Separating friendship from work. It cost me a lot, and I left important pieces of my private life on the field.
What is your greatest achievement up until today?
What is yet to come, what will surprise me, what I hope is further away than ever, and that will push me always to do better
What do you wish yourself with respect to your career?
I aim to continuously evolve in my career by deepening my expertise. I hope to promote new, challenging projects and involve my historical team. My goal is to contribute to innovation in the cybersecurity industry, bringing my new to success.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I have no idea … for sure, with my family and my friends.
What is your next goal?
Launch a new disruptive technology in the cybersecurity industry.
What do non-tech people around you (family, friends) think you do?
They think I’m an alien. None of them work in cybersecurity and IT industry, in many cases they hate technology.
Which famous person would you like to have dinner with and why?
“Certainly, I wouldn’t want to have dinner with a technician like me. I’m looking for someone who sees the world from a different perspective than mine. I’d like to dine with an artist, a master, an icon of Italian creativity. That’s why I choose Giorgio Armani.”
Do you have a person who influences or motivates you?
My wife and my sons
What did you dream of creating/inventing/doing as a child?
“One day, I found an essay at the house where I lived as a child, titled ‘What I Would Do When I Grow Up.’ In the essay, I said I would become an engineer or a lifeguard. I was little and had no idea of the winding path that awaited me. Today, I would have no doubt in choosing the environment that suits me best: the beach.”
How Covid-19 changed the way people view technological development?
Covid-19 transformed public perception of technology, accelerating its adoption across sectors and highlighting its key role in our society. It also raised awareness of the need for ethical, security, and equality issues in technological development.
