For 16 years, Security magazine has honored the Most Influential People in Security — security executives, industry experts and professionals whose leadership, expertise and vision have advanced the security and risk management profession in meaningful ways.

Nominated by peers and colleagues, this year’s honorees were selected for the lasting impact they’ve made across their organizations and the broader industry. From driving innovation to shaping resilient strategies, these professionals represent the evolving face of security leadership.

In this 2025 edition, we are proud to spotlight nine individuals whose work continues to shape and strengthen the future of security.

Meet The Most Influential People in Security 2025

Impacting enterprises, communities and nations, these 8 security leaders are making a positive difference in the security industry.

• 
  Anthony Canale
  Vice President, Verisk Global Protection Services, Verisk
  Embedding Service and Responsibility into Security
  Meet Anthony →
• 
  Joel Downing
  Vice President Global Security and Safety Officer, Henry Schein, Inc.
  Protecting the Public For More Than 20 Years
  Meet Joel →
• 
  Diana Dragon
  Head of Global Crisis Resources, eBay
  Managing Global Crises In the Public and Private Sector
  Meet Diana →
• 
  Michael Lashlee
  Chief Security Officer, Mastercard
  Serving Something Greater Than Yourself
  Meet Michael →
• 
  Chaim Mazal
  Chief Security Officer, Gigamon
  Growing into a Security Career
  Meet Chaim →
• 
  Jeff Mieseler
  Vice President, Protective Services, Nationwide
  Taking Opportunities as They Come
  Meet Jeff →
• 
  Jennifer Swann
  Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Bloomberg Industry Group
  Great Leaders Don’t Just Manage Teams — They Build Them
  Meet Jennifer →
• 
  Julia Vincke
  Vice President of Security (CSO), BASF
  Leveraging Career Success to Lift Others Up
  Meet Julia →

Our special appreciation goes to Jerry Brennan, who was a project partner on this report and provided subject matter expertise and research.