Security Sales & Integration May 2022 - 64

On the RISE
In Partnership With
Nisha Advani Brings Tech-Focused
Mentality to Security Industry
Nisha Advani, Assistant
Vice President of Strategy &
Business Development and
Women's Network Chair at
dormakaba
▶ What first got you interested in
security and safety as a career choice?
I stumbled upon the opportunity to join dormakaba
and decided to take the plunge into an
industry I was unfamiliar with but have grown to
admire. People experience our products in places
that matter - hospitals, homes, schools, offices,
etc. Being entrusted to keep people safe and secure,
while enabling seamless movement, is both
humbling and empowering. Bringing my background
in hi-tech to the security and access control
industry, I'm optimistic about the immense
opportunity for our industry to deliver futuristic
end-user experiences while continuing to be
trusted partners to keep people safe.
On the RISE is a column
by the Security Industry
Association (SIA) in
partnership with Security
Sales & Integration profiling
the next generation of
security industry leaders.
This column is part of SIA
RISE, a community that
fosters the careers of
young professionals in the
security through networking
and career growth events,
education and professional
development offerings and
scholarship opportunities.
What are some challenges and advantages
of being a young professional in security?
Having spent most of my career in tech, I have
admired the trendsetting nature of the industry
and the pace of innovation. As a young professional
and fresh entrant into the security industry,
I sometimes grapple with the adoption pace
of technology in our industry; however, when
it comes to personal safety and security, I have
come to understand that fair patience is warranted
and that a technology needs to be thoroughly
vetted before it is trusted. A clear advantage
is the balancing force a young security
professional brings - the ability to challenge
the status quo and push the boundaries and
pace of innovation.
What do you enjoy most about being
at your company - and in the security
industry?
The opportunity to " Build-Your-Own-CareerPath! "
At dormakaba, I've found that I can take
on projects that may not be strictly within my
role but allow me to explore my professional
interests and challenge myself. Failure is not
shamed; a sincere effort is rewarded, and the resulting
learnings are celebrated.
What are some ways in which you think
the security industry could foster more
diversity, equity and inclusion?
Personally, I believe true equality is achieved by a society
when we do not need to talk about it. However,
until that is achieved, we do need to actively and
respectfully talk about it. Building on that idea, I
believe education plays a key role in fostering more
diversity, equity and inclusion - this could be as
straightforward as the tangible business benefits of a
diverse workforce or training managers on building
an inclusive team culture or more nuanced topics
such as intersectionality and unconscious biases.
Additionally, identifying advocates and champions
to build effective allyship is key. True equality cannot
be achieved by one group alone - it requires
collective progress and partnership.
How is the shifting technological landscape
presenting both challenges and
opportunities for the security industry?
It is no surprise to anyone living in the knowledge
age that every technology today harnesses
data. In the right hands, data has the power to
offer sci-fi-like experiences, yet the infrastructure
to govern the proper use and dissemination of
data is still under construction. Data governance
and protection are challenges not unique to our
industry, but their impact strikes at our very core
values - security and trust. In my opinion, our
pace of adoption of advanced technology is limited
by the aspects of data security and privacy.
What are your predictions for where the
security industry may be headed in the
next five-10 years?
I see the boundaries of the physical and digital
realms dissolving. With tech companies already
entrenched in the smart home market, commercial
access control is in the arena too. This is
going to change traditional access control as we
know it, making digital experiences and interactions
ubiquitous in this space.
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