TCS’ Virginia Lee explores her career in cybersecurity, the many ways you can find your calling and the cyber changing landscape.
The head of cybersecurity Ireland at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Virginia Lee told SiliconRepublic.com that she accidentally found her way into a career in the cybersecurity sector.
She said, “When I joined TCS as an automation engineer, I had no grand plan to build a career in cyber. I got the opportunity to work on a security-related product and quickly realised it combined many things I enjoyed, technology, problem-solving, continuous learning and working with diverse teams.”
In time, the work became more interesting, she gained more exposure and the role often brought unique challenges.
She said, “Before long, I moved into dedicated cybersecurity roles. Looking back, it is one of the happiest career accidents I’ve had. One thing I’ve learned since then is that not everyone follows a perfectly planned path into cybersecurity.
“Many of the best professionals I know arrived through unexpected routes and that keeps the industry interesting.”
Over the course of your career, how has the landscape evolved?
Cybersecurity has moved from a specialist IT function to a board-level priority. When I started, conversations focused on technical controls and compliance. Today, cyber risk is recognised as a business risk that can impact operations, reputation, customer trust and overall business resilience. In the past, Cybersecurity was seen as an add-on with professionals reluctant to embrace new digital initiatives. Today, our job is to help the business evolve quickly and safely.
When security and governance is built into cloud and AI projects from day one, organisations innovate with confidence rather than constantly stopping to test vulnerabilities later. The threat landscape has also become far more sophisticated over the course of my career. Organisations are managing increasingly complex environments including cloud adoption, digital transformation programmes and now the rapid emergence of AI.
At the same time, the role of cybersecurity professionals has evolved. Technical expertise remains essential, but teams at TCS and across the industry need people who can communicate risk clearly, influence decision-making and work across different business units.
What are some of the challenges associated with recruiting key talent to the cybersecurity sector?
Demand outpaces supply in specialist areas like threat hunting and incident management. However, I think the conversation has moved beyond simply talking about a skills shortage generally. Many organisations need experienced professionals with broad skillsets, while also needing clearer pathways for early-career talent.
Misconceptions about the work create barriers too. Cybersecurity is still not fully understood by many students and career changers. People often assume it is a highly technical profession where every role requires deep coding knowledge. In reality, cybersecurity offers opportunities across risk management, governance, engineering, architecture, threat intelligence, digital forensics and many other disciplines.
How might they be overcome?
We need to challenge traditional hiring norms. Curiosity and willingness to learn determine success in cybersecurity far more than an individual’s academic background. We should not assume talent only comes from computer science degrees. Some of the best cybersecurity professionals I work with at TCS started in linguistics, business operations, or non-technical roles. They succeed because they bring strong problem-solving abilities and a genuine interest in how technology and risk intersect.
Cybersecurity encompasses a wide variety of roles and our hiring needs to reflect that. To fix the talent bottleneck, the industry needs accessible entry points, expanded graduate schemes, apprenticeships and structured retraining programmes to support career changers.
Is retention an ongoing issue?
Retention isn’t an issue for us currently, but this is a competitive industry so retention requires constant attention. Cybersecurity is a fast-moving profession and security professionals want clear career pathways, continuous learning, and exposure to new technologies, industries, and experiences. Keeping talent comes down to offering opportunities across projects, clear progression and structured mentorship. From my experience, people stay when they see how their work contributes to a wider purpose. People join organisations for an opportunity, but they stay because they believe they can continue to grow.
How might a leader in your position develop a talent pipeline capable of tackling future cybersecurity challenges?
Future talent pipelines depend on adaptability. The skills we need in five or 10 years will differ from those we use today. Therefore, leaders need to develop people who can comfortably move across disciplines. Someone might start in a security operations centre and later transition into cloud security, architecture, governance, or advisory roles.
How are AI and other advanced technologies impacting careers in cybersecurity?
AI is changing how cybersecurity teams operate by assisting with threat detection, security monitoring, incident response and data analysis. This efficiency enables teams to focus on higher-value, complex tasks. AI will not replace security teams, but it shifts the required skills. Demand is growing for specialists who understand AI governance, AI security, responsible adoption and risk management. With continued advancement, many roles can be supported by AI, but it does not negate the need for strong human technical talent. We see AI as a catalyst for new opportunities, and we are committed to building a future-ready workforce by developing AI-native talent.
How might stronger cross-sector collaboration impact working life for professionals in cybersecurity?
Some of the most valuable learning in cybersecurity comes from cross-sector collaboration. I work across multiple sectors myself and I often see organisations faced with similar challenges. The reality is organisations in financial services, healthcare, critical infrastructure and government all face similar threat patterns and operational hurdles.
There is significant value in sharing knowledge, whether that is experiences or lessons learned. Stronger collaboration creates opportunities for professionals to learn from different environments, build broader networks and gain exposure to new ideas and approaches. Ireland has a strong cybersecurity community and continued collaboration between industry, academia and government will be important to build resilience across the sector and develop strong talent.
What advice do you have for professionals coming up in the industry, who want a long and impactful career?
Stay curious. Technology and threats change constantly and the professionals who thrive are those who never stop learning. Avoid narrowing your focus too early. Explore different areas of cybersecurity, gain exposure to multiple industries and focus on understanding the business context behind the technology. Build your network early, seek out mentors and engage with the wider cybersecurity community. Some of my best opportunities have come through collaboration and industry relationships. Strong networks and continuous learning build a durable career in cybersecurity.
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