# HARRY MCLAREN
Edinburgh, Scotland, UK | (+44) 77 244 613 18 | info@harrymclaren.co.uk | linkedin.com/in/harrymclaren/

## PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Cybersecurity executive leading global technology transformations and threat defence across FTSE 100 and scale-up environments. Expert in scaling high-performing engineering teams, managing multi-million-pound budgets, and designing resilient detection and response architectures. Translates technical risk into clear board-level business decisions, applying a product management mindset to align security operations directly with commercial outcomes. Focuses on shifting operations away from compliance checklists to threat-led, intelligence-driven defence. Active community leader and co-founder of Cyber Scotland Connect, advocating for workforce well-being, mentoring, and psychological safety.

## CORE COMPETENCIES
* **Executive Leadership**: Unified Cyber Defence, Scaling Engineering Teams, Resource & Budget Allocation, Talent Mentoring.
* **Strategic & Risk Management**: Enterprise Risk Integration, Threat-Led Defence, Maturity Model Roadmapping, Threat-Focused Outcomes.
* **Product-Led Innovation**: Outcome-driven OKRs, MITRE ATT&CK Mapping, Product Risk Management, Platform Architecture.
* **Governance & Compliance**: UK Corporate Governance Code, Provision 29 Compliance Readiness, Board & Executive Reporting, AI & Automation Risk.
* **People & Mentoring**: Graduate Enablement, Well-being Advocacy, Treating People as Individuals.

## PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

### Tesco | FTSE 100 Retailer | Edinburgh, UK (Hybrid)
#### Head of Cyber Defence & Strategic Advisor | August 2025 – Present
* Direct responsibility for the unified global cyber defence function across Prevention, Intelligence, Detection, and Incident Response, managing a global operational budget of £8 million and directing a team of 60 cybersecurity professionals.
* Steered the "intelligence-to-action" lifecycle, aligning defensive capabilities with enterprise risk appetite and moving operations away from compliance checklists to threat-led outcomes.
* Balanced automation and AI opportunities against emerging systemic threats, ensuring security controls remain resilient and adapt dynamically.
* Built a high-trust engineering culture focused on mental well-being, psychological safety, and individual growth.
* Delivered regular strategic briefings to C-level executives and risk committees on emerging threats, control efficacy, and governance.

#### Head of Cybersecurity Engineering | February 2024 – August 2025
* Managed three global cybersecurity engineering squads (30 headcount) responsible for the design, efficacy, and monitoring of the global technology stack, including advanced SIEM/SOAR platforms.
* Directed the technical roadmap and prioritised activities to ensure security acted as a business enabler without creating operational bottlenecks for the wider IT organisation.
* Prepared and tested threat detection and response capabilities, leveraging industry-standard maturity models to assess current state and construct future-state roadmaps of change.
* Challenged legacy vendor frameworks constructively, optimising the cost-effectiveness and ROI of third-party contracts.
* Provided critical technical guidance and hands-on crisis expertise during major enterprise security incidents, minimising potential financial and reputational damage.

### SenseOn | Series A Security Technology Startup | Remote
#### Director of Product | February 2023 – February 2024
* Orchestrated strategic product initiatives across a broad cyber defence portfolio, aligning security engineering with key business drivers and scaling capabilities.
* Led the security engineering squad in expanding threat detection capabilities and increasing MITRE ATT&CK framework coverage, driving value for global clients.
* Established a comprehensive product risk management programme and implemented outcome-driven OKRs to optimise collaboration across the engineering and product functions.
* Mentored senior team members and fostered a culture of continuous learning, self-awareness, and personal development within a rapid-growth startup environment.

#### Senior Product Manager | February 2022 – February 2023
* Conducted extensive market research and customer interviews to map complex problem spaces, translating feedback into strategic product roadmaps.
* Served as a core member of the Security Incident Response Team (SIRT), leading response efforts under pressure and providing actionable recommendations for risk mitigation.

### Adarma | Enterprise Cybersecurity Consultancy | Edinburgh, UK
#### Product Lead / Managing Consultant / Security Consultant | September 2013 – February 2022
* Held progressive roles over a nine-year tenure, advancing from Security Analyst to Managing Consultant, managing enterprise Splunk deployments and migrations.
* Designed and led an enablement and graduate training programme that scaled the consulting workforce from 4 to 47 consultants, with a major focus on Napier University talent.
* Advised enterprise clients on security operations center (SOC) strategy, total cost of ownership (TCO) models, and risk quantification frameworks.

### BlackRock | Global Asset Management | Edinburgh, UK
#### Desktop Support Analyst (Placement) | September 2011 – September 2012
* Provided hands-on technical support and incident resolution in a highly demanding, fast-paced financial services environment.

## EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS
* **BEng First Class Honours, Computer Security & Digital Forensics** – Edinburgh Napier University (2009-2013).
* **Certified Board Advisor** – Connectd
* **GIAC GSTRT**: Strategic Planning, Policy, and Leadership
* **SANS Technology Institute**: AI Security Essentials for Business Leaders
* **ISC2**: CISSP & CCSP | **ISACA**: CISM | **CompTIA**: SecurityX (CASP+)
* **SABSA Chartered Architect** – Foundation (SCF)
* **Awards**: Napier Alumni Excellence Award (2024), Cyber Evangelist of the Year (2018), Security Professional Under 30 (2018), Best New Cyber Talent (2016).