Information Security Leader

ALEJANDRO (ALEX) CONTRERAS

Mississauga, Ontario

*********.*****.*********@*****.*** 647-***-**** www.linkedin.com/in/alexcon FORWARD-THINKING TECHNOLOGY EXECUTIVE

Blend Strategy, Expertise, & Leadership to Create Secure, Resilient Digital Solutions that Enable Long-Term Growth Visionary leader recognized for elevating teams and programs into results-focused business drivers that enhance company performance and mitigate risks. Experienced across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, government, manufacturing, and startups.

Deliver functional efficiency and measurable business outcomes. Leverage information security, IT, operational technology (OT), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) skills to implement scalable, value-generating solutions that facilitate expansion in competitive markets. Thrive in entrepreneurial environments that prioritize innovation and continuous improvement.

Digital Transformation & Modernization Industry 4.0 & Innovation

Cybersecurity Governance Vendor Management & Contract Negotiation

Talent & Team Development Operational Efficiency & Risk Management

Compliance (PCI-DSS, PIPEDA, ISO 27001) Centre of Excellence (CoE) & Process Optimization

Stakeholder & Executive Communication Budget Optimization & Financial Oversight

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Integration Cloud & Hybrid IT Solutions (Azure, M365, AWS, GCP)

DevSecOps & IT Management Disaster Recovery (DR) & Business Continuity Planning

(BCP)

Client Engagement & Solution Development Information Security Auditing & Program Optimization PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

XIPE-SEC Inc., Canada & Mexico 2024 – Present

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Oversee all aspects of cybersecurity strategy, governance, and risk management, leading the development and execution of comprehensive security programs from inception to operational success. Direct a team of 8 security architects and engineers, along with multiple third-party service providers, ensuring robust protection for critical infrastructure and client data.

Built and scaled cybersecurity programs from the ground up, aligning with international compliance and legal frameworks (GDPR, SOC 2, PIPEDA, Mexico’s privacy laws), effectively mitigating organizational risk.

Led cybersecurity architecture and engineering teams, fostering collaboration across departments to deliver scalable, compliant, and cost-effective security solutions.

Spearheaded strategic security initiatives, enhancing threat detection, incident response, and resilience against cyber threats while maintaining seamless business operations.

Developed vendor risk management frameworks, overseeing third-party security assessments and partnerships to ensure compliance and reduce supply chain risks.

Implemented cutting-edge security technologies, including cloud security, zero-trust architectures, and AI-driven threat detection, optimizing enterprise-wide security posture.

Championed security awareness and training programs, empowering employees and stakeholders to adopt leading practices, reducing human risk factors across the organization.

Drove compliance automation and regulatory adherence, streamlining security audits and reporting, reducing compliance costs, and improving governance maturity.

COKE CANADA BOTTLING INC., Toronto, ON 2023 – 2024 Director, Information Security (IS)

Headed national IS team with $2M budget and team of 15 security professionals, including 2 managers and security architect (direct report). Oversaw portfolio of security initiatives that was designed to enhance resilience, streamline operations, and align with organizational strategic goals. Reported to VP of Information Technology. ALEJANDRO (ALEX) CONTRERAS www.linkedin.com/in/alexcon PAGE 2 OF 3

Assessed organizational technology needs using NIST and Industry 4.0 frameworks and spearheaded development of 2024, 2025, and 2026 OT and IS strategy, obtaining approval for $5M budget to assess and mitigate cybersecurity and OT gaps across manufacturing facilities.

Reduced security incidents 20% through proactive risk management and integration of advanced cybersecurity frameworks.

Managed third-party IS service providers; conducted regular audits and drove continuous service improvements, ensuring alignment with business goals.

Guided implementation of DevSecOps practices; automated security processes within software development lifecycle, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing vulnerabilities.

Presented comprehensive IT and IS roadmaps to senior leadership, securing buy-in and resources for critical initiatives. VALENCIA IIP, Ottawa, ON 2021 – 2023

Director, Information Security and Technology

Led Canadian team of 12 security and technology professionals, with $2M budget. Reported to CEO.

Developed and launched virtual Chief Information Security Office service, generating $2M+ revenue in first year. Expanded program to drive $5M in year 2 by enhancing security frameworks, integrating advanced threat detection and response systems, optimizing vendor partnerships, and aligning cybersecurity strategies with evolving business needs.

− Strengthened risk management protocols and ensured continuous compliance with industry standards, positioning service as scalable solution for clients.

Managed vendor relationships and service level agreements (SLA), optimizing service delivery and achieving 15% improvement in compliance metrics for clients.

Led implementation of advanced cybersecurity frameworks for PIPEDA, PCI-DSS, and ISO 27001 compliance, minimizing risk exposure across client organizations.

Generated strategic security roadmaps and risk management programs for clients, aligning IT investments with long-term business objectives.

Built KPI-driven performance monitoring system, enhancing accountability and quality. LONG VIEW SYSTEMS, Toronto, ON 2020 – 2021

Enterprise and Security Architecture Lead

Managed national team of 12 architects, focusing on delivering high-impact cloud migrations, security enhancements, and implementing governance frameworks across regulated industries. Reported directly to Director of Consulting Services.

Advised C-level executives on strategic IT and IS investments, contributing significantly towards aligning technology initiatives with overarching business goals, strengthening competitive positioning and facilitate long-term value.

Fostered culture of innovation and collaboration, driving design and implementation of comprehensive IT and security architecture strategies across diverse client environments.

Empowered team, as transformational leader, to challenge the status quo, embracing change and delivering solutions aligned with client’s long-term business goals while enabling continuous professional growth and measurable success.

Executed large-scale cloud migration and security enhancement initiatives, including moving critical data to M365 and Azure; streamlined IT operations, boosting system performance, ensuring compliance with industry regulations, reducing operational costs 30%, and increasing data security and system scalability.

Established governance programs, improving client compliance with standard security frameworks, including National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), ISO 27001, Center for Internet Security (CIS), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard

(PCI DSS), and System and Organization Controls 2 (SOC2).

Deployed Citrix and Azure solutions to enhance performance, scalability, and security across highly regulated industries, integrating data monitoring, governance, compliance, and operational resilience into solutions.

Recognized with prestigious Best in Class Award by Citrix Systems for exceptional team performance and project delivery, setting benchmark for excellence in architecture and IT strategy. ALLIANZ GLOBAL ASSISTANCE INC., Cambridge, ON 2016 – 2020 Security and Infrastructure Technology Manager

Ran Canadian technology and security operations for Allianz Global Assistance, leading team of 10 professionals. Oversaw infrastructure management, cybersecurity enhancement, and compliance with national data protection laws. Reported to Vice President of IT.

ALEJANDRO (ALEX) CONTRERAS www.linkedin.com/in/alexcon PAGE 3 OF 3

Managed $10M+ IT infrastructure and security budget; negotiated with vendors and optimized process, cutting costs 15%.

Led migration of critical systems to Azure and Microsoft 365, enhancing flexibility, scalability, and DR capabilities.

Directed cybersecurity initiatives, including proactive threat monitoring and incident response, reducing downtime and improving system resilience.

Collaborated with legal and compliance teams on adhering to Protect B, PIPEDA, and SOC2, minimizing legal and financial risks.

Spearheaded multisite infrastructure modernization projects, increasing system performance and operational agility 30%. PRIOR RELATED EXPERIENCE

TORONTO HYDRO, Toronto, ON; Infrastructure Architect

EXPRESS SCRIPTS CANADA, Mississauga, ON; Infrastructure Architect and Lead

JD IRVING INC., Saint John, NB; VMWare / Citrix Architect

RESMOR TRUST COMPANY (unit of Ally Bank USA), Toronto, ON; Infrastructure Architect and Lead

CITRIX SYSTEMS INC., Mississauga, ON; Principal Consultant

CANADIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION (CBC), Toronto, ON; Storage and Virtualization Architect

TELUS INC., Toronto, ON; Tier 3 Team Lead

ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS, Toronto, ON; Infrastructure Analyst

ACCENTURE, Toronto, ON; Experienced Analyst

UNISOURCE CANADA INC., Mississauga, ON; Senior Technical Analyst

EXPERT SYSTEMS RESOURCES INC., Scarborough, ON; Technical Analyst EDUCATION

Honors Degree in Business Administration, Universidad Technologica de México, Mexico City, Mexico

Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Toronto, Toronto, ON and University of Western Ontario, London, ON

Business Management Diploma, Tanbridge Leadership Academy, Schulich School of Business at York University, Toronto, ON CERTIFICATIONS

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

Microsoft Identity and Access Management Certified, Certification ID 1570561

Microsoft Teams Certified, Certification Number H444-9527

Microsoft 365 Certified, Certification Number H402-3172

Microsoft Azure Certified, Certification Number H387-9306

Microsoft Certified Professional, MCP Number 2470187

VMware Certified Professional, Certification NUMBER 25169

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), CSCO10534061

ITIL Foundations Certified, Candidate ID 831355

Security Clearance, Reliability Status

EMC Storage Foundations Certified, Candidate ID GB0179669

Citrix Certified Administrator (CCA), XenApp, Citrix Candidate ID CTX324513

Citrix Certified Advanced Administrator (CCAA), XenApp, Citrix Candidate ID CTX324513 LANGUAGES

English and Spanish (verbal and written fluency)

French (beginner verbal and written fluency)

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