How Businesses Can Maintain Enterprise Resilience During Systemic Disruption

From the time when the first COVID-19 case had been reported in Kenya a total of 16, 450, 346 cyber threat events had been detected.

On May 28, ISAKA, a not-for-profit, non-union association of professionals in the IT-related industry held an online conference that was attended by more than 90 professionals.

The online meet was staged around a Maintaining Enterprise Resilience During Systemic Disruption theme, and was moderated by Boniface Asiligwa, Chairman Education Committee, and Dorine Nalo – She -Leads Tech Liason.

Among key attendees were MERCY Wanjau, Director-General CA Kenya, Ken Kaberia, Head Enterprise Risk at Safaricom, Adam Lane, Deputy CEO, Public Affairs Huawei Kenya, and Mark Thomas, CGEIT, CRISC Escoute, LLC.

Ken Kaberia, Head Enterprise Risk – Safaricom

According to Kaberia, businesses should look into what the future holds owing to the disruptions that has been brought forth by the pandemic.

Kaberia said that business leaders must ask themselves three questions: what is the depth of the disruption for their operations, how long will the disruption last and what is the shape of the recovery.

In the same instance, Ken Kaberia took the audience through recovery steps. Furthermore, Ken warns that rapid return is associated with higher risk.

To this end, Ken took participants through an effective procedure of return named AACT Planning Model.

The AACT model is centered on adopting the business to a new world, accelerating structural shifts, crafting stage-based return plans, workforce and customers, and time-transitioning given the local environment that most businesses will be considering a stage-based return.

Of course, Ken brought up remote working, which, he mentioned, has important benefits beyond resilience to Coronavirus. He cited improved productivity, reduced cost of production and talent access, as well as high employee satisfaction.

Mercy Wanjau – DG Communications Authority of Kenya (CA)

The DG discussed several elements of CA’s role in maintaining enterprise resilience during the pandemic. For instance, the DG said the ICT regulator is concerned about the risks and disruptions during this time.

To this end, the CA is committed to helping licensees remain stable while protecting consumers during system disruptions.

Back in 2013, the CA established the Kenya Computer Incidence Response Team – Coordination Centre (National KE-CIRT/CC) as the state’s national trusted point of contact, coordination and response to cyber threats.

The DG reiterated that since the first case of Coronavirus was reported, most companies have embraced remote working, or working from home.

The development has been marked by increased cyber-related attacks. Since March, a total of 16,450,346 threat events have been detected.

“In order to mitigate cyber risks and disruptions she reiterated the need to cyber awareness through all channels of communication, a collaboration between local and international partners, and enhanced internal processes such as enhancement of incident handling, forensics investigation capabilities and upgrade of detection and analysis capabilities,” said Ms. Wanjau.

Adam Lane – Deputy CEO, Public Affairs Huawei Kenya

Huawei is a technology corporation that distributes millions of devices, and powers some of the world’s communication networks.

According to Lane, Huawei has been expanding its operations by providing smart devices, connectivity, computing, cloud, and other products and solutions to hundreds of millions of people, global mobile operators, enterprises, governments, and industries.

“An intelligent world calls for global connectivity and mutual trust that will maintain global prosperity; Huawei is committed to providing technology for all and technology for good that prioritizes development, enhances global collaboration, promotes innovation, and ensures ubiquitous connectivity, digitization, and AI,” said Lane.

Lane illustrated how digital tools have been used to fight the pandemic, including 5G, big data, and AI, to mention a few.

In Kenya, Huawei as been providing video conferencing systems for multiple ministries to improve their coordination and learning from abroad.

Through the ICT ministry, Huawei has shared global experiences on how to combat the virus based on best practices.

Mark Thomas – CGEIT, CRISC Escoute, LLC

Mr. Thomas agreed that with the growing complexity of modern IT environments, having a solid governance framework that is tailored to match a given environment is key.

“A tailored governance system requires a multitude of components, including processes, organizational structures, Information flows, behaviors, etc.” said Mark Thomas.

According to Mark, the tools need to work together in a systemic way in any governance system which will synchronize the IT, business and assurance functions.

He also shared the working model of COBIT 2019 framework, and how to develop and tailored governance system using design factors with real-world case studies.

“An appropriate governance system involves gaining an understanding of the drivers for adopting a governance program, Assembling the right stakeholders and verifying their support, educating stakeholders on enterprise governance over I&T, gaining full agreement on the design factor analysis and Consider cultural aspects of adopting an EGIT system,” he concluded.