Irene Corpuz, an Overseas Filipina, continues to thrive as an empowered woman who advocates for empowering other women, especially those who dream of conquering male-dominated industries.
Corpuz moved to the UAE as an Overseas Filipino worker in 2007 with an aspiration and a vision to pursue cybersecurity.
Several factors hindered Corpuz from pursuing her chosen career. This pushed her to look for other opportunities instead.
“It encouraged me to change my career path and pursue opportunities as a business analyst and project manager,” she said.
This was the same industry and profession that she had in Manila before moving to the UAE. Then, in 2013, an opportunity came, and good things started to unfold for Corpuz.
She was hired as the Head of the Information Security section at a Dubai Government Entity and this opportunity gave her the chance to participate in strategic planning that is aligned with the Abu Dhabi Government Information Security Strategy. It also led her to be involved in the implementation of government-mandated standards in the UAE.
In 2017, she became one of the awardees of the first ‘Women in Cyber Security Awards.’
“The first-ever Middle East Security Award (MESA) was launched back in 2017, awarding 100 regional information security leaders and experts. One of the categories was ‘Women in Cybersecurity.’ We were aware of the existing Women in Cyber organizations across the globe but there were none in the Middle East,” she said.
This marked the inception of the Women in Cyber Security Middle East ( WiCSME) as Corpuz, alongside the other awardees of the first women in cybersecurity, established the organization in 2018 to advocate and enhance women’s involvement in the field of cybersecurity.
This empowerment is rooted in her beginnings as a woman in cybersecurity. She shared that when she first started, there were only a few women who were able to thrive in the said industry.
“The prevailing gender norms and workforce dynamics created obstacles for women aspiring to contribute to the IT sector. So, despite the 17 years of invaluable experience, my return to the UAE IT field was hindered by several barriers,” she said.
At present, she professionally works as a Cyber Policy Expert at a Dubai Government Entity. Her focus is on the GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) side of cybersecurity. She is also heavily involved in various WiCSME initiatives that train, educate, empower its members, and continuously create awareness about WICSME’S advocacy. She is also a Global Advisory Board Member of EC-Council (IMEA).
“I would say that Cybersecurity and IT overall is still male-dominated. There has been a good outcome so far of our efforts as 10 years ago, there were only about 12% of women in Cybersecurity. Most recent surveys show that the numbers have increased to 25%,” she added.
Corpuz says to inspire fellow women who aspire to success in male-dominated industries: “Believe in your unique abilities and the fresh perspective you bring. Keep yourself updated with what’s happening not only with your organization but in your country, the region, and most especially globally. With the very fast movement of technology, should your knowledge and skills evolve as well.”
“Upskill, reskill, find mentors, and gain much knowledge. Approach your career with confidence, knowing you can inspire change and make a meaningful impact in cybersecurity,” she added.
