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John Opala, PhD, ModeratorVP & Global CISO, Hanesbrands Inc.
Dr. Omondi John Opala is a seasoned executive with expertise in cybersecurity, IT governance, and leading technology teams, backed by over 20 years of experience. His professional career reflects a steadfast commitment to enhancing digital security, ethical responses to complex cybersecurity challenges, and advancing the application of AI and emerging technologies globally.
Currently serving as the Vice President of IT and Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Hanes Brands Inc., Dr. Opala leads efforts to strengthen the company’s cybersecurity posture against evolving threats. Prior to this role, he was Vice President of IT and Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at McCormick, where he transformed cybersecurity risk remediation and response strategies to enhance network security globally.
In addition to his corporate achievements, Dr. Opala is deeply engaged in academia. As an adjunct professor, he has taught a variety of cybersecurity and business risk-related courses, including certified ethical hacking, information security risk management, digital forensics, and business ethics. He is currently developing program curricula focused on responsive AI usage. His dedication to education is further exemplified by his numerous publications on topics such as cloud architecture, cybersecurity risk governance, and the impact of cyber warfare on enterprise networks. His work has been featured in respected journals like the International Journal of Computer Networks and Communications and presented at IEEE conferences, among others.
Dr. Opala earned a Ph.D. in Information Technology with a specialization in Information Security Assurance & Governance from Capella University. Continuously striving for excellence, he is currently pursuing further education in Business Management at Harvard University Extension School.
Driven by a passion for innovation and knowledge, Dr. Opala focuses his research on information security, cloud computing, enterprise architecture, data analytics, big data and now AI. His exploratory analyses on the influence of information security on cloud adoption and the governance of cybersecurity risks have garnered widespread recognition.Through his leadership, scholarship, and teaching, Dr. Omondi John Opala has become a prominent figure in the fields of cybersecurity and information technology, inspiring both industry professionals and aspiring technologists.
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