Diane Abela Hardy

Observer
DISC Type : ci

Chief Information Security Officer - Exec at Cognism

United Kingdom

Overview

Diane Abela Hardy is the Chief Information Security Officer at Cognism, specializing in embedding security and privacy into product development. With a Masters from Lancaster University, she has a proven history of scaling security functions from the ground up in fast-paced, highly regulated sectors like healthcare and gaming, positioning security as a key business differentiator.

Public information focuses on her extensive professional achievements in cybersecurity. She is a recognized thought leader, frequently speaking at industry events and sharing insights on security leadership and building robust teams. No specific details about her personal hobbies or non-work activities are publicly available.

In a previous role, she was voted "Leader of the Year 2020" by her organization, a testament to her impactful leadership and team-building skills.

Personality Overview

Value Driven

Curious

Example Seeker

They ask a lot of questions and rely heavily on information and collaterals.  They are generally good communicators and can be hard to convince. They can sound friendly and charming but can quickly change gears to become inquisitive and probing.

Topics They Care About

Building Trust
Her professional philosophy centers on positioning security not just as risk mitigation, but as a strategic driver of customer trust, innovation, and business growth.
Security Leadership
She speaks at industry events on her real-world experiences as a CISO, offering insights into effective security leadership and building high-performing teams.
Healthcare Cybersecurity
As a former CISO at Accurx, which serves the NHS, she has deep expertise in the challenges and fragmented nature of UK healthcare security.

Media Appearances

Diane has no verified media appearances

Work History

1-2026
Chief Information Security Officer - Exec at Cognism
3-2022
Non-Executive Director at Payhound
3-2022 - 12-2025
Chief Information Security Officer at Accurx
3-2020 - 2-2022
Director of Information Security at Gaming Innovation Group
1-2020
Founder at Strategic Security

Education

2010 - 2013
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) from University of Malta
2015 - 2016
Master of Science (MSc) from Lancaster University

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 12 Location : United Kingdom Job Level : Leadership Designation : Chief Information Security Officer - Exec at Cognism
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Insights For Selling To Diane

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Focus on immediate action-items rather than the larger goals
  • Persuade objectively how your product will help them achieve their goals
  • Share testimonials from known people and give multiple examples of product value

DONT's

  • Don’t brush off any concerns, take all questions seriously
  • Avoid making offhand commitments
  • Don’t rely excessively on your relationship with them to win the deal

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Diane is

  • Proven value, strong testimonials are important for them, rapport can impact decisions a little.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Diane

  • They are practical and friendly, don't expect a clear-cut response often.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Diane move?

  • They like to be detailed and take their time to arrive at decisions.
  • Can Diane take some risk or not?

  • They weigh all decisions systematically and are unlikely to take many risks.

You And Diane

Personality Compatibility


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