Sudarshan Ratnavelu

Evaluator
DISC Type : cds

CISO at Financial Services Compensation Scheme

London, England, United Kingdom

Overview

Sudarshan Ratnavelu is a senior cybersecurity leader with over 22 years of experience, currently serving as the CISO for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. His expertise spans technology risk, AI governance, and operational resilience, with previous senior roles at Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays. He holds an MSc from Royal Holloway, University of London.

Outside of his executive roles, Sudarshan is a passionate public speaker and thought leader, frequently presenting at industry events like the Cloud & Cyber Security Expo. He is a co-host of "The Circuit, " a networking event for technology professionals. An avid coffee fan, he draws parallels between cybersecurity and making the perfect espresso.

In a unique personal milestone, Sudarshan was granted the Freedom of the City of London, a meaningful recognition after a decade of working in the city.

Personality Overview

Thorough Evaluator

Quality Focused

Hard To Convince

They are not very likely to become strong advocates of your product or service  They focus on the results, but can still be quite procedural and analytical about how to get there They have a unique set of diverse traits where they are decisive and methodical but can sometimes be extra cautious and skeptical

Topics They Care About

Business-Aligned Security
Advocates for CISOs to be strategic business partners who can articulate risk and value in financial terms, not just technical ones, as discussed in his keynotes.
AI & Security
Acts as an external advisor for an AI-powered security firm and speaks on topics like protecting trust in an autonomous, AI-driven digital world.
User-Centric Cybersecurity
He speaks on panels about shifting security responsibility across an organization, empowering developers and moving beyond simple user awareness training.

Media Appearances

Sudarshan has no verified media appearances

Work History

5-2025
CISO at Financial Services Compensation Scheme
12-2024
External Advisor at HelmGuard AI
3-2022 - 12-2024
Head of Cyber Security at Lloyds Banking Group
9-2015 - 3-2022
Lead Cyber Security Engineer (Senior Manager) at Lloyds Banking Group
9-2015 - 2-2020
Lead Security Solutions Engineer at Lloyds Banking Group

Education

2020 - 2023
Master of Business Administration - MBA from Henley Business School
2008 - 2012
Master of Science (MSc) from Royal Holloway, University of London

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 20 Location : London, England, United Kingdom Job Level : N/A Designation : CISO at Financial Services Compensation Scheme
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Insights For Selling To Sudarshan

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Be prepared for comments or questions that are critical of your product or your claims
  • Use phrases like ‘the ROI of this’, ‘X% more’ etc.
  • Help them weigh the risks by sharing objective proof points instead of anecdotes and examples

DONT's

  • Don’t nudge them to do something by using the logic that others have done the same
  • Avoid inviting them for any social interactions until you have built some rapport with them
  • Avoid making strong statements, instead invite them to agree with you by asking them questions

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Sudarshan is

  • ROI matters the most to them, followed by process and finally proof of results
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Sudarshan

  • They might hesitate a little, but will go ahead and say no when necessary (or asked)

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Sudarshan move?

  • They are unlikely to move very fast, especially when it comes to new products or services
  • Can Sudarshan take some risk or not?

  • They have relatively low risk-appetite and are not very likely to go for something unproven and risky

You And Sudarshan

Personality Compatibility


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