NPCI appoints new CISOs to strengthen data protection and security

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has announced two new leadership hires in the Information Security team to further strengthen its commitment to data protection and security. It has onboarded Benjamin Ambrose as Chief Information Security Officer, and Pravin Kumar as Chief Market Information Security Officer. With these appointments, NPCI is poised to elevate its information security practices to newer heights, further safeguarding the interests of both its stakeholders and customers.
 
With a career in information and cybersecurity spanning more than twenty years, Ambrose brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role. Having worked with companies such as Wipro in India and the US, Citibank in Singapore, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) in Singapore, Benjamin has developed his skills in addressing various cybersecurity challenges. His background includes leading global security teams, developing effective strategies, ensuring alignment with business goals, ensuring compliance with regulations, and promoting secure cloud adoption.
 
In his new role at NPCI, Ambrose is set to strengthen the organisation's cybersecurity infrastructure, safeguarding the security and reliability of its digital operations. His appointment highlights NPCI's dedication to enhancing its cybersecurity defenses and promoting innovation in the ever-changing landscape of digital payments.
 
Kumar comes with extensive experience spanning more than 25 years in cyber security, privacy controls, and enterprise risk management. In his current role, he will primarily focus on strategising and managing InfoSec and privacy risk within the NPCI and across ecosystem players, ensuring compliance with regulatory audits, security guidelines applicable to third parties and stakeholder engagement across organisational boundaries.
 
Commenting on the strategic appointments, Vishwanath Krishnamurthy, Chief Risk Officer at NPCI said, “At NPCI, we acknowledge the evolving security landscapes and the technological advancements required to keep abreast with the developments in digital payments space. Ambrose and kumar bring a wealth of experience in technology compliance and Information Security governance. We are confident that they will play instrumental roles in enhancing NPCI's security posture and driving forward our mission to provide secure, seamless digital payment solutions for all.”