‘Moving countries, homes and jobs all at one go was not without its hardships and learnings’

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Diane Abela on Thursday highlighted that moving away from Malta and relocating to the UK has come with its fair share of challenges and lessons.

She was reflecting on the two years since she joined UK-based software company Accurx as CISO, prompting her to move to London. In her role, she is tasked with heading the company’s data protection segment and has also built security engineering and information governance teams, among other responsibilities.

Prior to joining Accurx, Ms Abela had gained numerous years of experience working at a number of established businesses in Malta covering a range of different sectors, including corporate services and iGaming, to name a few.

“Moving countries, homes and jobs all at one go was not without its hardships and learnings,” Ms Abela said.

She remarked that over the past two years, she has “experienced many firsts, collaborated with extremely competent people, and made some wonderful friendships.”

Through her experience, she has learnt the need to be more patient, both with herself and with life. “It is a marathon, not a race,” she said.

Ms Abela also noted that working in a scale-up necessitates striving to “solve problems that have not been solved before,” and thus requires greater and more careful thinking.

“I have also learnt that the constant mental cycle of needing to prove myself is exhausting and not value-adding. Continuous learning is always key, but reflecting on what you’ve already achieved is equally as important,” she pointed out.

Additionally, she also remarked that “boundaries are there to protect you, not limit you.” Ms Abela explained that she now undergoes daily check-ins with herself in order to see how she is feeling and to respect her limits.

Ms Abela also remarked that she has managed to learn how to navigate the rental and tax landscape in London, two elements of relocating that she feels “should come with their very own crash-course.” She also overcame the challenge of making new friends as an adult, “which can be both exhilarating and scary,” especially after moving to a completely new country.

Also reflecting on her achievements at Accurx, she noted that together with her teams, she has helped to “solve high-impact problems” that can possibly have a “positive impact” on the UK’s healthcare system.