Building Scalable Systems Starts with Scalable Culture, with Adam Swenson

In this Apex Executive Insights, we hear from Adam Swenson, Head of AI at Flagster Bank.

Adam is a cyber-security & technology professional with experience in highly regulated and Fortune 50 environments. He specializes in: architecture, engineering, automation, cybersecurity, penetration testing, risk management, and auditing. Adam spends most of his time researching emerging best practices and testing his knowledge across all security and technology domains. His contributions have directly impacted enterprise-wide changes in SOPs, Policies and Standards, Architecture, Design, and Operational Systems. Additionally, he has held positions on enterprise-wide steering committees and Boards of Directors.

Q: What is your favorite quote and why? 

A: A quote from Ray Dalio in his book Principles about decision making. “Don’t confuse what you wish were true with what is really true.” I see a lot of executives struggle to succeed across a variety of spaces because they often ignore the truth and see things only as they wish it was. 

Q: What are the biggest challenges your organization faces when it comes to scaling IT infrastructure, and how do you ensure that your systems can handle future growth and emerging technologies? 

A: Scalability is a fully solved problem and has been for quite some time. Often organizations will face problems in creating an environment of failing fast which will symptomatically manifest as scalability or a struggle to adopt new technologies. This includes not enforcing best practices for things like software development lifecycle (environment parity and branching strategies), infrastructure as code (fully automating your infrastructure and security services), and idempotency (reliability in distributed systems). 

Q: Given the high demand for cybersecurity professionals, how do you ensure your team feels valued and remains committed in such a competitive field? 

A: Generally speaking, most professionals want to work on interesting/impactful things, with smart people, and feel valued as a result of that work. The key here is leading from the front and setting the culture right from day 1. As a leader in your company, your company culture is a direct reflection of how you treat people, carry yourself , and work with others in your day to day. I always strive to foster a fun, collaborative, safe environment in which my teams are empowered to grow and succeed in.

Adam Swenson
Head of AI
Flagstar Bank