Mark Kikta

SVP — Advisor Security & BISOs at LPL Financial

San Diego, California

About

About

As a strategic cybersecurity executive, I bridge the gap between technical defense and revenue protection for global enterprises. My career is defined by helping companies shift from reactive security to proactive, risk-based governance.

My focus is on designing and implementing frameworks that align with business objectives, establishing risk visibility and business accountability globally. By partnering directly with the C-suite to establish enterprise data protection programs, I have helped organizations reduce critical loss events with minimal impact on day-to-day business operations.

I have had the privilege of building and mentoring high caliber teams of professionals across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas. My leadership philosophy is simple: empower individuals through inclusivity and mutual respect, and the metrics will follow.

Experience

Where I've worked

SVP — Advisor Security & BISOs
LPL Financial · San Diego, California
2025 – Present

Strengthened relationships with advisors and clients to translate complex risk into clarity for this publicly traded financial services organization, ensuring consistent executive communications. Rebuilt the BISO organization with a focus on metrics, driving accountability, and leading through influence.

Deputy CISO
Whirlpool Corporation · Benton Harbor, Michigan
2023 – 2025

Designed and implemented a risk-based cybersecurity program for a publicly traded manufacturer worldwide that protected revenue, which enabled the business to continue to modernize.

  • Led and scaled a global team in the Americas and APAC
  • Increased program maturity, as baselined on the NIST CSF 2.0 and MITRE ATT&CK
  • Created and staffed a greenfield cybersecurity architecture program
  • Won a CSO Award for cybersecurity operations transformation
  • Repositioned the engineering team and scaled the organization to Brazil
  • Partnered with the C-suite as a trusted security advisor, translating technical risks into business terms
  • Appointed to the US Cyber Trust Mark Technical Standards Committee
Senior Manager — Cybersecurity
Zendesk · San Francisco, California
2021 – 2023

Revamped a global security operations program that protected data for 160K+ customers across 160 countries for this publicly traded Software as a Service organization.

  • Hired a high-performing team across Asia, Europe, and the Americas
  • Rebuilt and ran international security monitoring, incident response, and threat hunting
  • Designed a global security automation program, driving material cost savings
  • Developed an automated metrics program for real-time executive reporting
Senior Manager — Cybersecurity
Zillow · Seattle, Washington
2020 – 2021

Designed and implemented a risk-based cybersecurity program worldwide that protected revenue, which enabled the publicly held real-estate disrupter to continue to modernize.

  • Directed security strategy and operations across 13 entities
  • Implemented an insider threat management program
  • Led employee security culture awareness initiatives
Chief Security Architect
RedLegg · Chicago, Illinois
2016 – 2020

Directed the technical vision for the firm and acted as an executive advisor for industry-leading clients.

  • Formed an automation program, enabling rapid scaling for incident response and business operations
  • Founded a threat intelligence and research organization
  • Managed the vendor assessment and negotiation strategy

Earlier

  • Adversarial EngineerLARES Consulting2015–2016
  • Senior Associate, Adversarial OperationsDiscover Financial Services2014–2015
  • Senior Security ConsultantVioPoint Inc2013–2014
  • Linux EngineerSecure-242011–2013
  • Linux EngineerUniversity of Detroit Mercy2009–2011

Background

Background

Boards & service

  • Treasurer, ISSA Grand Rapids Chapter
  • VP, Content Strategy & Speaker RelationsGrrCON
  • Member, US Cyber Trust Mark Technical Standards Committee

Education & certification

  • CISSPCertified Information Systems Security Professional
  • Associate C-CISOEC-Council
  • BSc, Cybersecurity & Information SystemsUniversity of Detroit Mercy

Contact

Contact

engagements@markkikta.com

Open to speaking engagements, contributed writing, and conversations with security leaders working in regulated environments.