The team

We are a rapidly growing team of over 20 CyberSecurity experts from various focus areas, directly related to Operational Technologies. Our mission is to provide our customers with pragmatic solutions to support their activities. Your challenges become our challenges.

Christian is the founder and managing partner of CyberShield. He is responsible for our teams and projects. He also supports our customers from the development and execution of security programs to engineering in the concrete implementation of measures.

Prior to joining CyberShield, Christian worked in critical infrastructure protection research for TU Darmstadt. After moving to Deutsche Bahn, he developed the security architecture for DB Netz AG’s digital interlocking before working in security management for both DB Netz AG and DB AG. He is the founder of the European Rail Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ER-ISAC) and leads WG 26 of CENELEC TC 9X as convenor, which developed TS 50701 (Railway Applications – CyberSecurity).

In his spare time, Christian can often be found doing sporting activities such as a marathon or alpine mountaineering (-he quickly swapped his Newton running shoes for crampons and an ice axe). He also enjoys traveling with the company’s two mascots, Ben and Whisky.

Quote: “CyberSecurity doesn’t look like a selling point at first glance, because it neither generates greater profits nor increases the capacity of a system. However, on closer inspection, it is an enabler for many digital and innovative trends I currently see. It ensures that we can experience digital transformation without fear that attackers will have an easy game.”

Certifications:

Gunter leads the project for the development of the Hardening OT Baselines / Guidelines. He also supports customers in setting up their security programs, analyzes audit findings and improves security in the OT and IT areas with his team.

In addition to his technical responsibilities, he is particularly active in designing and building CyberShield’s training division. His state examination (teaching profession) proves to be extremely helpful here. During his studies at Heidelberg University, he worked with the IT department on secure networks for faculty and students and supervised this field.
Through CyberShield, he was able to pursue this passion more than he could have ever imagined.

On weekends, you can find Gunter at the shelter in the morning walking a dog and in the gym in the afternoon using the equipment and free weight area.

Quote: IT security should be important for every company, as a deficiency in this sensitive field can have devastating consequences. These can go far beyond economic damage and can also extend to individuals and society. IT security affects everyone.

Certifications:

Julio is responsible for network security at Cybershield. Before joining the company, he studied “Communications Engineering and Electronics” and earned his master’s degree in “Communication Systems and Networks.” The qualifications he acquired aroused great interest in him in topics such as cryptography, IT security, and virtual private networks.
What motivates him most is knowing that he can help protect people and also contribute to the proper use of technology. He thinks it’s great to be supported by CyberShield in his technical education because he loves learning new things.

In his free time Julio plays guitar, he loves music and enjoys playing different genres, from the classical compositions of Francisco Tárrega to rock, Steve Vai and even progressive metal (Dream Theater).

Quote: “IT security in companies is important because it not only protects systems and data, but also people’s lives. Cybercrime not only harms a company’s business, but also affects people’s personal lives.”

Certifications:

Serhei works for us in Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) and Design for the Chemical and Transportation sectors. Prior to joining CyberShield, Serhei worked as an automation engineer for two years, among other positions. His main tasks were the development of algorithms for automation systems, their implementation in practice, the creation and provision of documentation and the training of employees.

Since Serhei’s daughter was born three years ago, he has redefined his purpose in life – he just loves spending time with her. Serhei is also heavily active in other ways: programming, cycling, playing basketball or volleyball give him a lot of pleasure. He is also passionate about playing the guitar.

Quote: “When we talk about the modern world, we can use many words, such as “smart”, “connected”, “high-speed” and so on. They all mean that borders and distances between continents, countries, cities, and even people are being eliminated, even without their consent. In my opinion, therefore, one of the most important tasks is to address the distinction between private and public data of all kinds, as well as their protection.”

Certifications:

Jonas works for us in IT/OT Consulting for customer projects in the chemical sector. In addition, he is the point of contact for research proposals at CyberShield. Before joining us, he gained knowledge as a working student as a penetration tester, as well as a network officer at the Marsilius-Kolleg of the University of Heidelberg.

Outside of work, Jonas can be seen trying new things, like cooking and dance classes. In addition, fresh air is important for him as a balance, so he likes to go hiking in the surrounding area.

Quote: "After my first contact with IT security, I realized how vulnerable everyday websites and devices can be. Simply because of the demand for one's own privacy, and even more so the sometimes misguided assumption that "everything works so far", awareness of IT security must be just as present as other aspects for companies and private individuals. Until then, there is still a lot to do. As part of my job, I feel like I'm making a difference and achieving actual benefits on every project."

Katharina works for us in the Business Development department. It looks after the further development of the portfolio and the expansion of sales and establishes processes and structures. Prior to that, she gained many years of practical experience and extensive knowledge in various fields, such as consulting and engineering.

In her free time, Katharina pursues her greatest hobby: she is a freelance dance teacher and teaches Latin American dance. A very big concern for her is animal and environmental protection, which she actively supports through petitions and donations. She enjoys spending time in nature and living out her creative side with drawing and painting watercolors.

Quote: "The best technical equipment and programs are useless from one moment to the next if they are hit by a cyber attack."