Global Risks Talks – “Management of Critical Infrastructure Security”

Within the framework of the MAPFRE International Global Risks Seminar, we were able to enjoy a talk between Guillermo Llorente, Corporate Security Director at MAPFRE, and José Luis Pérez Pajuelo, Director of the National Center for Infrastructure Protection and Cybersecurity (CNPIC [Centro Nacional de Protección de Infraestructuras y Ciberseguridad]), where they explained the challenges we face from an infrastructure security standpoint that are essential and can critically affect the proper functioning of the economy, not only of a company, but even of a region or country.

In this interview, Guillermo Llorente shared the three pillars that underpin MAPFRE’s security model and how the company is adapting successfully after a series of complex situations experienced in recent years.

• In the fall of 2019, situations of political uncertainty and social unrest occurred in a significant number of countries in which we were present, such as Ecuador, Chile and Colombia, causing the activation of business continuity plans for those countries in order to guarantee the provision of the service.
• The arrival of COVID, which affected the entire world, meant that MAPFRE found itself with over 40,000 employees working remotely without any disruption to business.
• During this contingency situation, the MAPFRE Company suffered a cyberattack at the corporate headquarters in Spain, representing the largest attack the company faced in its history and which it successfully resolved.
• And today we are faced with a black swan, the war between Russia and Ukraine, which is creating a situation of complete uncertainty that MAPFRE is facing up to by basing itself on its pillars: the commitment of its employees, preparation through business continuity plans, the resilience of the entire organization, and, fundamentally, public – private and private – private collaboration, also actively participating in national and European security forums.

For his part, José Luis Pérez Pajuelo explained what is meant by critical infrastructure, what role the CNPIC plays in protecting this infrastructure, and how it is adapting to this convulsive and constantly changing environment.