Josef Pichlmayr

CEO

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Joe Pichlmayr, CEO at IKARUS Security Software, about vision, chances and corporate social responsibility.

When Joe Pichlmayr joined IKARUS in 1993, the history of computers and computer viruses was still in its infancy. Due to the seemingly never-ending stream of new viruses and attacks, curiosity and the urge to research soon turned into the need and concern to create a general awareness of IT security. Preventive, even protective knowledge should be accessible to everyone. Everyone who owns and uses a PC should be aware of the dangers associated with its use – and at the same time have the opportunity to navigate the net with their infrastructures in a SECURE way. For this purpose, it is essential to know and internalize some security principles and to use preventive measures and effective protection mechanisms. Nobody should be blindly and helplessly at the mercy of the attacks and tricks of cyber fraudsters.

Since 2011, IKARUS CEO Joe Pichlmayr has been going one step further with the association Cyber Security Austria, the Austria Cyber Security Challenge and Digital.City Wien

It is not only about affordable IT security solutions that should be easily available and intuitive to use. But it is also about a broad awareness of the problem among all people. Highly developed attacks require highly qualified experts to defend against these attacks. Highly qualified experts need appropriate training infrastructures and incentives for young people to take the challenging journey to become cyber security experts.

“Our goal is to encourage ministries and educational institutions to take action, train teachers, sensitize parents, inform interested parties and train talented people,” says Joe Pichlmayr: “IT security urgently needs new talent and therefore an appropriate education system – also to strengthen Austria and Vienna as an ICT location and keep them competitive!”

There are many opportunities for qualified security specialists. Also with IKARUS!

What did you want to be when you were little?

Federal President or General

When and how did you discover your interest in IT and/or cyber security?

At IKARUS – and before that on the classic C64 Wintergames trip.

How did you become CEO? What training, knowledge or experience was particularly helpful?

Hmm. This happened in the course of the management buy-out in 1998/99. Primarily helpful was the courage to have the courage to know the company and to know which steps it can and cannot take, to have a great team and a huge amount of luck and naivety.

Which (professional and human) skills are particularly important in your current job?

Listening and understanding what my partners, customers and employees are concerned about and responding to what moves people! To use my opportunities to help others, whether in your office challenges or to “grow” in person – to take and encourage fears. Balance and strengthen.

What would you have liked to know about your profession earlier?

That professional excellence is an essential prerequisite, but by no means everything. Leading people and making more out of the sum of their individual components requires completely different qualifications, such as: Empathy and the ability to encourage and nurture people. At least there are always up’s and downs, and the world doesn’t have to be saved “stante pede”.

What do you like most and least about your job?

As CEO – Chief Enabling Officer – I have the privilege of representing our company and realising many other projects that have nothing to do with IKARUS. The excellent reputation of our company has not only opened many doors for me and strengthened my positions/ concerns but also contributed significantly to the realisation of many projects because IKARUS is trusted to do so.

As CEO – Chief Entertainment Officer – I like to ensure that our employees and team leaders harmonise and enjoy the challenges they face every day.

I don’t like it when employees leave us.

What is special about your role as CEO?

It is the role of the CEO of IKARUS!

What do you think are good ways to get a foothold in the IT and/or cyber security industry?

Depending on the “target area”, of course, a solid education. Otherwise, due to the prevailing shortage of skilled workers, it is already not too tricky to gain initial experience in this environment. You just shouldn’t assume that what you do and want to do will last very long or would not be subject to change.

Why should someone apply to be your new colleague?

Because it gives him the chance to find challenges in a young international team that you won’t find anywhere else in this country because we do extraordinary things, we can help people. We are at the forefront of protecting businesses and people.

Pioneering work since 1986

How it all began: Founded as a software company, a coincidence and a hobby led to the fact that IKARUS soon specialized in computer security. IKARUS anti.virus was one of the first antivirus programs worldwide, and further exciting developments and projects were to follow…

Company history