Exploring the Importance of Identity Governance with Craig Ramsay, Omada – Podcast Episode 102

Let's talk about digital identity with Craig Ramsay, Senior Solutions Architect at Omada. What is Identity Governance and Why is it important? Craig Ramsay, Senior Solutions Architect at Omada joins Oscar to explore all things Identity Governance including – the role of Identity Governance in compliance with regulations and standards, how it affects security and risk management for organisation, alongside some real-world examples of Identity Governance in use. [Transcript below] "We’re still trying to shake off the thing that - security is a barrier to efficiency. There’s an old adage that ‘efficiency is insecure, but security is inefficient’. But I don’t think that’s true anymore." Craig Ramsay, Senior Solution Architect at Omada, from Edinburgh, Scotland. I have worked at Omada for 3 years and have previously worked at RSA Security and different financial services organisations in the UK within their Identity functions. Outside of work my main interests are hiking and travelling. Connect with Craig on LinkedIn. We’ll be continuing this conversation on LinkedIn using #LTADI – join us @ubisecure! Go to @Ubisecure on YouTube to watch the video transcript for episode 102. Podcast transcript Oscar Santolalla: This week I am joined by Craig Ramsay from Omada, here to discuss the importance of identity governance and how it is helping to solve problems in real-world. Stay tuned to find out more. Let’s Talk About Digital Identity, the podcast connecting identity and business. I am your host, Oscar. Oscar: Hello, for today’s episode about Identity Governance and Administration, mostly known as IGA, we have invited a super interesting guest who is Craig Ramsay. He is a Senior Solution Architect at Omada. He’s from Edinburgh, Scotland. He has worked for Omada for three years and has previously worked at RSA Security and different financial services organisations in the United Kingdom within their identity functions. Outside of work, Craig’s main interests are hiking and travelling. Hello, Craig. Craig Ramsay: Hey, Oscar. How are you doing? Oscar: Very good. Nice talking with you. Craig: Thank you, you too. Oscar: So, let’s talk about digital identity. As usual, we want to hear more about our guests. Please tell us about yourself and your journey to this world of identity. Craig: Sure. So, I mean, thank you for the introduction. And I guess, in terms of my journey into identity, it was a little bit by fluke rather than by design. I studied Computer Science and when I graduated, I joined an operational IT graduate scheme. They had recently started a new IAM project, because I think back in 2008, identity and access management, identity governance wasn’t as mature as it is now. It was still kind of seen as an operational IT project rather than an information security principle. So, the drivers there were more about the efficiency, automated provisioning and stuff. But yeah, they were looking for a graduate on that project. That was me. And apart from a few years where I decided to try what it was like being a policeman, I have worked in identity ever since either for, as you said, financial services organisations doing the work at the coalface or for vendors, either in project delivery or, and you know pre-sales in my solution architect role. Oscar: Excellent. So, let’s go first with the basics. We have not talked about IGA yet in this podcast, have not focused on that. So, tell us, what is that? What is Identity Governance and Administration, IGA? What is important? Craig: Sure. So, I mean, identity governance, when you focus on it, at its core, it’s a solution that will ensure the right individuals have the right access for the right reasons at the right time in your organisation. So, it’s protecting the authorisations or the resource assignments within your organisation. And that’s often policy-driven to ensure that all of, and I think the important distinction here when we talk...