In today's age of digital markets, secure transactional systems are synonymous with a bank's perceived safety and reliability. Deborah Guild, the head of enterprise technology and security for PNC Financial Services Group, leads a team of 3,500 who are charged with protecting customers' and clients' data.
As a Domestic Systemically Important Bank, PNC occupies a strategic position, wielding influence in upholding US regulations while maintaining their primary focus on Main Street. "We are big enough to matter, but small enough to get things done," Guild stated.
Guild's authority traverses a multifaceted spectrum, encompassing enterprise hosting, risk management, cybersecurity and other critical support areas. She joined PNC in 2013 as chief technology officer and became the bank's chief security officer in 2017. Prior to joining PNC, she spent 21 years at Bank of America and held a variety of positions including chief technology officer of enterprise functions and end-user computing.
One distinctive facet of Guild's leadership is her innovative approach to talent acquisition. She has upended the conventional requirement of a four-year degree for technology jobs and considers candidates with various backgrounds, including those who have obtained tech-related certifications or have demonstrated ability to work successfully in tech positions throughout their career. As a result, Guild's efforts have increased PNC's ability to attract and retain diverse talent.
Guild has long championed women in financial services. Diversity and inclusion are not mere talking points for Guild but are integral to her leadership ethos. In a field traditionally dominated by men, her appointment of women to key positions – PNC's current chief information security officer and previous chief technology officer are both women – highlights her dedication to supporting and promoting women. Additionally, she has championed other initiatives such as
"Supporting women in traditionally male-dominated spaces, such as motorsports, tech and finance, is important to us because we know that a diverse workforce sparks innovation and influences economic inclusion," said Guild. "Whether you are in a boardroom, a lab or on a pit lane, performance comes down to capability and grit. As a company seeking to cultivate the next generation of female leaders, we couldn't be more excited to support Women in Motorsports."
Guild is also passionate about improving downtown Pittsburgh, where the bank is headquartered. She helped to increase the presence of police officers and bank security in the downtown area, and coordinated with the city's public safety department to establish a new public safety center that will include a police substation across from the bank's headquarters.
She is a board member of the Better Identity Coalition, which brings together companies to promote education and collaboration on protecting identities online, and the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center, an industry consortium dedicated to reducing cyber-risk in the global financial system. Guild also serves on the board of the National Center for Women in Information Technology.
In August, Guild was named the chair of Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council, a nonprofit that works with government agencies to address infrastructure and homeland security activities within the financial services industries and enhance their resilience to an ever-expanding set of threats.
