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Leadership Lessons: CSO Compass Awards 2008, Part Two

More leadership insight from the 2008 CSO Compass Award winners: Marco Fidanza, Jim Hutton and John McClurg.

By Mary Brandel

May 14, 2008 — CSO —

Marco Fidanza
Director of Security, Takeda Pharmaceuticals

"On my internal team, I've got about 10 FTE security management folks, and we use an outsourced security provider for security operations. I emphasize projecting a professional image in deed and action. For instance, we don't use the word guard or say guard booth; we use the word checkpoint. We constantly strive to professionalize people on the operational side, from investigations all the way through. Our officers, no matter what level, we view as our team. They are our extended team, no matter what level they're at.

Marco Fidanza

"What I struggle with and sometimes get flabbergasted at is the unprofessionalism I see in security providers. What I've seen is people not holding them accountable. You're trying to fight that lowest common denominator. I'll hear, 'Well, XYZ Co. doesn't ask us for KPIs; why do you need them?' So I need to be clear that it's our expectation.

"In the end, it's about relationships, holding people accountable and surrounding yourself with people who challenge you. While it might be comfortable to surround ourselves with people who think like us, in my view it's not healthy because you get a jaded or one-sided perspective."

Marco Fidanza joined Takeda Pharmaceuticals in 2001 with the mission of building the company's security function from scratch. The security department now encompasses brand protection, information protection, security operations, investigations and crisis management oversight.

Prior to Takeda, Fidanza was a manager of security investigations at Abbott Laboratories, where he was responsible for global company investigations. He began his career at United Airlines, starting as an internal auditor, responsible for operational audits at United's global locations. "I like to describe myself as a recovering auditor," he says. "It's where I cut my teeth on the area of fraud." He was later promoted to corporate security representative at United and was the first non-FBI person to work in the department. At that point, he made a complete transition into the security profession, working on employee investigations and fraud.

While at Takeda, Fidanza was a member of the team that constructed a new Takeda corporate campus in the Chicagoland area. He was instrumental in developing a state-of-the-art security master plan and architecture to protect and safeguard personnel and company assets. The campus was selected as "construction project of the year" in the Chicago real estate community.

Fidanza holds a business administration degree from Loyola University of Chicago and has previously been a CPA and a Certified Fraud Examiner.