At the French Tech Sofia conference in Bulgaria, Nicolas Malbec, CEO of Fidelilium, shared a clear and pragmatic vision of cybersecurity: it should no longer be seen merely as a constraint, an unavoidable expense or a technical matter, but as a genuine driver of growth and a key differentiator for businesses.

This session was primarily aimed at executives, entrepreneurs and decision-makers looking to place cybersecurity at the heart of their business strategy.

WHY DO COMPANIES INVEST IN CYBERSECURITY?

The real motivations driving companies to take action on cybersecurity evolve over time and in line with the organisation’s level of maturity.

Four main levels have been identified:

Level 0: Pain
The organisation has already suffered a serious incident: a cyberattack, data loss, business disruption or direct financial impact.

Level 1: Fear
The organisation takes action out of fear of a cyberattack, often under pressure from current events or incidents involving competitors.

Level 2: Compliance
Cybersecurity has become essential due to regulations and standards such as NIS 2, GDPR, DORA, PCI DSS, CRA and IEC 62443, as well as the requirements of customers and partners.

Level 3: Ambition
Cybersecurity is integrated as a strategic tool to differentiate the organisation, improve overall performance and build trust.

It is at this final level that cybersecurity begins to create business value.

CYBERSECURITY AS A DIFFERENTIATOR

When properly structured and aligned with the company’s strategy, cybersecurity becomes a tangible competitive advantage.

In particular, it enables companies to:

• Build trust among customers, partners, investors and regulators
• Facilitate access to public sector contracts and major corporate accounts
• Support international expansion
• Improve corporate governance and credibility