William MacMillan, former CIA CISO and former SVP for InfoSec at Salesforce, reflects on purpose, pressure, and adapting to the digital frontlines of cyber defence.

In this Security Edge interview, he shares his remarkable journey from serving as a helicopter pilot in the US Air Force to leading cyber defence at the highest levels of national security.

His early career involved combat rescue and special operations, fuelling a passion for foreign engagement and international travel.

This ultimately led to a two-decade tenure at the CIA, where he worked across both intelligence operations and cyber defence.

His transition into cyber security began in the mid-2000s, when he recognised that the next major arena of impact and “adventure” was shifting to the digital frontier.

Reflecting on his career path, William describes it as a series of deliberate steps into roles that are “fun, impactful and serve a greater purpose.”

He notes that cyber security, much like military service, demands a high degree of resilience and the ability to operate under intense pressure.

The fast-paced, high-stakes nature of the field requires leaders to continuously adapt.

He sees the digital domain as today’s critical arena for service where military and intelligence skillsets can be powerfully applied to national and organisational defence.

Acknowledging the relentlessness of the field, William also highlights the importance of personal responsibility in maintaining balance.

He urges cyber executives to set clear boundaries, rather than relying solely on organisational support structures.

Leaders, he says, must proactively carve out downtime and adopt sustainable habits, prioritising fundamentals like sleep, nutrition and healthy stress outlets.

While cultural expectations may pressure individuals to always be available, he champions self-advocacy as essential to preserving long-term effectiveness in a demanding environment.

 

Key takeaways:

  • From combat to cyber: William transitioned from a 10-year career as a helicopter pilot in the US Air Force to a 20-year tenure at the CIA, culminating in his role as CISO. His journey highlights the value of leadership and resilience across both physical and digital defence domains.
  • Cyber as the new frontier: He identifies the mid-2000s as a pivotal moment when digital threats became the next critical domain for service, drawing clear parallels between military operations and the urgency of cyber defence.
  • Balance requires boundaries: William underscores that maintaining wellbeing in cyber security is a personal responsibility. Executives must set their own boundaries and prioritise habits like sleep, nutrition and stress management to sustain performance in an always-on industry.
Contributors
William MacMillan Former CISO of the CIA | Former SVP for Info Sec at Salesforce
William MacMillan is the Chief Product Officer at Andesite. Prior to this position, he was Senior Vice President for Information Security at... More

William MacMillan is the Chief Product Officer at Andesite. Prior to this position, he was Senior Vice President for Information Security at Salesforce.

Prior to his retirement from the federal government, William served as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), where he led a sweeping transformation of the CIA’s cybersecurity strategy and organization.Prior to serving as CISO, William held multiple senior leadership positions at CIA dealing with various aspects of intelligence, counterintelligence, and cyber operations. During his career, he focused significant attention on insider threat, supply chain risk, and incident response issues, as well as the development of CIA’s Cybersecurity Operations Center (CSOC). Prior to joining CIA, William served as an officer and a pilot in the United States Air Force’s Combat Rescue and Special Operations communities.

William graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a BS in Biology. He also holds an MA in International Relations from Salve Regina University and an MS in cybersecurity from George Mason University.William, his wife, and their three children reside in the Pacific Northwest.

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Peter Hind Principal Research Analyst at ADAPT
One of the ICT industry’s foremost analysts and commentators, Peter Hind has spent over 25 years advising and talking on topics across... More

One of the ICT industry’s foremost analysts and commentators, Peter Hind has spent over 25 years advising and talking on topics across the technology industry. His primary areas of interest are the potential of technology to transform the way organisations operate, the change management obstacles executives encounter in realising this potential, as well as the tactics and techniques leaders have deployed to overcome these difficulties.​

With roles across IDC, Unisys, NCR, Sigma Data, and others, Peter now takes on multiple roles within ADAPT including the moderation of private events and roundtables, interviewing business executives about the strategies they are pursuing and assisting with the structuring of delegate surveys.​

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