Reto Zeidler
Dipl. Inf | EMBA FH | GSLC | CISSP
MyStory – From HVAC to Cyber Samurai (with a cruising altitude of 10,000 feet)
Born and raised in the charming heart of Switzerland — a place where cows moo in four languages and trains arrive with atomic precision — I had a relatively normal school life, until I chose to heat things up… quite literally with an apprenticeship as an HVAC engineer. Completed in 1996, I swapped my pencils for camo and joined the Swiss Armed Forces, doing my patriotic duty, served through the ranks with discipline, pride, and just the right amount of sarcasm. It was also my first contact with (physical Security & Safety) - as a security and bodyguard professional — let’s just say I could secure a perimeter, a VIP table dinner at the WEF and even street crossings, if necessary.
"..aviation wasn't just a hobby for 20 years, but also a secret playbook for many of my concepts in leadership and cyber security"
Becoming a police- or professional soldier would have been a natural choice, But fate — and a few personal connections — had other plans. Suddenly, I was in IT. Why? Because at this time, if you could spell “IT” correctly, you were virtually halfway seen as an expert.
But do right things right was always a trait and so I not just worked in the IT industry, but also studied it in computer science. However, I must’ve been so bad at it, they promoted me. Fast forward: I was leading teams and running international IT operations in international companies. And while InfoSec was already a fast emerging topic back then, it wasn't yet my real conversion.
Enter a largest Telco provider. That’s where I met a (at this time) rare and very shy species: the InfoSec Professional. As their leader, I had two choices: fake it or join the tribe. I chose the latter. And it clicked — hard. Cybersecurity was no longer a job. It was a calling.
But here’s the twist — while cyber defense was my day job, the skies were my playground. I earned my pilot license back in 2004 and flew for nearly 20 years a cross Europe. Aviation wasn’t just a hobby; it became my secret playbook. Risk management? Leadership in crisis response? Emergency checklists and regular training & exercising? Welcome to security frameworks — aviation-style. Why reinvent what’s already soaring?
In 2016, I added “guest lecturer” to my manifest. Sharing my knowledge with postgraduate students gave me fresh perspectives and a never-ending stream of curious minds. It became a vital part of how I grow — and help others grow too.
And what have I learned in 25 years?
#1 Cybersecurity evolves fast, but core principles last longer than your last password reset.
#2 Everyone thinks tech is king — but communication is the real emperor.
#3 Curiosity isn’t optional. It’s your passport to understanding the “why” behind things, not just the "what".
#4 There is no fixed runway to cyber security. From, whatever profession you come from — there's always a gate leading here.
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