Leo Simonovich of Siemens Energy Joins Global Resilience Federation Board

The Global Resilience Federation (GRF) disclosed today that Leo Simonovich, the Vice President and Global Head of Industrial Cyber and Digital Security at Siemens Energy, is set to become a member of its board of directors. At Siemens Energy, Simonovich leads the firm’s industrial cybersecurity division, bringing his specialized knowledge in operating technologies (OT) cybersecurity to the GRF board. This appointment comes as industries are progressively investing in digitization of physical production processes through information technology (IT) systems, commonly known as the industrial Internet of Things (IoT).

The inclusion of Simonovich on GRF's board forms part of a series of measures the organization is undertaking to respond to the rising risk of cyberattacks inherent with the benefits of industrial IoT. Effectively managing threats against systems that rely on industrial IoT – including precision manufacturing, electric vehicles, and smart city infrastructure – represents a major challenge for the future of the global economy and the transition to eco-friendly technologies.

“GRF CEO Mark Orsi welcomed Simonovich saying, "He has long been a thought leader on cybersecurity resilience, a respected voice in the energy sector, and a driver of innovation for OT security. We are looking forward to his insight as we continue to build and support multi-sector collective defense communities."

Simonovich will join a board consisting of leaders from various sectors, including operational technology, utilities, legal services, retail banking, oil and natural gas, healthcare, retail, professional services, and downstream natural gas. Siemens Energy, under Simonovich's leadership, launched the Eos.ii platform for industrial cybersecurity monitoring and detection, and the Managed Detection and Response service, enabling a wider range of companies to implement cybersecurity for OT environments.

In addition to his pivotal role at Siemens, Simonovich has advocated for global cooperation on cybersecurity maturity, particularly as the chair of the World Economic Forum’s Oil and Gas Community cybersecurity working group.

Simonovich commented on his appointment, “GRF has been working to answer today's more frequent, more sophisticated cyber threats with equally powerful information-sharing efforts. I want to thank GRF for this opportunity to contribute to building resilient cross-sector communities.”

The Global Resilience Federation (GRF) operates as a non-profit hub and facilitator for support, analysis, and cross-sector intelligence exchange among information sharing and analysis centers (ISACs), organizations (ISAOs), and computer emergency readiness/response teams (CERTs). The GRF's mission centers on ensuring the resilience of essential and critical infrastructure against threats that could significantly disrupt the global economy and the general safety of the public.