A mathematician will head the BSI in the future: the new boss for Germany’s cyber security authority

Claudia Plattner becomes the new President of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) – the German cyber security authority. Plattner is the first woman to head the department, which has become even more important since the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and increased cyber attacks.

Plattner succeeds the previous President Arne Schönbohm, who was deposed by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) last year after he was reported on in the satirical program ZDF Magazin Royale. The Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) has not given any convincing arguments as to why Schönbohm had to go.

According to government circles, it was important for Minister Faeser to pay attention to diversity when filling the position. It should also not have been that easy to find a suitable person, some would have rejected the offer.

Although the position of BSI President is one that is associated with a great deal of power and prominence, it is not only paid less according to the tariff than cyber security positions in the private sector. After the dismissal of the predecessor Arne Schönbohm, it was also referred to by some as an ejection seat. Mainly because there is currently a bill in the cabinet that will turn the position of BSI president into a political official. This would make it even easier for the Plattner to be relocated or removed than its predecessor.

Both the employees of the BSI and the employees of the ECB are said to have only found out about this personnel from the media. Since the contract had not yet been signed when the press reports were published, better internal communication was not possible. The name Plattner is not yet known to the employees of the BSI, they first have to get an idea.

From the train via the ECB to the office in Berlin

Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser said in a press statement about the new personnel: “I am very pleased that in Claudia Plattner I was able to win an outstanding, internationally networked IT security expert with extensive management experience as the future BSI President.” And further: “Ms. Plattner brings the Experience and expertise that we need in these particularly challenging times for cybersecurity.” Claudia Plattner herself said: “Cybersecurity is a significant challenge for governments. It is an honor for me to serve the Federal Republic in this new role, just as it was an honor for me to work for the ECB.”

Plattner comes from the European Central Bank, where she has been Director General Information Systems since July 2021. According to the ECB, she developed and supported the information and communication systems of the ECB and the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). Before joining the ECB, she was Chief Information Officer (CIO) at DB Systel. This is a company that develops IT solutions for Deutsche Bahn. Plattner has been involved there since 2017 with the digitization and modernization of the DB IT systems.

It is an honor for me to serve the Federal Republic in this new role, just as it was an honor for me to work for the ECB.

Claudia Plattnerfuture head of the BSI

Her passion began with construction kits from Fischer Technik and Lego

In an interview with the podcast programmier.bar, she reports that she has always been interested in technology, “starting with construction kits like Fischer Technik or Lego”. In the 1980s, her father taught her the BASIC programming language. She later studied mathematics at the TU Darmstadt and at Tulane University in New Orleans in the USA.

With her background as a mathematician, unlike her predecessor, she brings technical skills to lead the agency, which currently employs 1441 computer scientists, physicists, mathematicians and other staff. However, their focus so far hasn’t been security or cryptography; she used her math degree first as a ”data tamer” and then in managerial positions.

Your predecessor, Arne Schönbohm, was mainly employed as a networker and manager, who defended the authority’s tasks before the BMI, which issued directives, and in the event of conflicts of interest with the security authorities. Due to her function at the ECB, however, Plattner is already familiar with the management of authority structures.

With Claudia Plattner, a proven expert with well-founded previous knowledge has been won for the important office of BSI President.

Misbah Khan and Constantine of Notz (Greens) to the new boss of the BSE

Misbah Khan, member of the Committee on Home Affairs and Homeland for the Greens faction, and Konstantin von Notz, deputy leader of the faction group, said about the personnel: “With Claudia Plattner, a proven expert with well-founded previous knowledge could be won for the important office of the BSI President.” new BSI President takes office in extremely turbulent times. Russia’s war of aggression has revealed how inadequately our democracy is still protected against certain security threats.

And: “The Schönbohm cause has led to considerable uncertainty. It’s good that the months-long stalemate over the future head of the BSI is finally over and a further loss of reputation has been averted.”

Manuel Höferlin, domestic policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group, said: “Your professional suitability for this task is beyond any doubt. In times when not only does a lot of catching up have to be done in terms of cyber security, but at the same time the threat scenario is growing due to Russia and others, this is good news for Germany. She has my full support when it comes to asserting herself against the interests of other bodies in the interest of cyber security.”

Discussions had repeatedly arisen in the Ministry of the Interior, since the BSI, as a cyber security authority, has different ideas than the classic security authorities, for example when it comes to closing vulnerabilities.

So that Plattner can continue to perform and hand over her tasks at the ECB, she will only take up the new position on July 1. Until then, Vice President Gerhard Schabhüser will continue to head the authority.

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