Rockwell Automation appoints new chief information security officer

Rockwell Automation has named Stephen Ford as its new vice-president and chief information security officer (CISO), effective immediately. He will report to Chris Nardecchia, the company’s senior vice-president and chief information officer.

In this role, Ford will develop and execute a holistic cybersecurity strategy to ensure that Rockwell Automation and its Connected Enterprise ecosystem – the company’s infrastructure, products and customers – are safe, secure, and resilient.

“I’m excited about the energy and expertise Stephen brings to this role,” said Nardecchia. “With more than 30 years of experience in technology leadership, particularly identifying and managing risks, Stephen’s expertise will help us to ensure cyber resilience for our employees, enterprise, customers, and partners. He will be a valuable asset to our team.”

Ford joins Rockwell from McKesson Corporation, a pharmaceutical and medical supplies distribution company, where he was vice-president of global security. Prior to McKesson, he held IT infrastructure, information security and compliance, and systems engineering leadership roles at HP, Baylor College of Medicine and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.