Sam Kourtelidis, Cissp,Pmp,Cisa,Cism,Crisc,Itil
About Sam Kourtelidis, Cissp,Pmp,Cisa,Cism,Crisc,Itil
Sam Kourtelidis is the Director of IT Risk Management and Vice President at Eaton Vance, where he has worked since 2009. He has extensive experience in IT risk management, cybersecurity, and business continuity, supported by multiple professional certifications.
Current Role at Eaton Vance
Sam Kourtelidis serves as the Director of IT Risk Management and Vice President at Eaton Vance, a position he has held since 2009. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the firm's technology risk management strategies and ensuring compliance with industry standards. He has developed a robust integrated Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) operational framework to minimize technology risk exposure. Additionally, he builds and maintains Eaton Vance's Cybersecurity and Identity & Access Management programs, focusing on protecting the firm and its stakeholders.
Previous Experience
Prior to his current role, Kourtelidis held various positions at Eaton Vance, including Technology Risk Manager and IT Process Manager. His career began in Greece, where he worked as a Junior Systems Analyst at Lantec and later as a Financial/Systems Analyst at Olayan Investment Company. He also gained experience in the United States as a Financial Analyst at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Unicare Insurance Co. His diverse background includes roles in programming, business systems analysis, and project management.
Education and Certifications
Kourtelidis studied at Northeastern University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems, International Business, and Finance from 1988 to 1992. He also attended Boston Latin Academy from 1984 to 1988. He holds multiple professional certifications, including CISSP, PMP, CISA, CISM, CRISC, and ITIL, which demonstrate his expertise in information security and project management.
Key Initiatives and Contributions
Kourtelidis has spearheaded significant initiatives at Eaton Vance, including the firm's Return To Office Taskforce, which developed a comprehensive plan for transitioning back to office locations while ensuring employee safety. He managed the firm's overall response to the COVID-19 pandemic, successfully transitioning Eaton Vance to a fully remote work environment in March 2020. He also established a Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery program to reduce downtime of critical systems.
Leadership and Team Development
In his leadership role, Kourtelidis fosters an atmosphere of empowerment within the IT Risk Mitigation team. He emphasizes learning, diversification, and belonging, encouraging team members to express their ideas and contribute to the team's success. He prepares board presentations and meets with management committees to provide updates on Information Security and Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery efforts.