KBKAST Episode 356 Deep Dive: Simon Hodgkinson | The Burnout Crisis in the Cybersecurity Community

Date: February 25, 2026
Host: Katie Kaz (KBI.Media)
Guest: Simon Hodgkinson, Strategic Advisor at Sembris, former Global CISO at BP

Episode Overview

This episode examines burnout in the cybersecurity industry through the personal and professional lens of Simon Hodgkinson, who shares his journey from leading global operations at BP to recognizing and managing burnout. The conversation covers the scale and stressors inherent in executive cyber roles, the importance of self-awareness, organizational support, and actionable advice for current and aspiring CISOs. The tone is candid, vulnerable, and practical, aiming to spark honest reflection and change.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Scope and Pressure of a Global CISO Role

• Scale of Responsibility (01:37–05:03)
  • Simon describes overseeing BP’s cyber risk spanning 80 countries, 600 offices, 75,000 staff, and massive industrial operations.
  • Direct involvement in strategy, risk, compliance, behavioral awareness, and triaging billions of daily security events.
  • Noted strong board-level support at BP—“I was one of the lucky CISOs in the fact that, you know, I did have the support from the top...” (Simon Hodgkinson, 04:45)
• Sources of Stress
  • Continuous new challenges daily.
  • Personal drive for assurance and perception of needing to “know everything.”
  • Desire rooted in past failures and the quest for certainty: “That early failure in my career led me to be somebody who just wanted to make sure everything was going to be successful and therefore I just worked so hard.” (Simon, 07:13)

2. Corporate Psychologists and Senior Readiness (08:13–09:53)

• BP’s use of corporate psychologists to ensure execs could handle stress.
• Assessments were thorough and involved psychometric tests, interviews with peers/subordinates, and stress-scenario evaluations.
• “What you don’t want in a crisis is somebody who runs around with their hair on fire, for instance. You need somebody who’s calm, but equally somebody who’s able to make some pretty tough decisions...” (Simon, 09:00)

3. On Motivation, Status, and the Cybersecurity Industry (09:53–12:14)

• Simon and Katie discuss the allure of the CISO title versus the reality of responsibility.
• Industry trend: High turnover/short tenures at the CISO level, often 12–18 months.
• Simon emphasizes the mission-driven nature of cybersecurity professionals but recognizes some are “wired” in ways that make switching off difficult.

4. Personal Loss, Wake-Up Call, and Reprioritization (12:17–19:11)

• The sudden death of Simon’s brother in 2019 was pivotal: “And that was a real wake up call for me... I deeply regret prioritizing work over frankly a lot of family time as well.”
• Importance of recognizing and acting on imbalance: “Now I absolutely recognize that. So ... there are breaks that I can do something different than just work. ... Just don’t be me—it isn’t worth it.” (Simon, 13:40)
• Discovery of his own pulmonary embolism after noticing fatigue (mirroring what killed his brother) and taking action only because he’d begun to slow down.
  • “Had not made that break, I would have just knuckled down, carried on,... but I probably wouldn’t have had a couple of weeks. It probably would have killed me before then.” (Simon, 20:05)

5. “Losing the Plot”: The Cost of Over-Work (21:36–25:13)

• Emotional and relational fallout: “My wife at the time ... would want to talk to me, and I would be sitting there and nodding my head, but I'd been talking to people for 12 hours by that point, and my head was on work all the time.” (Simon, 21:40)
• Son’s remark: “You’re physically here, but you’re not mentally a lot of the time.”
• The trade-off myth: Justifying absence with financial security is a fallacy—money can’t replace lost time with family.

6. Managing Burnout and the Paradox of Executive Roles (26:37–29:34)

• Leadership style and personal wiring matter: Simon admits over-involving himself due to his need for control and assurance.
• The need to empower teams, set boundaries, and compartmentalize.
• Advice: If you have a young family, think twice about entering a global CISO role.

7. State of the Burnout Crisis in Cybersecurity (28:52–30:09)

• “My litmus test for that is how many people talk to me about, ‘This is the last job I’m doing…’ The stress and the overheads are just so enormous.”
• Risk of attrition, especially at the senior level, but “you’re always going to have enough people who put their hands up … The big question is, are they ready for it?”

8. Advice on Red Lines, Transparency, and Choosing the Right Organization (34:49–36:43)

• Emphasizes the importance of negotiating boundaries (“red lines”) in interviews:
  • “It’s not a one way interview process. You’re interviewing them as well. ... That takes a fair bit of maturity to do, but actually if they respond well to that, you’re probably working for a decent organization.” (Simon, 34:52)
• Be transparent about risks with your leadership—don’t mask problems, articulate them in business terms.

9. Life After CISO: New Motivations and Boundaries (36:43–38:53)

• Simon leverages his experience in an advisory role with startups, finding fulfillment in supporting growth rather than being at the operational coal-face.
• Cautious about interim or similar roles that may draw him back into harmful patterns.
• "I know myself more now... If I did that I would put myself back in the same position, if not worse than I was at BP."

10. Final Advice: Prioritize Life over Work (40:00–41:13)

• “We talk about work-life balance. It should be life-work balance, the way we talk about it, the things that really count are your family and your friends and making sure you prioritize that over work.”
• Be clear about your red lines, protect them, and make sure your organization knows them.
• “Be utterly transparent with your organization about the kind of risk posture as well. Don’t hide anything.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Team Empowerment (07:13):

  • “That early failure in my career led me to be somebody who just wanted to make sure everything was going to be successful and therefore I just worked so hard.”

• On Regret and Family (14:00):

  • “Just don’t be me—it isn’t worth it.”

• On Organizational Risk Transparency (35:46):

  • “Your job is to make sure that the organization is aware of the risk they're taking. ... Don't try and hide things, don't try and cover gaps with sort of narrative that isn't factual and to the point.”

• On Prioritizing Life (40:04):

  • “It should be life, work balance... the things that really count are your family and your friends and making sure you prioritize that over work.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:37–05:03] — The scale and complexity of global CISO responsibilities at BP
• [07:13] — Impact of early career failures and personal wiring
• [09:00–09:53] — Psychologist assessments for executive readiness
• [12:56–15:51] — Death of Simon’s brother as catalyst for life change
• [20:05] — The turning point: health scare mirroring his brother’s fate
• [21:36–25:13] — "Losing the plot" and the true cost of absenteeism
• [28:59] — Confirmation of burnout as a crisis in cybersecurity
• [34:49] — Advice on negotiating your values and boundaries when entering a role
• [40:04] — Simon’s parting advice on life-work balance

Actionable Advice from Simon Hodgkinson

• Be deliberate when seeking or starting a senior cyber role:
  • “It’s not a one way interview process. You’re interviewing them as well.” (34:52)
• Set clear boundaries (“red lines”) and communicate them transparently.
• Empower your team and avoid micromanagement.
• Recognize the non-negotiable value of time with family—don’t trade it away.
• Be honest about risk with organizational leadership—don’t hide problems.

Summary Takeaway

Simon Hodgkinson’s journey highlights both the personal and professional fallout of unchecked stress and overwork in cybersecurity leadership. His candid story is a call for current and future CISOs to set clear boundaries, prioritize health and family, and drive a culture of transparency and self-reflection to ensure the industry thrives without sacrificing its people.