Biography

Val Stoyanov is a distinguished cybersecurity executive consultant with over 24 years of progressive experience in technology, data privacy, artificial intelligence (AI), risk management, and executive leadership. As a multi-lingual expert, he has served more than 14 years as both a corporate and virtual Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), specializing in cybersecurity governance, risk management, privacy, data protection, and IT strategy. Val excels at aligning security objectives with broader business goals, enabling organizations to build resilience and effectively manage emerging cyber threats.

He has led cybersecurity, privacy, and AI governance programs for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and high-growth startups, including consulting engagements with KPMG, EY, PwC, IBM, and U.S. federal agencies such as the Department of Defense (DoD) and DHS/CISA. His leadership has resulted in measurable improvements in compliance, operational efficiency, and risk mitigation—demonstrated by significant reductions in audit remediation cycles and enhanced incident response capabilities.

Val was recognized as an industry thought leader and was honored as one of the “Fierce 15” most innovative experts across the U.S. Federal Government for his management of critical cyber programs. He is adept at building and leading high-performing teams, fostering security-first cultures, and bridging the gap between technical operations and executive leadership. His expertise spans a wide range of frameworks and standards, including NIST, ISO, FedRAMP, CMMC, PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, and more.

Val holds advanced degrees in Cyber Security and Information Systems Management, as well as numerous top industry certifications such as CCISO, CISSP, CISM, CIPM, PMP, and others. Fluent in French, Spanish, and Bulgarian, with conversational abilities in several additional languages, he is an active member of leading professional organizations and has held board and advisory positions in both U.S. and international cybersecurity associations.