CISO Confidential: CISO Pressure – Leading Through a Breach

Saket Modi sat down with John Sapp, CISO of Texas Mutual Insurance Company, to talk about what it really feels like to lead a security team through the aftermath of a major breach. In this episode of CISO Confidential, John shares how he responded when a large-scale attack struck his organisation. From FBI involvement to restoring internal confidence, John reflects on the decisions, pressure, and communication challenges that tested him as a security leader. This is the kind of behind-the-scenes look CISOs rarely share—and every security leader should hear.

John Sapp is the Chief Information Security Officer at Texas Mutual Insurance Company, where he leads enterprise cybersecurity strategy, governance, and risk management. With more than 20 years of experience in IT and security leadership, John is known for his ability to align cybersecurity initiatives with business priorities, ensuring resilience and trust in regulated environments. He has deep expertise in incident response, board-level risk communication, and driving cultural transformation in cyber programs. At Texas Mutual, John focuses on maturing the company’s security posture while enabling digital transformation and protecting the sensitive data of policyholders and partners. He brings a calm, analytical approach to leadership — especially in high-pressure situations—and is passionate about mentoring the next generation of security professionals.

🔥 Game Changing Advice for CISOs

✔️ Control the message, not the moment – Shaping your response without having all answers.

✔️ Risk must translate into business language – Executives respond to business risk not tech metrics.

✔️ Don’t lead alone – You need alignment with legal, PR, and federal agencies.

✔️ Rebuilding trust takes more than tech – Posture, planning, and presence matter more than your stack.

✔️ Your calm sets the pace – How you show up in the chaos influences how your board, team, and executives follow.

Hosted by Saket Modi, CEO of SAFE, CISO Confidential pulls back the curtain on real-life breach stories from top security leaders. If you’ve ever wondered what really happens during a cyber crisis, or what a day in the life of a CISO is like, this podcast is your front-row seat to the action.