Each month, we turn the spotlight on the leadership teams in our portfolio to find out what drives them, who inspires them, and the biggest lessons they’ve learned.
This month, we chat with Chris Newton-Smith, CEO of IO, a company changing how global businesses handle data privacy and information security compliance. Since joining IO last year, Chris has brought a proven track record in leading global technology businesses from roles at Boku, iRis Software Systems, and Redknee Solutions Inc.
Chris shares his greatest leadership lesson, what motivates him, and how he fosters innovation across multiple regions.
Q: What motivates you, and why is that a driver?
I’m motivated by building things that make a real difference for customers. Throughout my career, I’ve found that when you start with the customer’s challenges, you build the best businesses.
That motivation is amplified by our purpose at ISMS.online (or IO for short). We help organisations to improve their resilience through compliance and information security. Our customers are dealing with some of the biggest challenges in business today, from protecting data and managing cyber risk to navigating new regulations and emerging issues like AI governance. Helping them tackle those challenges successfully is what drives me every day.
Q: What are you most proud of in your career?
I’m most proud of the times I’ve helped teams achieve things they initially thought were impossible. Whether it was entering a new market, integrating an acquisition, or developing a new solution to meet a customer requirement, it’s about bringing people together around a clear goal and helping them to achieve it.
The opportunity at IO is one of the most exciting I’ve seen. Every organisation is facing growing pressure to prove that they can manage information securely and use AI technology responsibly. Our goal is to help thousands of organisations with the tools and services they need to build this trust with their customers, regulators, and partners.
Q: Which rule do you expect your employees to abide by?
Great teams are built on trust and transparency. This means being open about progress, challenges, and what support you need to succeed. I expect everyone at IO to speak up early, share information, and hold ourselves and each other accountable for what we’ve committed to.
This approach is even more important in our remote/hybrid work set-up, as we don’t see each other face-to-face every day. Clear communication is what helps to keep us connected and aligned. It ensures that we make effective decisions and that we deliver on our commitments to our customers.
Q: What has been the career lesson you’ve had to learn the hard way?
One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned is that getting strategy right takes time and that it often needs many more iterations than you expect. Strategy isn’t about a single decision. Instead, it’s a series of adjustments that you make as you learn more about your customers, market, and team.
Building success takes persistence. You need to test ideas and sometimes let go of good initiatives to make room for the best ones. The best strategy evolves through trying new ideas, learning from failures, and staying focused on your customers.
Q: Who inspires you?
I’m inspired by the people I work with at IO and their expertise in compliance. Our team really understands compliance and information security, from ISO standards and GDPR to emerging areas like AI governance. Our team is passionate about getting compliance right and I learn something new from them every day.
Q: What is IO’s secret sauce that makes it so distinctive?
Our secret sauce is that we make meeting complex compliance and regulatory requirements achievable and sustainable. Most organisations know they need to meet standards like ISO 27001 or NIS2, but they lack the time, expertise, or structure to do it effectively. Our advantage is bringing together a great product with talented people and proven processes, in a market that often focuses only on the latest technology features.
Q: How do you switch off from work?
You’ll find me driving my daughter and son to sports fixtures around the country. My wife coaches junior netball teams, so our weekends and evenings are busy with everyone’s matches. My jobs include the driving, plus carrying kit, setting up gazebos, videoing matches, and generally cheering on the teams. Helping my children prepare and watching them handle the pressure on the pitch or court is really rewarding. I think I get more nervous on the sidelines than they are in the game!
Q: Favourite film?
I’d pick Moneyball – a great combination of baseball, mathematics, an underdog coming up with a winning strategy, and Michael Lewis.
