Heng-Chuen Mok
When Heng-Chuen Mok was a child, his father would bring home technology and together they would tinker. This love of technology led Mok to a bachelor’s degree in information systems and a career in IT. “I never looked back,” he said.
Today, he’s a security architect at the National Bank of Australia and a CompTIA subject matter expert. His focus: delivering security solutions to core banking transformation programs, which involves various aspects of security to meet the business requirements and needs of his institution.
“There’s always something to keep you interested,” Mok said.
A large part of his work is spent in and around identity and access management integrations and the functional side of security.
“The part that I am most passionate about in IT is making sure that the technologies we apply make a difference,” Mok said, “whether that is utilizing IT to solve a problem, improve a process or just to make things better.”
Recently you participated in a SME group organized to assist in developing a certification. What was your group able to accomplish?
The last workshop I worked on was for the [CompTIA] Advanced Security Practitioner exam, or CASP. The workshop scope was to run through a set of objectives for the exam. This is based on previous work experience and working through a process of who would be the target audience for the exam. This process is the focal point for the other later workshops as exam questions are based on the set of objectives.
How did you come to be one of CompTIA’s subject matter experts (SMEs)?
I have worked with CompTIA for the last four years and became an SME through a colleague I met at the last organization I worked for.
What have you liked about working as an SME?
I see by working as an SME I can give a little back to the industry. Working with a bunch of experts in different areas of IT has been an eye-opener, as you learn new things when you work together. IT is such a broad space that you can never be an expert in all areas or technologies. Also, being part of the international contingent I feel that we can sometimes provide a slightly different viewpoint. I’ve also made some great friends through the process.
What would you say to anyone considering being a volunteer or an SME?
You will meet some great people, work with experts from all over the globe, learn new things and have the ability to provide leadership to the IT industry.
When you started out in this career, if you knew then what you know now, what would you have done differently?
When I graduated college, I didn’t really know which area of IT I wanted to be in, so I took the first job offer I received. In hindsight, I should have started off in a larger company that would have provided more opportunity for me to work in different areas of IT so I would be able to decide what area I enjoyed the most. I would have probably ended up in security a lot faster than I did.
What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of IT?
My interests and hobbies outside of IT are to spend time with the family and fishing. There is something relaxing watching the waves and spending time outdoors away from a desk and computer.
