CIO Look magazine is proud to recognize Marcel Velica as one of the cybersecurity leaders making a real impact in 2025. Marcel’s journey is a strong motivation to understand that passion, team spirit, and vision can make organizations safe in the digital environment which is constantly changing.
Like any other interest, what sparked Marcel Velica in cybersecurity began straightforwardly: interest in any form of technology and the urge to ensure that nothing can damage the system. That interest became a career over the years, taking him out of technical problem-solving and into global leadership of big organizations at one of the leading aerospace corporations. The thing that makes Marcel Velica unique is his ability to produce the big-picture approach and have a practical knowledge of what is required to keep digital systems secure on a daily basis.
To Marcel Velica, leadership does not imply passing orders, but it means trust and freedom of discussion. He feels different teams are capable of having the best solutions since everyone has a sense of empowerment to share their ideas. Such collaborative spirit has assisted the teams at Marcel to prevail over threats and innovate in response to challenges as they occur.
A career highlight for him was the time he spearheaded a cybersecurity program that ensured the aerospace critical infrastructure was safeguarded in the entire globe. The solutions developed by his team showed that you do not need to compromise security when dealing with the latest technology as they found a balance between the two. Systematizing safe software development, automating risk assessments on its suppliers worldwide, and other work by Marcel Velica enabled the company to go faster and remain safe.
Marcel Velica is a strong advocate of security by design, which is basically the concept that you should build security from the beginning and not retrofit it after. This kind of attitude has assisted his teams in developing safer and more hardy systems, and it has enabled the company to innovate comfortably.
Being in love with technology is not all that Marcel Velica is concerned about. He advises his employees to engage in lifelong learning, visit conferences, acquire certifications, and be inquisitive of the new trends. He also emphasizes the aspect of emotional intelligence and communication by ensuring that complex cybersecurity ideas are simple to comprehend on the basis of all involved parties.
Balancing a demanding job with personal life can be hard, but Marcel Velica makes it a priority. He takes time for exercise, family, and reflection to stay focused and ready to lead.
In the future, Marcel Velica is focusing on big issues like AI-driven cyber attacks and the effects of quantum computing on encryption. His team is taking steps to stay ahead and protect the company
If you want to follow Marcel’s lead, his advice is clear: keep your curiosity alive, lead with warmth, and always see how technology supports the bigger vision. Cybersecurity is ultimately about people and trust, not just technology defense.
Marcel Velica’s work is helping create a safer, smarter digital future, showing that good leadership really matters.
