First Horizon Appoints Leilani Farol as CISO to Strengthen Enterprise Cybersecurity Strategy

First Horizon has strengthened its executive cybersecurity leadership by appointing Leilani Farol as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). In this role, Farol will actively lead the company’s enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategy and oversee execution initiatives designed to protect client data, privacy, and digital trust. As cyber threats continue to evolve, First Horizon is prioritizing security as a core pillar of its business operations and customer experience.

Notably, Farol brings more than 25 years of experience spanning information security, risk management, and enterprise technology leadership. Therefore, her appointment comes at a critical time when financial institutions face increasing regulatory pressure and sophisticated cyber risks. At First Horizon, she will focus on strengthening threat detection capabilities, improving incident response readiness, and enhancing data governance frameworks. In addition, she will oversee third-party risk management strategies and employee cybersecurity training programs to ensure a strong, security-first organizational culture.

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“Leilani brings more than 25 years of leadership in information security, risk management and technology. We welcome her to the team in this critical role. By continuing to advance our threat detection and response capabilities, robust data governance and privacy, disciplined third-party risk management and ongoing training for our associates, we continue to protect what matters most: our clients and their trust,” said Bryan Jordan, Chairman, President and CEO of First Horizon. “With security embedded in our products and digital experiences, we can innovate faster and smarter, turning protection into a strategic advantage and positioning First Horizon to grow with confidence in an increasingly complex digital world.”

Throughout her career, Farol has consistently led complex, large-scale technology and cybersecurity programs across financial services and multiple global industries. Moreover, she has successfully driven initiatives involving enterprise technology strategy, program and project management, business development, and advanced application development. Industry peers widely recognize her for building security-focused cultures while implementing next-generation security technologies that support business growth.

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Most recently, Farol served as Head of Governance, Risk, and Compliance at Fidelity Investments. During her tenure, she led the execution of a multi-year, enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategy, helping the organization improve risk visibility and regulatory alignment. Previously, she held senior cybersecurity leadership roles at Bank of America as Senior Vice President of Cyber Security – Global Information Security. Furthermore, she held multiple leadership positions at JPMorgan Chase & Co., including Executive Director of Global Technology, Vice President of Cybersecurity Programs, and Vice President of Global Technology Infrastructure.

Overall, First Horizon’s decision to bring Farol on board highlights the company’s commitment to proactive cybersecurity leadership. As digital banking ecosystems expand and threat actors become more sophisticated, organizations must invest in experienced leaders who can align security with business innovation. Consequently, Farol’s appointment positions First Horizon to enhance resilience, protect customer trust, and support long-term digital transformation goals.

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Tags: Cybersecurity, cybersecurity leadership, Data Governance, First Horizon, Risk Management, Third-Party Risk Management, threat actors

CyberTech Staff Writer

CyberTech Staff Writer is a seasoned cybersecurity expert and analyst with over 20 years of experience in IT security and networking. Passionate about safeguarding digital landscapes, they specialize in identifying, assessing, and reporting cyber threats and best practices to help enterprises prevent and recover from cyber disasters. Their expertise covers cloud security, application security, ransomware assessment, threat intelligence, incident response, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), and more. As a recognized thought leader in the cybersecurity community, the CyberTech Staff Writer collaborates to deliver insightful, actionable content that empowers organizations to build strong, proactive defenses against evolving cyber threats.