Implema has achieved the Microsoft Solution Partner designation in Security—a partner status and skills validation that shows the company meets Microsoft’s requirements for expertise, experience, and delivery capability in Microsoft security solutions. But what does it mean for customers? We asked Kenny Lindau, CIO at Implema, to share more about what the designation means, the biggest security challenges companies face today, and why security has become a critical prerequisite for digitalization and AI.
Hi Kenny Lindau—Implema has achieved the Microsoft Solution Partner designation in Security. What does that mean?
It’s a partner status within Microsoft’s partner program that serves as a validation of our capabilities. To achieve it, we need to meet high requirements in areas such as certified skills, completed customer projects, and documented customer outcomes.
Microsoft doesn’t just look at technical expertise, but also at our ability to create value for customers. That makes the designation proof of both competence and hands-on experience from real customer projects—that we have what it takes to help companies strengthen their security with Microsoft’s solutions.
What does Microsoft Solution Partner status mean for Implema’s customers?
For customers, it provides confidence that they’re working with a partner whose expertise and delivery capability have been verified by Microsoft. Security is evolving quickly and becoming increasingly complex. That’s why it’s important to have a partner who understands both the technology and how to apply it in the business.
It’s also proof that we have experience helping customers realize real value from their security investments, and that we can support them throughout the journey—from strategy and governance to implementation and adoption.
Why is cybersecurity higher on leadership’s agenda than before?
We’re seeing security move much higher up in organizations. Just a few years ago, it was mainly an IT issue. Today, it’s discussed regularly in executive teams and boardrooms.
A lot of it is tied to digitalization continuing at a rapid pace and many companies wanting to take advantage of AI, automation, and new data-driven ways of working—while the threat landscape becomes increasingly sophisticated.
We also see regulatory requirements becoming more important. Frameworks like NIS2, DORA, and GDPR set higher expectations for governance, risk management, and incident management. In many organizations, cybersecurity is therefore no longer just an IT issue, but a leadership issue.
What may have changed the most is that security is no longer seen as a barrier to progress, but as a prerequisite for being able to digitalize, use AI responsibly, and create future business value.
What are the biggest cyber threats facing companies today?
The threat landscape has changed quickly in recent years. Ransomware is still a major problem, but we’re also seeing a sharp increase in identity-related attacks where attackers try to access user accounts, permissions, and sensitive information.
At the same time, AI has made it easier to carry out advanced phishing attacks and social engineering at scale. For many companies, the challenge is therefore not just stopping attacks, but having control over who has access to what information, how data is used, and how the business can keep operating even if something happens.
What challenges do you most often see around identities, permissions, and data governance?
Many organizations have invested in different security solutions over time, but don’t always use their full potential. At the same time, IT environments have become more complex, with users, data, and applications spread across multiple platforms and cloud services.
That’s why topics like identity management, permissions, information classification, and governance are moving higher up the agenda. Often, it’s less about buying more tools and more about gaining better control of what you already have.
Why does security become even more important when companies invest in AI?
AI is only as good as the data it can access. If the data is incorrect, poorly protected, or lacks clear governance, you risk both security issues and bad decisions.
As companies start using AI at greater scale, security, data quality, and governance become increasingly important. AI doesn’t just need access to data—it needs access to the right data, under the right conditions, with the right control mechanisms in place.
How are security, data, AI, and infrastructure connected?
They’re connected far more than many people think. Infrastructure provides the technical foundation. Security ensures that identities, data, and business-critical processes are protected. Data & AI then help the business turn information into insights, decisions, and innovation.
To succeed with AI, it’s not enough to roll out new tools. You also need a stable platform, control over your data, and a well-thought-out security model. That’s why we see these areas as parts of the same journey rather than separate initiatives.
How do you think companies’ security work will evolve over the next few years?
I think we’ll see a continued focus on identities, permissions, and data governance. As AI is integrated into more business processes, control over information and access becomes an increasingly important issue.
At the same time, security will become less of a purely IT issue and more of a business issue. The organizations that succeed best will likely be those that build security in as a natural part of their digitalization and business development, rather than something handled on the side.
