A Lesson from My First Major IAM Challenge
It was evening when I got a call from a high-level executive at one of the companies I was working with. The problem? A newly joined VP had no access to a key system, and it was holding up a business decision that was critical.
This was not the first time I had faced such a problem. IAM processes, designed for security, were frequently in conflict with business agility. That evening, while working with my team to fix the problem, I came to a realization that was profound: IAM isn’t about securing access—it’s about empowering business.
For years, IAM was viewed as a back-office function, where it was merely concerned with access control, preventing breaches, and compliance. Today, however, the situation is different. IAM can be a major enabler of digital transformation, productivity, and cost savings. The challenge? Most organizations are still lagging behind.
In this inaugural edition of Gagan’s Strategic Insights, I would like to present my views on how IAM leaders need to transform themselves from IT gatekeepers to business enablers.
The Evolution of IAM: More Than Just Security
If you ask most IT professionals about IAM, they’ll tell you it’s about ensuring the right people have the right access at the right time. While that definition isn’t wrong, it’s incomplete.
IAM isn’t just about access—it’s about enabling trust, efficiency, and security in a digital-first world. A truly modern IAM approach ensures that:
✅ Employees and partners get access without friction, so they can be productive from day one.
✅ Security and compliance are built by design, reducing risks without slowing down operations.
✅ Data-driven intelligence continuously optimizes access decisions in real-time, reducing manual overhead.
✅ Business agility and innovation are accelerated because IAM enables rather than restricts transformation.
Organizations that embrace this mindset don’t just prevent unauthorized access; they empower their workforce, enhance customer trust, and optimize costs
I’ve spent close to a decade leading IAM programs, and I’ve seen firsthand how organizations that treat IAM as a security function alone end up with:
🔹 Frustrated employees who struggle with cumbersome access approvals
🔹 Delayed business decisions due to slow role provisioning
🔹 Soaring costs from manual interventions and inefficient processes
🔹 Increased security risks due to unchecked privileges and outdated controls
On the other hand, the most successful companies approach IAM differently. They align IAM with business goals, optimize efficiency, and embrace automation. They see IAM not just as a compliance requirement but as an opportunity to enhance workforce agility, reduce costs, and strengthen trust with customers.
So, how can IAM leaders shift their approach? That’s where my S.E.C.U.R.E. framework comes in.
The S.E.C.U.R.E. Framework: My Blueprint for IAM Success
Over the years, I’ve worked with global teams to design IAM programs that not only reduce security risks but also drive measurable business value. Through this journey, I developed a structured approach that I call the S.E.C.U.R.E. framework—a roadmap that turns IAM into a strategic business enabler.
Let me break it down through a real-world example.
A few years ago, I was leading an IAM transformation for a multinational corporation. Their biggest challenge? Employee onboarding delays were costing them millions. New hires waited weeks—sometimes months—for system access, delaying productivity and frustrating managers. Security policies were rigid, approvals took too long, and manual processes were prone to errors.
We applied the S.E.C.U.R.E. framework, focusing on six key principles:
🚀 S – Strategize: IAM Must Align with Business Goals
Rather than treating IAM as just a security tool, we asked, “How can IAM drive business efficiency?” We worked with HR and business leaders to define a strategy where new hires would get access on day one—without compromising security.
🔄 E – Evolve: Adapt to Emerging Threats and Technologies
We replaced legacy role-based access models with an AI-driven solution that pre-empted access needs on the basis of job profiles. This reduced approval times by 70% and eliminated unnecessary access.
🤝 C – Collaborate: Bring Stakeholders Together
One of the largest challenges was a disconnect between IT, HR, and compliance teams. By breaking silos and engaging all stakeholders, we improved approval workflows and made security not a bottleneck.
🔎 U – Unveil: Identify Hidden Inefficiencies
We performed an IAM maturity assessment and discovered 40% of access requests were redundant. By optimizing entitlements, we decreased access-related audit findings by 60%.
🛡️ R – Reinforce: Automate Governance & Compliance
Rather than regular manual access reviews, we introduced real-time identity analytics, which highlighted anomalies in real time—cutting hours of manual audits.
📢 E – Empower: Train Employees to Be IAM Champions
IAM success is not about tools—it’s about people. We implemented role-based IAM training, which made business leaders understand why security and efficiency have to go together.
The outcome? 50% faster onboarding, 62% automation of access controls, and 60% lower IAM costs.
This is what IAM success looks like—not only improved security, but improved business.
Final Thought: IAM Leaders Must Think Like Business Leaders
One of the biggest mistakes IAM professionals make is focusing only on technical execution. While security policies, authentication models, and compliance checklists are important, they don’t tell the full story.
If IAM is going to truly evolve, security leaders must start thinking like business leaders. This means:
✅ Speaking the language of the C-suite – IAM isn’t just about security, it’s about cost savings, risk reduction, and operational efficiency.
✅ Balancing security with user experience – if employees find IAM controls too restrictive, they will find workarounds that increase security risks.
✅ Automating wherever possible – manual IAM processes are expensive, slow, and prone to human error.
✅ Measuring IAM success in business terms—instead of reporting IAM in access counts, report in terms of cost savings, efficiency gains, and risk reduction.
So, ask yourself:
🔹 Is your IAM program enabling or slowing down business?
🔹 Are you still relying on manual approvals when automation can reduce errors?
🔹 How well do your IAM strategies align with your company’s digital transformation goals?
If your IAM program isn’t seen as a business enabler, it’s time to rethink the approach.
Coming Up in the Next Edition…
💡 “The Executive Leader’s Guide to Cybersecurity Cost Optimization”
🔹 How to reduce cybersecurity costs by up to 70% without compromising security
🔹 The hidden inefficiencies in cybersecurity spending & how to fix them
🔹 Why CIOs and CISOs must rethink their budget strategies for 2025
This is just the beginning of Gagan’s Strategic Insights. IAM and cybersecurity are evolving at an unprecedented pace, and as leaders, we must stay ahead of the curve.
💬 I’d love to hear your thoughts—what’s your biggest IAM challenge today? Let’s continue the conversation.
Until next time,
Gagan Mathur
One thought on “Edition #1 | From IT Gatekeeper to Business Enabler: The New Era of IAM Leadership”
You’ve managed to capture something ineffable — your words touch a place that logic alone cannot reach.