SIM Member Spotlight: Arab American Heritage Month

Martin Bally is currently serving as Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Campbell's . He has over 23 years of cybersecurity expertise across the manufacturing, legal, and fintech sectors, including global experience in Information, Cyber, CPG, Automotive Manufacturing, Digital, and Product Development Security. Martin recently became a member of SIM Detroit .

SIM envisions providing its members with opportunities for “Unparalleled Connection, Unparalleled Career Development, and Unparalleled Contribution”. We asked Martin to share his experience with SIM through this lens and to offer some reflections and acknowledgments during Arab American Heritage Month.

What motivated you to become a member of SIM, and how has being part of the community impacted your professional growth and ability to contribute to fostering the next generation of leadership?

Most of my peers and people I consider mentors are long-standing SIM members. We share the same passion for outreach, development, and paying it forward. Becoming a member allows me to meet more individuals with the same core beliefs and will multiply the opportunities for me to contribute to fostering the next generation of leadership.?

Arab Americans are under-represented in the technology industry, particularly in leadership roles. What are your thoughts on how the industry can improve, and how can SIM contribute to this effort?

The tech industry can improve the representation of Arab Americans in leadership roles by promoting and expanding the use of Business Resource Groups (BRG) and Employee Resource Groups (ERG) to represent people of Middle Eastern descent.?These groups are a great way to help foster mentoring, training, education, and awareness for Arab Americans.?The Society for Information Management can contribute by promoting inclusive hiring practices and policies, supporting educational programs, offering diversity and cultural learning opportunities, establishing mentorship programs, and fostering partnerships.?These efforts can create a more inclusive environment for Arab Americans in the tech industry.

Do you have stories about individuals or entities (professors, mentors, colleagues, organizations, activists, movements, etc.) you'd like to acknowledge during Arab American Heritage Month? Who deserves recognition for supporting your leadership or professional achievements?

Living in Detroit, I have seen the strong representation of Arab Americans in local universities and organizations. One example is the fabulous cybersecurity program run by Dr. Samir Tout at Eastern Michigan University . Dr. Tout’s program is holistic and offers multiple domains of cybersecurity to explore, from enterprise to automotive. The program has a diverse student body and fosters a culture of inclusion where all students can thrive.

On a personal level, I have seen the positive impact of the program as my sons graduated from Eastern Michigan with degrees in Cybersecurity. I have also had the pleasure of sponsoring multiple Capstone projects and have found them extremely rewarding.

I want to thank three women for supporting my leadership and professional achievements. First and foremost, my wife, Pauline Bally. She is my rock. Without her, I would not be where I am today in my executive career. Second, my first mentor, Mamatha Chamarthi . Mamatha taught me the importance of becoming a valued partner to the business and challenging the status quo. She also saw my potential and challenged me to push myself in order to grow. Lastly, I’m thankful for my current boss, Julia Anderson . Julia has been instrumental in my continued growth as a leader. She has shown me how to act with a clear vision and strategy and how to enable strong teams.?

Are you a SIM member who wants to be featured in an upcoming SIM Member Profile? Would you like to nominate a fellow SIM member to share their story? Email us at [email protected] .