Commission for information security
In the direction of promotion and presentation of the Macedonian Banking Association (MBA) to the public, in the following months we will present the commissions that function as permanent working bodies within the framework of the MBA and their leaders.
COMMISSION FOR INFORMATION SECURITY
The Chairperson of the Commission for Information Security is Zhivko Atanasov, Manager of the Organization and IT Sector at STOPANSKA BANKA AD Bitola, and the Deputy Chairperson is Kristina Trpezanovska, Manager of the Risk Management Department at PROCREDIT BANK AD Skopje.
The Commission for Information Security is a permanent working body within the framework of the Macedonian Banking Association and was formed from its foundation, and in a similar form, it previously existed under the Association of Banking at the Economic Chamber of Macedonia. The Commission includes representatives from all members of the Macedonian Banking Association whose focus is on the information security of their business entities.
In its scope of work, the Commission for Information Security addresses various current topics related to information security of systems, cybersecurity, new technological advancements, discussions on forthcoming laws related to information security and information technology, the implementation of existing laws, monitoring technological advancements and news in this field, and exchanging experiences among different financial entities. The Commission collaborates with external companies from the country and abroad, which present their solutions in the field of information technology. Furthermore, the Commission for Information Security has a long and fruitful collaboration with the National Bank, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Information Society and Administration, the Agency for Personal Data Protection, the Sector for Computer Crime and Digital Forensics, the National Computer Incident Response Team MKD-CIRT, as well as with the commissions for information security from banking associations in the region.
In the past year, an important topic on which the Commission has worked was the adoption and implementation of the new Law on Payment Services and Payment Systems, significantly increasing the activities of the Commission towards aligning with the European regulations on security standards and new information technology. The aim was to improve the operations of banks and establish even greater protection for the services they provide through digital channels. Additionally, the Commission continuously engages in analyses, information sharing, and providing recommendations in the field of cybersecurity in the financial sector.
Zhivko Atanasov is the Manager of the Organization and IT Sector at Stopanska Banka AD Bitola and the Chairperson of the Commission for Information Security at the MBA. He has over 15 years of work experience in the banking sector and more than 10 years of experience in managerial positions in the field of IT and information security. His participation in numerous significant projects related to digitization, information security, and new IT technologies has greatly contributed to his personal and career development. He is also a member of several working groups related to digitization and cybersecurity.
Zhivko has been serving as the Chairperson of the Commission for Information Security since its establishment in 2018 and has received two times Gratitude for his contribution to the work of the MBA.
Kristina Trpezanovska is the Manager of the Risk Management Department at ProCredit Bank, with 20 years of experience in the banking sector.
She started and built her professional career at ProCredit Bank, working in numerous management positions such as Branch manager, Head of Retail department, Head of payments and back-office department, and for the last 7 years she has been Manager of Risk management unit in the bank, in whose area is as well, the bank’s information security.
In her work experience, Kristina has significant achievements in the realization of numerous projects in the bank aimed at the implementation of legal regulation, optimization of processes, their automation and digitalization. She complements her expertise in the activity by mentoring the bank’s employees to raise awareness of risks.
Kristina graduated from the ProCredit Academy for Managers in Frankfurt and is a Certified risk management expert from the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management.
She has been serving as the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission for Information Security since 2018, and this is her second mandate.
