From FBI to Google Cloud: Cybersecurity Leadership Secrets with MK Palmore.
From Cyber Security America by Joshua R Nicholson
February 16, 2026 · 47 min · Season 2 · Episode 50
About this episode
In this episode, MK Palmore shares insights on cybersecurity leadership and risk management from his experiences at the FBI and Google Cloud.
Episode 50 — Cybersecurity Leadership Secrets with MK Palmore In this milestone episode of Cyber Security America , Joshua Nicholson sits down with Malcolm "MK" Palmore — former FBI cybersecurity executive, Naval Academy graduate, U.S. Marine, and former Director of Security at Google Cloud — for a powerful conversation on leadership, risk, and the future of cybersecurity. MK shares lessons from leading one of the FBI's largest cyber investigative teams in Silicon Valley, helping shape security strategy at Google Cloud, and advising enterprises through complex cyber risk and digital transformation challenges. This episode goes beyond technology and tools to explore what truly drives successful cybersecurity programs: leadership, decision-making, and strategic clarity. Key topics include: How top CISOs think about cyber risk and executive leadership Lessons from FBI cyber investigations and real-world breach response The evolution of Zero Trust and cloud security strategy AI, emerging threats, and the future of enterprise defense Why fractional and strategic cybersecurity leadership is reshaping the industry Communicating cyber risk effectively to boards and executives This…
People in this episode
Host: Joshua R Nicholson
Guest: Malcolm "MK" Palmore
Topics covered
- cybersecurity leadership
- risk management
- Zero Trust
- cloud security
- AI and emerging threats
- executive communication
Keywords
- cybersecurity
- leadership
- FBI
- Google Cloud
- Zero Trust
- AI
- cyber risk
- executive leadership
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: FBI, Google Cloud, U.S. Marine
Places: Silicon Valley
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