Nitin Raina, Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of Thoughtworks, a global technology consultancy, has been named the 2025 Chicago CISO of the Year.
The Indian American executive has been recognized for his strategic vision in transforming security from a technical necessity to a core business function, according to a company release
The award, managed by the Chicago CISO of the Year Program, recognizes outstanding CISOs for their contributions to their organizations, the information security profession and the local community.
Raina’s award acknowledges his leadership in the mid-cap category of organizations with less than $4 billion in revenue.
“I am thrilled to congratulate Nitin on this well-deserved honor,” said Amit Choudhary, Chief Operating Officer at Thoughtworks. “Nitin’s ‘security-by-design’ vision helped embed security into every aspect of our project delivery.”
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“His approach has been instrumental in strengthening client partnerships and helping our business grow. This award is a testament to his leadership and the incredible impact his team has on Thoughtworks and the wider tech community.”
In his role, Raina leads Thoughtworks’ global information security, enterprise risk and business continuity programs.
He and his team have developed innovative, business-aligned frameworks, including Thoughtworks’ award-winning ‘Business-Centric Security Maturity Model’ and a global ‘Security Champions Program.’
These initiatives encouraged Thoughtworks to adopt security as a shared responsibility amongst its employees.
“I am deeply honored to receive this award and share this recognition with my outstanding global team,” said Raina. “We’ve worked hard to move beyond traditional security silos, embedding a “shift-left” approach that has strengthened the company’s internal posture and become a key competitive advantage for Thoughtworks.”
Under Raina’s guidance, Thoughtworks’ security programs have won the Foundry’s CSO50 Award in 2023 and the CSO Award in 2024. He was also a finalist for the 2025 Chicago CISO ORBIE Awards.
Raina brings 25+ years of experience in IT, security and risk leadership. In his current role, he focuses on safeguarding both clients and internal business by ensuring security is embedded into every stage of technology delivery.
Raina says his mandate is to prioritize and balance security, technology, and risk considerations in ways that enable trusted client partnerships while protecting the enterprise.
Thoughtworks, with 47 offices in 18 countries describes itself as a global technology consultancy that integrates design, engineering and AI to drive digital innovation.