Austria’s public sector runs essential services—healthcare administration, land and water management, financial operations, regional governance, and citizen services—on infrastructure that must remain secure, resilient, and continuously available. Unlike private enterprises, government agencies operate under strict regulatory frameworks, long system lifecycles, and heightened accountability to the public. That combination makes cybersecurity leadership not just a technical function, but a cornerstone of institutional trust. The leaders below are shaping how Austria’s public administration protects critical systems while enabling modernization.
Markus Blauensteiner — Chief Information Security Officer, Amt der Kärntner Landesregierung
As Chief Information Security Officer at the Amt der Kärntner Landesregierung, Markus Blauensteiner oversees the security posture of the administrative apparatus supporting the Carinthian state government. This organization delivers a wide range of public services and executes both state and federal responsibilities, making information security foundational to operational continuity. Blauensteiner holds certification as an Information Security Management System Manager and Auditor under ISO 27001, reflecting a governance-driven approach to security. His work focuses on embedding structured risk management, audit readiness, and sustainable security processes across government functions—ensuring that information protection becomes an integrated part of public administration rather than a standalone technical control.
Peter Hainz — Chief Information Security Officer, Bundesministerium für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Regionen und Wasserwirtschaft
Peter Hainz serves as Chief Information Security Officer at Austria’s Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management, where he leads cybersecurity strategy for systems supporting national infrastructure, environmental governance, and regional administration. Before joining the ministry, he was Global Head of Cloud and Security Strategies at SmartStream Technologies, where he was responsible for cloud security architecture and compliance across global financial institutions. His experience spans major regulatory and security frameworks including ISO 27001, NIS2, DORA, NIST, and PCI-DSS. This combination of cloud expertise and regulatory fluency positions him to guide ministries through digital transformation while ensuring resilience, compliance, and operational security across evolving hybrid environments.
Rott Robert — Chief Security Officer and Chief Information Security Officer, Österreichische Gesundheitskasse
Rott Robert serves as both Chief Security Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at the Österreichische Gesundheitskasse, one of Austria’s largest public healthcare institutions. In this role, he leads information security, enterprise security, and crisis management functions protecting systems that support millions of insured citizens. His decades-long career within Austria’s social insurance ecosystem includes leadership roles advancing risk management maturity, crisis readiness, and ISO-aligned security programs across the broader social insurance network. His work reflects the reality that healthcare administration is among the most sensitive government environments, where cybersecurity is inseparable from operational continuity and public trust.
Andreas Böhm — Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, Buchhaltungsagentur des Bundes
Andreas Böhm serves as Deputy Chief Information Security Officer at the Buchhaltungsagentur des Bundes, Austria’s federal accounting agency, where he also leads infrastructure and sustainability initiatives. His background spans more than three decades in financial systems, IT governance, and public administration, including roles at Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien and BAWAG P.S.K. This combination of financial-sector and government experience provides a strong foundation for securing federal financial platforms and administrative systems. His work emphasizes infrastructure stability, governance discipline, and long-term operational reliability—critical attributes in environments where system integrity directly supports government financial accountability.
Securing Austria’s Public Institutions in an Interconnected Critical Infrastructure Landscape
Cybersecurity leadership in government administration does not operate in isolation. Public-sector systems intersect directly with telecommunications networks, healthcare institutions, industrial control systems, and national infrastructure providers. The leaders featured here play a central role in maintaining that broader ecosystem of trust—ensuring that public services remain secure, available, and resilient as Austria continues its digital modernization.
Government cybersecurity operates in constant coordination with national infrastructure providers—explore how Austria’s telecommunications security leaders protect the networks that public institutions rely on in CISOs to Watch in Austria’s Telecommunications Industry.