Elimael Avilés-Pastrana

Senior Manager & Vice-President, Cyber Security Division, Popular, Inc.

Elimael Avilés-Pastrana is a seasoned information technology and security leader with over 25 years of experience. Currently serving as a Senior Manager and Vice-President in the Cyber Security Division at Popular, Inc., Elimael has been instrumental in building and overseeing the Information Security Program for the largest bank in Puerto Rico and its subsidiaries. With a strong background in cybersecurity governance, Elimael has developed key risk indicators (KRIs), policies, standards, and governance frameworks, and worked with the implementation of various cloud technology projects, including migrating to Microsoft 365, implementing AWS, and developing the cloud security framework.

Elimael's career began as an information technology consultant serving the financial, pharmaceutical, and government sectors, where they managed personnel and client engagements in IT strategic planning, systems analysis, and information security. At Popular, Inc., Elimael has held roles such as IT Audit Manager and Information Security Manager and has been recognized with the Popular, Inc. Excellence Award for performance and efficiency.

Elimael holds a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Puerto Rico, with majors in Accounting and minors in Information Systems and Finance. They are also a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and an active member of several professional associations, including the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) and the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). In addition to their professional achievements, Elimael is committed to social responsibility, serving on the Colegio San José Education Committee, and delivering lectures on safe online gaming and IT careers to students.