Nodir Nazarov

Nazarov is responsible for the operational readiness of Cablevision’s network, which delivers Internet, WiFi, voice and TV service to the company’s 3 million customers. It’s not surprising security is top of mind for this savvy exec. “It has become a priority to make networks more secure, with a focus on protecting the overall customer experience, customer data and network infrastructure itself,” he says. “At the end of the day, our industry needs to ensure that our customer data is safe and that our customers can stay connected anytime, all the time. Security is core to this.” Fewer than 200 people worldwide have Nazarov’s specialized triple Cisco (CCIE) certification, giving him a highly unique skillset and knowledge base.

What’s been your company’s biggest innovation this year?

One of our biggest innovations this past year has been making it easy for our customers to enjoy connectivity anywhere in the home with a more consistent and user-friendly in-home wifi experience.

What qualities do you look for when making a new hire?

When I make a hire, I pay closest attention to skill sets and whether a personality is the right fit for our team. It is essential that there is a common sense of team throughout the overall department. Of course, having the right general cognitive skills is always an imperative, but we place equal value on team members having a strong commitment to the success of the company, the department and their teammates.

Name one emerging trend in cable we should all have our eye on.

Security. It has become a priority to make networks more secure, with a focus on protecting the overall customer experience, customer data and network infrastructure itself. To that end, it is essential that customers understand that the network is there to support them, delivering what they need, when they need it. At the end of the day, our industry needs to ensure that our customer data is safe and that our customers can stay connected anytime, all the time. Security is core to this.