The FIRST Board of Directors Launches FIRST’s Strategy Framework

Monday, March 03, 2025

A Structured Approach to Strategic Planning

The FIRST Board of Directors is introducing a new structured approach to strategic planning, aimed at enhancing the organization’s ability to fulfill its mission and solidify its position as a global leader in cybersecurity and incident response. This initiative includes the development of a three-year Strategic Plan, updated every three years, which will serve as the foundation for a three-year Operating and Financial Plan, updated annually. The Operating Plan will detail specific activities, timelines, responsibilities, resource allocation, and metrics to track progress toward strategic goals. By aligning with FIRST’s vision and mission, the Strategic Plan provides a unified direction for the organization.

The Annual Budget and Operational Plan will be directly informed by the Strategic and Operating Plans. This alignment ensures that financial resources are allocated to support strategic objectives and operational priorities. Additionally, an Annual Report will be published to communicate performance metrics, promoting transparency and accountability, by the Board of Directors and the CEO.

While FIRST has historically maintained annual budgeting and reporting practices, this new framework integrates these elements into a cohesive system. The updated strategic planning process is designed to improve visibility and alignment of resources with strategic objectives. By connecting the organization’s long-term vision with its annual operational and financial planning, FIRST is better positioned to leverage its strengths, address challenges, and achieve sustained success in the dynamic cybersecurity landscape.

Transition: 2025 and 2026

The Board approved the final text of the 2025–2027 Strategic Plan during its January 2025 meeting in Monaco. Following this approval, the Board began work on the corresponding three-year Operating and Financial Plan. However, as this marks the initial implementation of the new strategy framework, the Operating Plan for 2025 will be based on the budget approved at the end of 2024. During the remainder of 2025, the Board will finalize an updated and unified Operating and Financial Plan to cover the subsequent two years.

To clarify, the following table summarizes the components of FIRST’s Strategic Planning Framework:

Governance Discussions: Jurisdiction Review

During the January 2025 meeting, the Board also deliberated on a related matter, also under the Strategy and Governance domain: whether the board wanted to make a recommendation/proposal to the membership to consider relocation to a different jurisdiction. After conducting thorough due diligence and engaging in productive discussions, the Board concluded that there is no compelling business case to support relocation at this time. This decision remains open to reconsideration should a strong and clear business case for relocation arise in the future.