Cyber Champions

In this Cyber Champions article we talk to JP Haynes, CEO of eSentire a company that has grown from an early managed service provider into a global leader in Managed Detection and Response (MDR). JP Haynes, takes us inside the world of 24/7 cyber defense, the talent war in cybersecurity, and why raw data—not hype—drives security success.

From a dot-com era name to a cybersecurity powerhouse

Founded in 2001, eSentire’s name has a unique origin story. “We needed a domain that was available,” JP recalls. The word ‘sentir’ comes from Italian, meaning ‘to sense’ or ‘to feel’—a fitting name for a company built on the idea of detecting and neutralizing threats before they escalate. Adding the “e” was a nod to the early-2000s trend of dot-com branding.

What started as a cybersecurity service for hedge funds, private equity firms, and broker-dealers—the financial world’s so-called “buy side”—quickly expanded. “Finance is often the tip of the spear in cybersecurity,” JP explains. “That’s where the money is, so that’s where attackers go first.”

But as threats grew, so did eSentire. Today, the company operates in over 80 countries, securing businesses across industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and government. Their evolution mirrors the changing threat landscape—where no sector is immune from cyberattacks.

MDR: taking crisis off the customer’s hands

For many organizations, cybersecurity is a reactive scramble—responding to threats only after they make headlines. eSentire’s MDR approach flips that script, providing 24/7 monitoring, detection, and response so clients never reach crisis mode.

“In cybersecurity, everything we see is actually a breach that hasn’t fully completed its objectives yet,” JP explains. Whether it’s malware trying to gain persistence, an attacker probing a network, or a phishing attempt in progress, the eSentire team is trained to intervene before the damage is done.

That’s what sets MDR apart: it’s not just about alerts—it’s about action. While many security providers notify clients of threats, eSentire actively disrupts attacks in real-time. It’s the difference between knowing there’s an intruder in your house and having a security team on-site to stop them before they do harm.

The Cybersecurity Industry’s Biggest Problem: Too Much Hype, Not Enough Integration

Cybersecurity is an industry obsessed with trends. AI, machine learning, and now "Agentic AI" are hyped as the next frontier. But JP sees things differently. “There’s always a new buzzword,” he says. “But in reality, most organizations aren’t even integrating the security tools they already have.” In today’s fragmented security market, a typical Fortune 2000 company manages over 50 different cybersecurity technologies, often from different vendors. “If they’re all best-in-breed, that’s 50 different dashboards, 50 different logs to analyze, and 50 different vendors to manage.”

This is driving a move toward vendor consolidation—where companies like Microsoft, CrowdStrike, and Palo Alto Networks are building comprehensive cybersecurity platforms. But JP believes most companies will still need a hybrid approach—leveraging best-in-class solutions while ensuring they work together effectively.

“The reality is, more security tools don’t always mean better security,” he says. “What matters is how well they work together.”

The Cybersecurity Talent War: What It Takes to Be an Analyst

Hiring cybersecurity talent is harder than ever. The industry faces a massive talent shortage, and finding analysts with the right mix of skills is a constant challenge.

So what does it take to be an elite cyber analyst? According to JP, they need to be:

• One part air traffic controller – able to process huge amounts of incoming data and make split-second decisions.
• One part network engineer – understanding how systems connect and where vulnerabilities lie.
• One part Fortnite player – able to think like an attacker, anticipate movements, and react quickly under pressure.

To solve the hiring challenge, eSentire built its own training program to upskill analysts—a program so effective it’s now “the envy of competitors and even government agencies.”

Unlike analysts at in-house security teams, eSentire’s analysts get exposure to threats across multiple industries and geographies. “If you work in security at one company, you see a narrow slice of threats. We see it all. That makes our team faster, smarter, and better prepared.”

Why Cybersecurity is All About Data

If there’s one thing JP is passionate about, it’s data-driven security. His philosophy is simple: “The more data, the better the security outcome.”

More data means:

• Better detection – spotting anomalies faster.
• Better response – knowing exactly what’s happening in real-time.
• Better adaptation – understanding how attackers evolve and adjusting defenses accordingly.

In cybersecurity, intuition and gut feelings don’t cut it. Decisions need to be based on raw data, not assumptions. That’s why eSentire focuses on collecting, analyzing, and acting on massive amounts of security data—because in this industry, knowledge is the best defense.

Operational Resilience: Security is More Than Prevention

Despite the best defenses, some attacks will succeed. That’s why true cybersecurity isn’t just about prevention—it’s about resilience.

JP breaks resilience down into three pillars:

1.   Anticipate: Know your security posture, vulnerabilities, and attack surface before an attack happens.
2.   Withstand: Detect and neutralize threats before they cause damage.
3.   Recover: If an attack gets through, suppress the threat instantly and restore business operations fast.

The goal? Make cyberattacks a temporary inconvenience—not a business-ending disaster.

And JP knows better than anyone: "Everybody's hackable. Absolute security is absolutely impossible." But resilience is possible, and that’s what eSentire is built for.

Final Thoughts: Security is a Journey, Not a Destination

At its core, cybersecurity isn’t about eliminating risk—that’s impossible. It’s about managing risk, adapting to threats, and staying resilient. JP’s approach is refreshingly pragmatic. Instead of chasing hype, eSentire focuses on what really matters: data, vigilance, and action. For businesses looking to improve their cybersecurity, his advice is clear: "Security isn’t a one-time project. It’s an ongoing journey. The key is to start—and never stop improving."

JP Haynes is the Founder and CEO of eSentire. www.esentire.com