César Cernuda has led NetApp’s integrated go-to-market organization since July 2020, delivering on the company’s promise to meet customers wherever they are on their digital-transformation journeys by providing the superior products, specialist skills, and services they need to architect, build, and manage their data fabrics.

César joined NetApp following a long career at Microsoft, where he served as President of Microsoft Asia Pacific, President of Microsoft Latin America, and Global Corporate Vice President of the brand. Having walked in the shoes of NetApp’s enterprise customers, he brings a customer-centric perspective to all he does as president. César serves as the non-executive director and Chairman of the ESG committee at Gestamp, an international organization dedicated to the automotive industry; as an advisory board member of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business; and as an international advisory board member of IESE Business School – University of Navarra.

This bonus episode features Mandy Andress, CISO at Elastic, live from Elastic{ON} Sydney 2026. As Australia navigates its unique, sector-led approach to AI regulation, Karissa Breen and Mandy Andress explore the challenges—and opportunities—facing CISOs on the front lines of the agentic AI revolution.

Mandy Andress is currently the CISO of Elastic and has a long career focused on information risk and security.‬ Prior to Elastic, Mandy led the information security function at MassMutual and established and built information security programs at TiVo, Evant, and Privada. She worked as a security consultant with Ernst & Young and Deloitte & Touche, focusing on energy, financial services, and Internet technology clients with global operations. She also founded an information security consulting company with clients ranging from Fortune‬ 100 companies to start up organizations.‬

‭She is a published author, with her book Surviving Security having two editions and used at multiple‬ universities around the world as the textbook for foundation information security courses. Mandy also tested‬ and reviewed information security products for multiple publications as well as serving as the author for the weekly InfoWorld security column. She has been a sought after expert in the field, speaking at signature‬ security conferences such as BlackHat and Networld+Interop. In addition, she has taught a graduate level‬ Information Risk Management course for UMass Amherst in the College of Information and Computer‬ Sciences.‬

Mandy has a JD from Western New England University, a Master’s in Management Information Systems from Texas A&M University, and a B.B.A in Accounting from Texas A&M University. Mandy is a CISSP, CPA, and‬ member of the Texas Bar.‬

Simon is a highly motivated, innovative and creative security professional with almost 20 years’ experience in the Pre-Sales and design space working with hardware, software and cloud solutions. Leadership experience and a proven track record of success growing and evolving teams in both medium and large organisations and on a global scale. Accustomed to speaking up to C- Level, in public forums and to press. A commercial techie that is inspired by good products, and passionate and motivated people.

Omar Khawaja is the VP, Field CISO at Databricks where he gets to work with CISOs to help them securely shepherd their organisations’ data+AI journey. He leads Databricks’ Field Security practice globally, teaches at Carnegie Mellon’s CISO program, sits on the boards of HITRUST and FAIR Institute, spent 9 years as CISO of a $26B enterprise and is leading a team that developed an actionable AI security framework for 11,000 enterprise data platform customers at Databricks.

We explore the pitfalls of traditional and predictable crisis training, the importance of cross-training team members, and the value of embedding continuous improvement and consequence-based learning into daily operations. Lisa also discusses the crucial role of cadence in incident communications, the need to manage rumor mills and public scrutiny, consequences of over-reliance on technology, and why true collaboration between public and private sectors is essential to strengthen defenses against modern threats.

Lisa Black is the Director of Public Sector at Aeon Nexus Corporation where she consults with government clients who are committed to enhancing justice through modernizing technology. Utilizing Aeon’s legal case management solution to deliver a single, secure, centralized, cloud-based system to public sector entities Lisa and her company work with public safety agencies, the offices of District Attorneys, Public Defenders, mediators and courts throughout the US.

With over two decades of government experience, Lisa previously served as the Chief Deputy County Executive in Suffolk County, NY. There she managed the daily operations of a local government that served 1.5 million residents with a $4 Billion budget and a workforce of approximately 12,000 staff. Lisa has also held leadership roles with two NY State Senate Majority Leaders, two New York City Mayors and a NY Governor serving as Senior Advisor at the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.

Lisa’s advantage in serving in both republican and democratic governments has been instrumental in her ability to communicate across the aisle where she has been involved in crisis and emergency management for over half of her career. Formerly trained in emergency management and operational decision-making during crisis, Lisa has also earned certificates in Government Leadership and Cybersecurity Policy and Technology from the JFK School of Government at Harvard University Executive Education Program. Importantly, her skills and training helped her lead the Unified Command Incident Response to a 2022 countywide ransomware attack including incident identification, containment, eradication and operational recovery.

She has spoken publicly about the experience at conferences and forums across the US including those with the NY State Association of Counties (NYSAC), the US Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force, NY State Local Government Information Technology Directors Association (NYSLGITDA), the National Federation of Municipal Analysts (NFMA), the International Association of Emergency Manager’s (IAEM) Region II Inaugural Conference, the National Association of Counties (NACo) Chief Information Officer Forum, the FBI & Fordham Law School’s International Cyber Security Summit and the 2020Partners Counterterrorism, Counter-Narcotics & Cyber Security Miami Conference.

Rushell Hopkins, Professor of Cybersecurity and Computer Science, Florida SouthWestern State College

Rushell Hopkins is a Professor of Cybersecurity and Computer Science with more than thirty years of combined experience spanning higher education, military service, and the technology sector. She serves as the lead architect of Florida SouthWestern State College’s Associate in Science in Cybersecurity program, designing a curriculum grounded in applied, workforce-aligned instruction and industry relevance.

Her expertise includes cyber range operations, security operations center (SOC) pedagogy, and experiential learning models aligned to national cybersecurity workforce frameworks. Hopkins has played a central role in integrating artificial intelligence into cybersecurity education, ensuring students graduate with practical, future-ready skills that reflect the evolving threat landscape and employer demands.

She is currently ABD in Information Systems with a concentration in Cybersecurity. Her doctoral research focuses on the use of artificial intelligence to enhance cybersecurity education and strengthen workforce readiness.

Stan McChrystal, CEO and Chairman, McChrystal Group

Stan McChrystal founded McChrystal Group in January 2011 to deliver innovative leadership solutions to businesses globally in order to help them transform and succeed in challenging, dynamic environments. As Founder and a Partner, he advises senior executives at multinational corporations on navigating complex change and building stronger teams.

A retired four-star general, Stan is the former commander of US and International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) Afghanistan and the former commander of the nation’s premier military counter-terrorism force, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). He is best known for developing and implementing a comprehensive counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan, and for creating a cohesive counter-terrorism organization that revolutionized the interagency operating culture.

Throughout his military career, Stan commanded a number of elite organizations, including the 75th Ranger Regiment. After 9/11 until his retirement in 2010, he spent more than 6 years deployed to combat in a variety of leadership positions. In June 2009, the President of the United States and the Secretary General of NATO appointed him to be the Commander of US Forces Afghanistan and NATO ISAF. His command included more than 150,000 troops from 45 allied countries. On August 1, 2010 he retired from the US Army.

In 2013, Stan published his memoir, My Share of the Task, which was a New York Times bestseller; and is an author of Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, which was a New York Times bestseller in 2015. His latest book, On Character, was an instant New York Times bestseller. He previously served as a senior fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, where he also taught a course on Leadership. He is a sought-after speaker, giving speeches on leadership and team dynamics to organizations around the globe.

A passionate advocate for national service and veterans’ issues, Stan previously chaired the board of the Service Year Alliance, advocating for a future in which a year of full-time service—a service year—is a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans.

Stan is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and the Naval War College. He also completed year-long fellowships at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Peter Lee, Chief Executive Officer and President of SimSpace

Peter serves as the Chief Executive Officer and President of SimSpace, the realistic, intelligent cyber range that strengthens teams, technologies, and processes to outsmart adversaries before the fight begins.

Previously, Peter was co-founder and CEO of DataSynapse, an infrastructure software company acquired by TIBCO; and CEO of RapidMiner, an open source machine learning platform acquired by Altair. At TIBCO, Peter served as Executive Vice President responsible for multiple businesses including the security, cloud computing, B2B, CX, and analytics product groups. Before launching his career in software, Peter was a strategy consultant with Deloitte and an investment banker with JP Morgan.

Peter has extensive Board experience collaborating with top tier investors to grow innovative software companies, serving as Chairman for Attivio (acquired by ServiceNow), WorldQuant Predictive, and ActiveState, and as Director for Ektron (acquired by Accel-KKR), Vesta (acquired by TINT), Infomatix (acquired by EPAM), OpenAssemby (acquired by Fulcrum), BlogTalkRadio (acquired by iHeartRadio), Entrio and Chattermill. Peter also serves on the investment committees of Advanced Finance & Investment Group and Communitas Capital Partners.

Peter graduated from Harvard College with an AB degree in Government (cum laude), received an MBA degree from The Wharton School in Entrepreneurial Management and an MA degree from The University of Pennsylvania in International Affairs.

Peter has been invited twice to speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos and four times at The Milken Institute Global Conferences in LA and Singapore, explaining the impact of AI in terms of its business value and key use cases. Peter is a former Board member of Upwardly Global, alumnus of YPO and a member of the Development Board for Phillips Academy Andover.

Ernie Ferraresso, Senior Director of Cyber Florida

As the senior director of Cyber Florida, Ernie drives the organization’s strategic vision while overseeing the center’s day-to-day operations. He started with Cyber Florida in 2017 as associate director of programs and partnerships and brings decades of technology expertise and leadership experience to his role.

Prior to Cyber Florida, Ernie worked for a small technology design and integration firm as the Director of Operations, overseeing the design and implementation of cybersecurity and emergency operations center technology solutions in the U.S. and throughout Latin America.

He is a retired U.S. Marine Intelligence Officer who served in the U.S. and abroad. His work included assignments with the U.S. Special Operations Forces, the intelligence community, the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, and U.S. Cyber Command.

James Tennant, Partner – Head of JAPAC, BOKA Capital

James Tennant is a Fellow with ASPI’s Cyber, Technology and Security Program and a Partner at BOKA Capital, a leading AUKUS Investment House in London, Sydney and New York.

His key role at BOKA is complemented by his service as an Officer in the Australian Army, where he specialises in Capability Development. He is also a Senior Partner at Gilmour Space Technologies, an Australian-based rocket company innovating in the field of low-cost small satellite launch vehicles.

James is a seasoned investor and corporate leader with deep interests and investments in diverse fields such as Quantum, Artificial Intelligence, Space, CyberSec, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, Drones, Enterprise Infrastructure, and Autonomous Vehicles. His professional journey, spanning across different continents and industries, uniquely positions him at the intersection of finance, defence, and technology including artificial intelligence.

James holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a specialisation in International Business from the University of Sydney, is a Graduate of Applied Finance at Macquarie University, and holds management courses in Private Equity and Venture Capital from Harvard Business School. He has also completed the Company Directors Course at the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Simon Hodgkinson is a Strategic Advisor at cybersecurity firm Semperis, and a former Chief Information Security Officer at multinational energy company BP. In his 18 year tenure at BP, Simon held several senior IT leadership roles and was responsible for the company’s cybersecurity strategy, governance, architecture, education, counter threat operations, and incident response.  

During this time, he drove a significant improvement in IT operational integrity, led a transformation program and spearheaded the commitment to improve employees’ IT experience. He led the CISO function in BP Supply & Trading, where he delivered a program to improve cyber-controls, many of which have been implemented across the BP group. Before joining bp, Simon worked in IT for a dotcom, an investment bank, and commercial software companies

Samuel J. Cummings III is an award-winning data scientist, keynote speaker, and renowned thought leader in AI , specializing in complex reasoning and memory architecture. In his recent work he has created an AI model architecture that runs on 94% less tokens than standard LLMs and is the first AI swarm platform that runs in the browser called Meterless.ai. As Director of Education at Gen AI Works, Sam brings over a decade of expertise in AI and runs a podcast called Gen AI Talks.

River is a visionary cybersecurity and technology leader with a dynamic career spanning traditional banking, cutting-edge blockchain innovation, and Web3 transformation. As a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and fractional C-suite executive, River has driven security and operational excellence across highly regulated industries, including healthcare, financial services, and emerging tech.

Renowned for bridging the gap between strategic leadership and hands-on execution, River has played a pivotal role in modernising risk and security frameworks, scaling secure systems, and advising on crypto, digital asset infrastructure, and decentralized technologies. Her influence extends beyond the boardroom – she is a powerful voice in the tech community, advocating for digital trust, innovation, and ethical leadership in the AI era.

In 2025, River was named one of The CEO Magazine’s Top 50 Women of Influence, recognised not only for her technical expertise but for her commitment to shaping a more secure and inclusive digital future. She is a sought-after speaker, frequently appearing on stage at leading conferences, panels, and keynotes to share insights on cybersecurity resilience, leadership, and the evolving Web3 landscape.

With a storytelling style that blends bold insights with deep reflection, River continues to inspire the next generation of cyber leaders and disruptors.

Alex Loizou is a seasoned cybersecurity leader with a proven track record of building and leading high-performing security teams. He has extensive experience as a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for major organisations such as Medibank, Flybuys, and Bupa. Notably, he served as the CISO at Medibank during their 2022 cyber incident, where he played a crucial role in leading the response and recovery efforts.

Tammy Klotz is a vibrant and accomplished executive and best-selling author with over three decades of diverse experience in the manufacturing industry, specializing in cybersecurity and transformational leadership. She offers keen expertise in navigating mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures within both publicly-traded and privately-held companies and is seasoned in security, risk, and compliance leadership. Tammy brings a dynamic and positive approach to problem solving, excelling in simplifying intricate IT and cybersecurity concepts and facilitating pragmatic, non-technical dialogues that resonate with business executives. She is recognized as a strong, knowledgeable, thoughtful security executive who excels in public speaking and thought leadership, striving to empower others through knowledge sharing.

Mr. George C. Barnes is the President of Red Cell Partner’s Cyber Practice and a Partner at the firm. In this role, he oversees the pursuit of new-start incubations that are focused on cybersecurity opportunities spanning commercial and government sectors. He ensures optimized market gap responsiveness of new incubations and guides Red Cell’s platform team support as young cybersecurity companies progress through their early-stage business life cycles. As a Red Cell Partner, Mr. Barnes applies his national security and cybersecurity domain expertise to Red Cell’s incubation activities and oversees the company’s overall cyber-related investment strategy.

Prior to joining Red Cell, Mr. Barnes served as the Deputy Director and senior civilian leader of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) from April 2017 through September 2023. In this role, Mr. Barnes served as NSA’s chief operating officer, overseeing strategy, policy, and operations.  As an agency deputy in the U.S. national security system, Mr. Barnes supported the U.S. defense and intelligence enterprise in national security strategy execution and the formulation of supporting policies.  He positioned NSA as an integrated mission partner enabling U.S. decision advantage and security against foreign threats.

Over his 36-year career at the NSA, Mr. Barnes held numerous technical and organizational leadership roles spanning intelligence collection operations, intelligence target analysis, foreign liaison and industrial partnership management, workforce support, and global enterprise governance.

U.S. Government Service Recognition Includes:

• Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Medal
• Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Medal
• National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
• Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security Distinguished Service Medallion
• National Security Agency Distinguished Civilian Service Medal
• Central Intelligence Agency Seal Medal
• National Reconnaissance Office Medal of Distinguished Performance
• National Geospatial Intelligence Agency Medallion for Excellence
• National Intelligence Medal of Achievement
• Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award
• Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Awards (2)

Mr. Barnes received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland in 1986. In 2020, he was honored as a Distinguished Alumni by the University of Maryland’s College of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Paul Maddison, Australia & New Zealand Country Manager, Strider Technologies

Paul Maddison is the Australia & New Zealand Country Manager at Strider Technologies, where he is responsible for leading Strider’s market expansion and strategic partnerships with Australian universities, corporations, and governments.

Prior to joining Strider, Paul worked at the University of New South Wales in Sydney and Canberra as Director of the UNSW Defence Research Institute. This was preceded by a four-year appointment as  Canada’s High Commissioner for Australia. Paul also spent over 35 years in Canadian naval service. As a surface warfare officer, he commanded at all levels culminating in his appointment as Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy at the rank of Vice Admiral. A graduate of Canada’s Royal Military College, and a dual national since 2020, Paul is from Canada but has chosen to make Australia his home.

Jeff Lindholm, Chief Revenue Officer at Lookout

As the Chief Revenue Officer at Lookout, Jeff oversees all aspects of the company’s global sales, including the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions, as well as Channel Sales, Commercial Sales and Sales Engineering. He brings a wealth of experience in networking and security sales leadership, having previously served as President and CEO of Plixer, a company focused on network traffic analysis and visibility solutions. Before that, Jeff led sales operations at both Brocade and Juniper Networks. As the Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Brocade, he oversaw a $2.5 billion global sales operation until the company’s acquisition by Broadcom Inc. At Juniper Networks, he served as Chief Revenue Officer, managing $2.5 billion in revenue.” He has also held significant global sales roles at Arbor Networks (the security division of NETSCOUT) and BigBand Networks. Jeff is based in Boston and holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.

Neha delves into the significance of operating one of only two global LEO satellite constellations, emphasizing how satellite networks power resilient connectivity, complement terrestrial infrastructure, and enable sovereign national capabilities amid rising geopolitical tensions. James offers a global investment perspective, highlighting how Australia and other key regions are rapidly adapting to strategic defense imperatives, the challenge of nurturing deep-tech startups, and the necessity of scaling defense technology within complex regulatory frameworks. Simon rounds out the discussion with expert insights on cybersecurity, examining the impact of economic uncertainty, increased insider risk during major corporate events and layoffs, and the criticality of robust cyber operations—even as organizations strive to balance resource constraints and work-life demands.

Neha Idnani, Regional Vice President – APAC, Eutelsat OneWeb

Neha Idnani is an accomplished leader in the Technology, Media, and Telecom (TMT) sector, currently serving as the Regional Vice President for APAC at Eutelsat OneWeb. With over 18 years of experience across the telecom, space, and infrastructure industries, she leads the Asia Pacific and ANZ business for Eutelsat Group, the world’s first multi-orbit satellite connectivity provider. Prior to her current role, she spent over a decade with Bharti Enterprises and Bharti Airtel, notably serving as Vice President and Chief of Staff to the Chairman’s Office. In that capacity, she managed multi-billion dollar fundraising transactions and drove significant global expansion initiatives.

Beyond her corporate leadership, Neha is deeply involved in industry governance and the arts. She serves as a Board Director for OneWeb Communications India, is a Founding Member of the Indian Space Association (ISpA), and acts as a Board Trustee for Improbable, a UK-based non-profit. Academically, she holds an MBA from NMIMS, Mumbai, and a Bachelor’s in Commerce (Honours) from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Delhi University. Throughout her career, she has remained a passionate advocate for driving the future of global connectivity through innovation and strategic collaboration.

James Tennant, Partner – Head of JAPAC, BOKA Capital

James Tennant is a Fellow with ASPI’s Cyber, Technology and Security Program and a Partner at BOKA Capital, a leading AUKUS Investment House in London, Sydney and New York.

His key role at BOKA is complemented by his service as an Officer in the Australian Army, where he specialises in Capability Development. He is also a Senior Partner at Gilmour Space Technologies, an Australian-based rocket company innovating in the field of low-cost small satellite launch vehicles.

James is a seasoned investor and corporate leader with deep interests and investments in diverse fields such as Quantum, Artificial Intelligence, Space, CyberSec, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, Drones, Enterprise Infrastructure, and Autonomous Vehicles. His professional journey, spanning across different continents and industries, uniquely positions him at the intersection of finance, defence, and technology including artificial intelligence.

James holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a specialisation in International Business from the University of Sydney, is a Graduate of Applied Finance at Macquarie University, and holds management courses in Private Equity and Venture Capital from Harvard Business School. He has also completed the Company Directors Course at the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Simon Hodgkinson, Strategic Advisor, Semperis

Simon is an experienced technology leader who has worked in the software sector, financial services, energy sector and has worked in a financial services startup company.

Simon is currently a Strategic Advisor at cybersecurity firm Semperis, and prior to this, he spent 18 years working for BP in a variety of global roles, the last being CISO. Simon transformed BP’s cyber security with a strategy of embedding security to simplify and accelerate adoption. Simon advised the BP board and has shared his expertise on numerous technology and diversity forums.

Prior to the CISO role, Simon was the VP of Infrastructure and Integration Services where he initiated the programme to move BP to the cloud, significantly improving time to market and user experience. Simon was accountable for a complex technology infrastructure in 80 countries, supporting 75,000 users across 600 offices and included critical national infrastructure.

Simon has led globally diverse teams in excess of 500, an annual budget in excess of $0.5bn and has negotiated and managed significant outsourced contracts. His brand is building highly inclusive, capable and successful technical teams, leading with empathy and performance edge.

Mike is a proud Londoner now living in Hampshire, UK. He has worked across various industries covering local and central Government, manufacturing and more recently 11 years of Legal professional services as an IT professional.

Mike’s passion has recently seen him start his own IT consultancy targeting support for SMB’s on Cyber security & virtual IT management.

Alex Tilley is a Cyber Intelligence and investigation guy with over 25 years of experience spanning the private sector and federal law enforcement. As the Australian Federal Police’s first Senior Cybercrime Senior Technical Analyst, he specialised in unmasking and prosecuting sophisticated threat actors in global cybercrime and child protection. In his current role as Global Threat Research Coordinator at Okta, he leads law enforcement liaison efforts and drives critical threat research for the world’s leading identity company.

Second research: How AI services power the DPRK’s IT contracting scams

Rajesh Ganesan is the CEO of ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corp. and a leading provider of enterprise IT management solutions. With over two decades of experience at the company, he plays a pivotal role in shaping ManageEngine’s strategy, direction, and product management while also serving as a key evangelist for the brand. Beyond strategy, his day-to-day work involves being a mentor and coach to teams across various business functions. With deep institutional knowledge and market insight, he helps them navigate decisions with clarity and perspective, ensuring they are equipped to handle the challenges of today’s IT market.

CJ Moses, CISO, Amazon

CJ Moses, CISO at Amazon, leads security engineering and operations across the company. His mission is to enable Amazon businesses by making the benefits of security the path of least resistance. CJ joined Amazon in December 2007, holding various roles including Consumer CISO and AWS CISO, before becoming CISO of Amazon in September 2023.

Before Amazon, CJ led the technical analysis of computer and network intrusion efforts at the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Division and served as a Special Agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). CJ led several computer intrusion investigations seen as foundational to the security industry today.

CJ holds degrees in Computer Science and Criminal Justice and is an active SRO GT America GT2 Race car driver.

Hart Rossman, VP of Global Security Services, AWS

Hart Rossman is the VP of Global Security Services at AWS. He leads a team of geographically distributed AWS builders who help customers realise the benefits of planetary-scale security solutions in the cloud, with a focus on innovating with internal teams and partners. Prior to AWS, he was VP & CTO of Cyber Security Services & Solutions at SAIC.

Mark Ryland, Director, AWS Security

Mark Ryland is a Director, AWS Security, reporting to the CISO of AWS, and engaging with a variety of external and internal stakeholders on behalf of the AWS Security leadership team. Externally, he focuses on public policy initiatives and public sector regulators and customers on issues related to cloud and AI security. Internally, he works with AWS service teams by channelling the perspectives of external stakeholders to influence their plans and priorities. In addition, Ryland works with industry partners to enhance the security of the broader information technology ecosystem as Amazon’s representative on the governing board of the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF), as well as in industry groups focusing on the security and reliability of cutting-edge artificial intelligence systems such as the Frontier Model Forum (FMF) and the Coalition for Secure AI (CoSAI.

Ryland has more than 34 years of experience in the technology industry across a wide range of leadership roles in information security, software engineering, distributed systems, technical standardisation, and public policy. Most recently he founded and ran AWS’s Office of the CISO from 2018 to 2023, a team with which he still collaborates closely on a variety of matters. Prior to that, he was the Director of Solutions Architecture and Professional Services for the AWS Worldwide Public Sector team, founding the team in 2011 and growing it to a large global organisation through early 2018. Before joining AWS, Ryland worked for Microsoft for 13 years in two different stints (1991-2000 and 2008-2011) in multiple roles including Lead Program Manager for COM/DCOM, and founder and Director, Standards Strategy Group. In between work at Microsoft, he was co-founder and CTO of two start-ups, and served as vice president and director of the Washington DC office of a public policy think tank.

Amberley, an astute industry professional with extensive experience in public policy, founded Realfoodprice in 2024 in response to identified structural inefficiencies within Australia’s food supply chain. Recognizing the critical need for market transparency, she established this data-driven platform to address the competitive imbalance affecting both producers and consumers.

Through rigorous market analysis and comparative price assessment, Amberley developed a methodology to clearly communicate authentic food value throughout the supply chain. Her strategic initiative to “un-supermarket” represents a paradigm shift in how agricultural commodities are valued and traded within the Australian market.

Realfoodprice exemplifies Amberley’s innovative approach to economic challenges, leveraging data analytics to foster equitable commercial relationships between farming communities and end consumers. The platform serves as both an advocacy tool and a practical market mechanism designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of Australia’s agricultural sector and strengthen national economic resilience.

Under Amberley’s leadership, Realfoodprice continues to advance data transparency as an essential component in creating a more competitive and balanced food system for all stakeholders.

Jenny Tsai-Smith, SVP, Overall Database Product Management, Oracle

Since joining Oracle in 1993, Jenny Tsai-Smith has held leadership roles spanning technical support, content development, education delivery, plus Oracle Cloud acceleration of startups and scientific research. As the leader for database product management, Jenny works with release and development management to take products and services from design through development to production. Her team runs the customer advisory board, drives technology adoption partners, performs field enablement, assists with migrations to Oracle Database, and works directly with a wide range of customers. She meets regularly with customers, partners, press, and analysts to better understand existing and emerging data management requirements, and to discuss how database innovations can be applied to solve real-world challenges.

Rand Waldron, VP at Oracle

Rand Waldron is vice president of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure product development, responsible for the Global Government Sector team and leading the strategy, development and deployment of Oracle’s National Security Region product line. Prior to joining Oracle in 2018, he was Deputy Assistant Director at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, responsible for the FBI’s enterprise software and data—including investigative and intelligence analytics, records and evidence management, large scale custom software development and business operations systems. Prior to the FBI, Waldron served at the U.S. Department of Justice.

Arman Ashouriha, Head of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Modernisation Programme at Vodafone

As the Head of the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Modernisation Programme at Vodafone, Arman Ashouriha leads the strategic effort to modernize and migrate thousands of key systems to a dedicated region within the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). Arman is continually driving towards platform support, system modernization, and scaling crucial operations across complex, high-stakes infrastructure environments.

David Bloxham is the CEO of GCS Recruitment Specialists, where he has been a key player since 1996, with a brief hiatus from 2004 to 2008. Starting as a fresh graduate, he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a manager in 1999, a director in 2004, and the MD in 2008. In 2017, he led a management buyout with nGAGE. David is passionate about recruitment, strategic leadership, and making a positive impact. He is also the host of the GCS Leaders Series Podcast, where he engages with industry thought leaders to share insights and drive conversations around innovation and excellence.

Steven is a cross-functional cybersecurity and information technology leader with experience working in startup to large enterprise environments. After 2 decades of management consulting with international firms like PwC, smaller boutiques and independently on his own, Steven jumped into the cyber and tech startup ecosystem, bringing to bear his knowledge and experience in cybersecurity, risk management, regulatory regimes, data analytics and business process management. Throughout his career, Steven has also held numerous industry executive positions, including his current role as CISO/CIO of Standard & Preferred and the Graph Group, a Workers Comp insurance carrier based in the NY/NJ tri state area.

Danielle Sheer, Chief Trust Officer, Commvault

Modern compliance, legal and security teams need to be predictive, proactive, and data-driven to meet the speed, agility, and growth of global business in a world of constant cyberattacks. Danielle Sheer, Chief Trust Officer, enables Commvault to do just that.

Prior to joining Commvault, Danielle served as General Counsel at financial technology services company Bottomline (NASDAQ:EPAY) and at cloud-backup SaaS solutions provider Carbonite (NASDAQ:CARB).

As Senior Director of Cloud Engineering at Lennar, Avi leads Lennar’s enterprise cloud vision and strategy to drive the company’s digital transformation. With expertise spanning Strategic Planning, & Integration, Digital Transformation, Cloud Computing, and more, Avi is continually driving towards excellence, scalability, and reliability, especially in fast- paced settings.

Rajesh Khazanchi is the CEO and Co-Founder of ColorTokens, a company that provides a zero-trust segmentation SaaS platform that spans across IT, OT, Industrial Control Systems (ICS), Devices and Users. Under Rajesh’s leadership company has accelerated to grown over 300% annual in last 3 years deployed over 100+ large enterprise customers in Insurance, Healthcare, Retail, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas and Pharma. Rajesh leads a team of 400+ people worldwide and drives the vision, strategy, and execution of the company’s products and services. As an accomplished technology leader, Rajesh has led product teams at VMware, BMC, HP, and Oracle, and has been on the front lines of the battle against cyberattacks for more than two decades. He has been awarded six patents for his innovations in cloud automation and cybersecurity, and is a member of YPO and TiE, two global networks of entrepreneurs and executives. Rajesh is passionate about solving complex problems, creating value for customers, and building a culture of excellence and innovation at ColorTokens.

Dan is an Australian and Asia Pacific Sales Leader with over 25 years’ IT experience in Hardware and Software Solutions and Services, Business Development, GTM planning and implementation, Large Complex Negotiations and Executive Relationships. He has worked for IBM, NTT Global and Verizon Enterprise Solutions driving business and building teams in Hardware, Software, Professional Services, Managed Services, Hybrid Cloud, PaaS, SaaS, Data Analytics, Security and Digital Transformation solution sales.

As a Sales Director with ColorTokens, Dan is driving market penetration, brand development, partner engagement and client services and support. He is responsible for industry and buyer alignment and understanding of the ColorTokens “Breach Ready” messaging focusing on halting the spread of ransomware and malware attacks across IT/OT, IoT and Legacy environments providing customers a viable Cyber Resilience ‘Uptime’ compliance capability they can report to market.

Anshuman highlights how telcos serve as the backbone for digital operations across industries such as energy, finance, healthcare, and transportation, emphasising the cascading effects of network disruptions on national security and public safety. He addresses the increasing pressure on telcos to maintain near-perfect uptime, the risks of misinformation campaigns during outages, and the profound impact such incidents can have on corporates and consumers alike.

Anshuman also speaks about the shift towards mission assurance and resilience in cybersecurity strategies, the role of AI in mitigating human error, and the growing importance of interdependencies between sectors—asserting that future cybersecurity demands adaptable, intelligent, and self-healing systems to ensure operational continuity and public trust.

Anshuman Sharma is the Director of Verizon Threat Research Advisory Centre (VTRAC), Cybersecurity Consulting Services at Verizon Business. Anshuman has more than 17 years’ experience as a well-rounded and seasoned Cyber Security Professional.

VTRAC is a specialized division within Verizon’s Cyber Security Consulting organisation, helping customers regain control and mitigate cyber threats from their networks, applications and devices. VTRAC team members are located across the globe, bringing together professionals with military, law enforcement and IT expertise who are well-versed in criminal and civil investigative requirements.  The organisation is a globally-approved PCI Forensic Investigator (PFI).

As a regional leader for the investigative response team and a global capability lead for VTRAC, Anshuman is responsible for business portfolio management for professional services, especially focused on digital forensics, incident response, and threat intelligence in the APJ region while working for several top global enterprises and government organisations.

Paul is an experienced IT Security Executive who, as Field CISO at JFrog, works to help CISOs, IT execs and security teams, enhance protection of their software supply chain. Additionally, he advises IT security startups, mentors security leaders, and provides guidance on various IT security trends.

M.K. Palmore is an award-winning cybersecurity executive, military veteran, public speaker, and leadership advisor with more than 30 years of combined public- and private-sector experience. He is the Founder and CEO of Apogee Global RMS, a veteran-owned enterprise risk management advisory firm delivering solutions across cyber and physical risk landscapes. Through Apogee, he also leads the Apogee Speakers Bureau, a premier platform showcasing more than 40 diverse experts at the intersection of technology, leadership, and security.

Palmore’s distinguished career includes service as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, leadership as head of the Cyber Security Branch at the FBI’s San Francisco Field Office, and senior executive roles in the private sector, including VP/Field CSO at Palo Alto Networks and Director in Google Cloud’s Office of the CISO.

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Palmore also holds an MBA from Pepperdine University. His expertise spans cybersecurity strategy, executive risk management, leadership, digital transformation, cloud security, and national security. He is widely sought after as a keynote speaker and advisor to boards and senior executives navigating today’s complex threat landscape.

Through Apogee Global RMS and its Speakers Bureau, Palmore is advancing his mission to amplify diverse voices and perspectives shaping the future of technology, leadership, and security.

Eric Stride is the Chief Security Officer at Huntress, where he oversees the company’s 24/7 Global Security Operations Center, Detection Engineering, Adversary Tactics, IT Operations, and Internal Security. A 20+ year cybersecurity leader, Eric has held senior roles spanning the U.S. Air Force, NSA, and private sector. 

During his 12 years on active duty, Eric helped architect the Air Force’s first cyber combat mission team, co-authored its first offensive cyber operations manual, and rose to Deputy Chief for Cyber Operations at NSA Georgia. He continues to serve as a Colonel in the Air Force Reserve, where he established its first cyber range squadron. 

In the private sector, Eric co-founded Atlas Cybersecurity, advised defense and enterprise clients as an independent consultant, and led Deloitte’s Advanced Cyber Training portfolio, generating $135M+ in new business. He holds an M.S. in Information Technology Management, a B.S. in Computer Science, and multiple cybersecurity certifications (CISSP, GCIH, CEH). 

With over 20 years of experience in mobile and information security, Christine is known for her strategic vision and leadership skills, with a proven track record of developing and implementing robust strategies that protect organizations from evolving risks and digital threats – particularly in the areas of communications security and critical event management. Gadsby is a visionary who helped pioneer secure software supply chain efforts and SDLC capabilities influencing industry and government-driven security frameworks in use by the world’s most security-conscious industries.

She is a sought-after panelist, moderator, and keynote speaker with several awards for challenging security mindsets and leading Diversity efforts, including Cybersecurity Woman of the Year, Power 100 Women in Security, and Top 10 Women Leading Cybersecurity. She is a well-known contributor, including RSA, CES, Black Hat and has been quoted in notable media outlets Fox News, CBS, Yahoo, MSN, CSO Magazine, CyberScoop, and Dark Reading.

Joe Cozzupoli is a Principal Security Advisor / Field CISO at Cosive with a focus on helping clients operationalise Cyber Threat Intelligence and Security Operations to reduce risk and deliver measurable business outcomes. With over 20 years in cyber security, Joe has led strategy and delivery for enterprises and government, translating board priorities into executable security programs and aligning identity, data protection, and cloud controls with organisational goals. Equally comfortable in the boardroom and at the whiteboard, he bridges business, architecture, and operations across Australia and internationally.

Prior to joining Cosive, Joe held senior roles at Microsoft, Citrix, Palo Alto Networks, and Cisco where he focused on AI and Data Security, cloud security, risk management, and executive engagement. He has served as a Virtual CISO and Security Architecture Advisor for complex transformations, including industrial and mining clients undergoing separation programs and Azure cloud migrations. Joe works extensively with Australian frameworks and regulations including the ACSC Essential Eight, APRA CPS 234, the SOCI Act, the PSPF, and ISO/IEC 27001, and partners with boards, CISOs, and delivery teams to operationalise pragmatic controls. A committed mentor to the next generation of practitioners, Joe has also completed ISACA training in AI Governance, AI Risk, and Auditing AI.

Blending legal expertise with executive leadership to deliver risk transformation and regulatory uplift at scale.

Anne-Marie Paterson is a risk executive and former legal partner with more than two decades of experience spanning risk management, governance, and legal services. Beginning her career in top-tier law firms before founding and leading her own practice, Anne-Marie has gone on to hold senior executive roles across ASX-listed companies and the financial services sector. Recognised as both a strategist and a problem-solver, she has built and led teams that deliver lasting impact in risk management, compliance, legal services, and organisational integrity.

Anne-Marie has shaped enterprise-wide risk culture strategies recognised by APRA, designed whistleblowing and investigation frameworks for ASX-listed companies, and steered some of the largest regulatory uplift programs in the financial services sector. Her career highlights include establishing AMP’s inaugural Group Integrity Office, uplifting governance for Colonial First State post-demerger, and most recently leading Bendigo and Adelaide Bank’s largest multi-stream risk transformation program.

Equally comfortable in the boardroom and at the front line of crisis management, Anne-Marie is known for her values-based leadership, her ability to influence stakeholders from directors to regulators, and her focus on embedding sustainable change. A qualified lawyer, and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, she is also a regular keynote speaker on risk, governance, and whistleblowing.

Brad explores the complexities enterprises face in keeping up with the rapid pace of AI innovation, especially as traditional policy frameworks struggle to adapt. He outlines the growing use of LLMs in both consumer and enterprise environments, the unique risks of agentic workflows, and the blurred boundaries between public and private AI deployments.

He also highlights the increased sophistication of social engineering threats fueled by LLMs and discusses strategies for observability, governance, and keeping security teams ahead of the curve in a fast-changing landscape.

Brad serves as the Chief Information Security Officer and has been with the company since 2023. Prior to joining Snowflake, Brad was the CISO and VP of Information Security at Seagate for over six years. Before his tenure at Seagate, Brad oversaw Information Security at Synopsys and SanDisk. Additionally, he has actively participated in a number of customer advisory boards and is currently part of the CISO Advisor Council at NightDragon. Brad earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Davis.

Prashant Vadlamudi is a strategic leader with two decades of experience driving transformative information security and compliance initiatives. As Senior Vice President of Product Security at Salesforce, he is responsible for safeguarding the company’s products and ensuring adherence to global standards. His career is marked by pivotal leadership roles, including Vice President of Information Security and Cloud Compliance at Cisco, where he established robust security baselines for SaaS offerings, and Director of Technology GRC at Adobe, where he architected the Adobe Common Controls Framework (CCF), a cornerstone of their global trust strategy. Prashant’s expertise spans cloud security, global certifications, and data-driven risk management, allowing him to navigate and mitigate complex security challenges in today’s dynamic landscape. He utilises a risk-based approach to decision-making and focuses on operational efficiency. He has experience in team development and mentoring, with individuals he has mentored holding security leadership positions across the industry. His professional experience includes strategic planning, technical implementation, and team management within the field of information security.

Emilio Escobar is Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at observability and security company Datadog (NASDAQ: DDOG). With two decades of experience in Information Security and Compliance, Emilio has worked at large enterprises, medium-sized companies, and government organizations. Before Datadog, Emilio served as the VP of Information Security for Hulu, where he played a pivotal role in setting up key security functions. Prior to that, Emilio worked for PlayStation, where he built and ran the software security teams. Emilio’s unique approach to security and compliance has always prioritized partnerships and people—hiring the right talent to build the processes, procedures, and technologies that unite Security, Engineering, and Operations teams. Emilio holds a BS in Computer Science from the University of Puerto Rico.

Christian Morin is the Chief Security Officer at Genetec. With over 20 years of experience in IT, telecommunications and physical security industries, Chris has a keen ability to anticipate technological trends and drive meaningful organizational growth. He is a multidisciplinary business leader, having managed the Operations, Customer Service, Sales Engineering, Technical Support, Professional Services, and IT Teams since joining Genetec in 2002. Chris’ executive leadership continues to support the strategic direction and success of the company.

Marco is an industry-recognised cybersecurity thought leader and strategist with over 25 years of leadership and hands-on experience. He has a proven track record of successfully implementing highly complex, large-scale IT transformation projects. Known for his visionary approach, Marco has been instrumental in shaping and executing numerous strategic cybersecurity initiatives. Marco holds a master’s degree in information systems and computer engineering, as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA). His unique blend of technical expertise and business acumen enables him to bridge the gap between technology and strategy, driving innovation and achieving organisational goals.

John Hultquist – Chief Analyst, Mandiant Threat Intelligence

John Hultquist serves as the Chief Analyst at Mandiant Intelligence, now part of Google Cloud. In this senior leadership role, he oversees global threat intelligence operations—tracking cyber espionage, hacktivism, ransomware, and state-aligned threat actors. He regularly advises C-suite and public-sector leaders on cyber risk strategy and prioritisation.

John’s unique background—spanning military intelligence, U.S. government service, private sector leadership, and real-time cyber conflict analysis—positions him as one of the most respected voices in global threat intelligence. He brings a strategic mindset focused equally on technical insights, geopolitical awareness, and operational impact.

Rob Clyde, Chairman, Crypto Quantique, and past ISACA board chair

Rob Clyde is a distinguished cybersecurity and technology leader with over three decades of experience in executive, board, and advisory roles. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board at Crypto Quantique, a company specialising in quantum-driven IoT cybersecurity solutions. He is also the Executive Chair of White Cloud Security and a long-term board member of ISACA, where he previously held the position of Chair.

Rob’s career includes notable positions such as Chief Technology Officer at Symantec, CEO of Adaptive Computing, and co-founder of Axent Technologies. As Managing Director of Clyde Consulting LLC, he provides strategic advisory services to cybersecurity software companies. Rob is also a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and holds the NACD Directorship Certification.

A frequent speaker at global cybersecurity conferences, Rob brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to discussions on digital trust, governance and emerging technologies.

Jamie Norton, ISACA Board Director

Jamie Norton is a leading cybersecurity expert with over 25 years of experience across government, commercial and international sectors. He is Chief Information Security Officer at Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) and Board Director at ISACA. He is a Partner at McGrathNicol, where he advises executives and boards on cyber risk, resilience and strategic performance. Jamie also serves on the Advisory Board of Avertro, a cybersecurity start-up focused on informed, data-driven decision-making around cyber resilience and AI safety. He previously held leadership roles at NEC, Tenable, Check Point and the World Health Organisation.

Jamie is the former Chief Information Security Officer at the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), one of Australia’s largest federal agencies. He has chaired and contributed to numerous interdepartmental and industry committees on cyber strategy, and represented Australia at international government forums on cybercrime. He holds degrees in accounting and IT from the Australian National University and is a respected speaker and media commentator.

Experience

David has 25+ years of experience in software, security, information management, mobility and communications at BlackBerry, IBM, SAP, Sybase, and the US Navy. His expertise in Secure Communications leads BlackBerry in the vision of securing a connected future you can trust, helping governments to augment and fortify digital defences to strengthen national security

Notable Achievements

David helped design the world’s first large-scale environmental geo-spatial database for NASA. He also helped design the software for one of the first shipboard radar data fusion systems for the US Navy.   At BlackBerry, David and his team have helped NATO and multiple global governments operating in challenging geo-political environments to establish trusted, secure communications channels from the battlefield to the boardroom – using military-grade software to ensure classified conversations and messages remain private.

James leads cyber resilience strategy at Cohesity. He brings extensive hands-on experience in leading incident response in dozens of ransomware and wiper incidents; as the former CISO of Mimecast and Global Director of Cyber Transformation at JPMorgan Chase; and having led a consultancy practice that built the end-to-end security operation center capability for over 91 organizations including over two dozen in the FORTUNE 100.

Federico Torreti leads the vision, strategy, and delivery of generative AI services, enabling enterprises to build, deploy, and scale large language model applications on Oracle’s cloud platform. Prior to Oracle, he spent over 20 years at Amazon Web Services, Eaton Corporation, and Rolls-Royce, leading AI product teams and launching corporate ventures.

Awarded Australia’s Most Outstanding in IT Security 2024, Fellow of AISA, and Graduate Australian Institute of Company Directors, Kate is a distinguished cyber security executive with over 25 years global experience. She has served in influential roles including Interim CISO The Lottery Corporation, Head of Security Google Cloud ANZ, Head of Risk, Wholesale Banking, Standard Chartered Bank and has been a volunteer Board Director. This diverse experience positions her uniquely, having been both an operator and a vendor, she understands the industry from both sides. Kate brings not only deep expertise but also a passion for making this knowledge accessible to everyone through her company Empowered Cyber.