Category Archives: Security Strategy

AI Agents and Security

We are entering the agentic era – an inflection point defined by AI systems that can reason, plan and take action autonomously. This shift may be among the most consequential technological transformations of our generation, and it carries an equally significant obligation: to ensure these systems are designed, governed and deployed in ways that earn and sustain trust.

I completed a 5-Day AI Agents Intensive Course where we dove deep in Google’s open source Agent Development Toolkit. In this blog, I’ll share key takeaways and practical suggestions so you can navigate this shift and learn to build AI agents of your own.

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FinTech, AI and Cyber

I recently took the stage to talk about one of the most consequential inflection points facing FinTech: the rapid arrival of agentic AI – systems that plan, decide and act autonomously – and what it means for risk, reputation, regulation and customer trust. Below is a distillation of the talk: what agentic AI actually is, why FinTechs are racing to adopt it, the real cyber threats it brings, and a pragmatic playbook leaders can use today.

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Industry and government engagement in cyber security

It was great to chat with Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness, the National Cyber Security Coordinator, about the Australian Cyber Security Strategy as well as key initiatives, strategic imperatives and challenges that CISOs must navigate.

I appreciate an opportunity to contribute to the ongoing conversation on cyber threat landscape, risk and AI governance.

RSAC CISO Bootcamp 2025

It was so good to attend the RSAC CISO Bootcamp at CyberCon Melbourne – a practical session for CISOs.

Highlights that stuck with me:
💡 A conversation with Brian Krebs on AI security and organised cybercrime: attackers are tooling up fast; our defences must keep pace.
💡 A candid, closed-door session with Tim Brown, CISO of SolarWinds, about crisis response: execution matters, but so does the personal toll on teams and leaders.
💡 A chat with F1’s Guenther Steiner on teamwork and resilience in high-pressure environments.

Events like this remind me how much strength there is in our community. I’m proud to contribute and be part of it. You don’t need a challenge coin to get help – if you want to compare notes or need a sounding board, reach out.

AI and Cyber for Board Directors

It was good to attend the Essential Director Update – a timely reminder that good governance now requires foresight as well as oversight.

Staying on the forefront of contemporary governance demands AI and cybersecurity competency.

My key takeaways for boards and executives:
☑️ Data is the fuel: protect data integrity (accurate, consistent, timely) and focus governance where it creates the most value.
☑️ AI is everywhere, no longer just an IT challenge: adopt a human-centred approach, define guardrails around intent, and factor legal and ethical considerations into every deployment.
☑️ Balance innovation with risk: prioritise highest-value use cases, automate safety controls where possible, but don’t outsource accountability.
☑️ Cybersecurity must be risk-based: know your crown jewels, expect incidents, build crisis response plans and regularly test your defences.
☑️ People first: changing work practices will affect roles and culture; steer the transition and invest in policy and education.

Redefining business and technology in Australia

I’m proud to be featured on Moxie Top Minds, joining the most influential figures redefining business and technology in Australia.

It’s always great to collaborate with industry leaders from all aspects of the ecosystem: CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, CDOs, CISOs and Founders.

I look forward to setting the market pace by sharing insights, shaping research data and collaborating among executive networks.

AI guardrails and governance

Just wrapped up an engaging panel on AI guardrails where we explored the shifting ground beneath enterprise AI adoption.

The best AI governance starts not with controls, but with culture. When people start asking not just ‘Can we do this?’ but ‘Should we?” that’s when you know you’re on the right path.

Secure by Design is a widely understood concept in cybersecurity, it can be extended to Ethics by Design when building and adopting AI capabilities. Ethical considerations should be embedded from the start, with continuous assurance throughout the lifecycle.

AI in the Enterprise: Balancing Innovation and Security

It was great to have a debate on balancing innovation and security keynote panel, where we dug into both the promise and the perils of AI adoption from the CISO and CIO perspectives.

Your biggest AI risks really depend on where and how you’re using it. I recommend reviewing your product roadmap for AI-powered features to anticipate potential gaps.

Map out whether AI is home-grown, vendor-sourced or embedded. When it comes to governance, we can borrow from what we learned with BYOD, cloud and shadow IT. Extend existing security reviews, supply-chain checks and third-party assessments into your AI program. For quick wins, manage it like a SaaS risk: think privacy controls and boundaries around sensitive data.