Category Archives: Skills Development

AI-enabled security at the speed of business

Today, organisations are caught between two opposing forces. On one side is the drive for operational efficiency through digital transformation and AI adoption. On the other is an asymmetric cyber threat landscape.

As adversaries leverage AI to increase the scale and sophistication of attacks overwhelming already stretched cyber teams, defenders must do the same by using AI to strengthen security.

The traditional security model is reactive. When a threat is detected, a human must review, validate and remediate. In the time it takes an analyst to finish their first coffee, an AI-driven adversary can exfiltrate sensitive data.

For organisations that depend on customer trust and regulatory compliance, “responding as fast as we can” is no longer within risk appetite. Humans cannot scale to match the speed of automated code.

AI is becoming central to the future of cyber defence. While much of the industry focuses on automating security operations triage, the true power of AI lies in automating complex, proactive security and compliance functions that previously required thousands of human hours.

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My booked named #1 Amazon Best Seller

Excited that my book just hit #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list. Thank you to everyone who read, recommended, reviewed and supported this project – I couldn’t have done it without you. If you’ve read it, I’d love to hear what resonated most.

If you haven’t read it – it’s currently on offer in some Amazon stores, so get your 23% discount while you can!

And yes – it’s technically #1 in the very specific category, which is slightly amusing… I suspect it’s a hit with late-night cyber security enthusiasts rather than beach readers!

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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First patrol done


I recently qualified as surf lifesaver. Starting up as less than a confident ocean swimmer, this 8-week Bronze Medallion course definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone! I learned rescue techniques, first aid, resuscitation and how to operate in rough conditions.

Some lessons I learned apply to leadership and cyber security: practice beats theory, situational awareness matters, clear communication saves time (and sometimes lives) and simple tools often outperform complexity. Most of all, the course reinforced humility – competence grows through steady practice and teamwork.

Grateful for the experience and the reminder that fundamentals matter in any high-risk role. Stay safe!

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.

Responsible Management Prize

I’ve been awarded the Responsible Management Prize 🏆

This award recognises the values that guide me every day: honesty, integrity and leading with purpose.

In today’s evolving business landscape, where AI, risk management and cybersecurity intersect, ethical practice is essential. Because what we stand for today shapes the world we build tomorrow.

As algorithms power more of our decisions, we must ensure they’re transparent, fair and aligned with human values. Balancing innovation with resilience means anticipating unintended consequences, protecting stakeholders and driving sustainable outcomes.

Safeguarding data and privacy isn’t merely a technical challenge – it’s a trust imperative that underpins every relationship.

Thank you to the selection committee for recognising the work we’ve done together to build an inclusive, principled and forward-looking learning community.

AI leadership in an accelerating world

I have just completed two leadership programs, both focused on AI-powered strategy

I particularly enjoyed the interactive hands-on session on designing AI capabilities to better understand:
✅ What the current trajectory of AI is, and why it reinforces the need for a clear AI strategy
✅ How AI is reshaping strategic thinking and planning, and how we can use it to strengthen techniques such as scenario analysis
✅ How AI is transforming day-to-day work, and practical steps that can help us build genuine AI readiness

Huge thanks to the academics and industry experts for sharing their research-backed insights. I look forward to applying these frameworks and tools to drive purposeful, data-driven impact in my own leadership journey.

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.