Vannessa Van Beek, or “V” for short, is a Cyber Security Executive with Avanade. Vannessa has been a trailblazer in the cybersecurity sector for over twenty years in organisations such as Telstra, EXC, nbn, and now Avanade. Throughout her career, Vannessa has drawn on her experience in law, business, and psychology to inspire and support her teams to achieve excellence through innovation and resilience.

In this episode, Vannessa discusses how to build strong teams and empower them to thrive in the incredibly high-pressure world of cybersecurity. She breaks down why she is an advocate for wellness initiatives in the cybersecurity sector and the importance of cultivating a workplace culture that supports the physical and mental health of the team. And she answers the big question: what can organisations do to prioritise the wellbeing of their teams?

 

Resources and links:

• Vannessa Van Beek on LinkedIn

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Nigel Hedges is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Kmart. With over two decades of experience, Nigel is a wealth of cybersecurity knowledge and is responsible for protecting Kmart's digital assets and customer data from evolving threats. 

In this episode, Nigel explains the importance of diverse teams, including neurodiversity, and the impact of working with different thinking styles. He also breaks down why cyber needs to be able to talk the language of business, and the benefits of giving CISOs a seat at the table when communicating with boards. Plus, Nigel explores the different types of models for security operation centres, and shares why he thinks security operations are so similar to the brakes on a car.  

 

Resources and links:

• Nigel Hedges on LinkedIn 

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Stephen Bennett is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Domino's Pizza Enterprises. Stephen has extensive experience in the technology and cybersecurity industries, with his current role seeing him manage Domino's cybersecurity functions across 13 regions and over 3,700 stores. 

In this episode, Stephen dives deeper into his insights into the future of the cybersecurity industry. He explains how he uses metrics to measure the effectiveness of cybersecurity operations within his team, and how he's embracing AI to improve his workflow and safeguard data. 

This episode is part two of our two-part chat with Stephen. Check out our previous episode, to hear Stephen share the story of how he fell into cybersecurity, and explain how he stays up-to-date in the ever-changing cybersecurity industry. 

 

Resources and links:

• Stephen Bennett on LinkedIn

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Stephen Bennett is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Domino's Pizza Enterprises. A proud security 'nerd', Stephen has extensive experience in the technology and cybersecurity industries, with his current role seeing him manage Domino's cybersecurity functions across 13 regions and over 3,700 stores. 

In this episode, Stephen shares his story of falling into the cybersecurity industry, and explains how he stays up to date in this ever-changing industry. He also breaks down his thoughts on automation and the ever-increasing presence of AI in the cyber industry. Plus, Stephen explains what a 'nerd day' is at Domino's, and how it's helping to reshape their cybersecurity practices. 

This episode is part one of our two-part chat with Stephen. Listen out for our next episode, where Stephen dives deeper into his thoughts on the future of cybersecurity. 

 

Resources and links:

• Stephen Bennett on LinkedIn

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Vasu Jakkal is the CVP of Microsoft for Security, Compliance, Identity, and Privacy. Typically based in San Francisco, Vasu recently visited Microsoft ANZ to talk to partners and customers about important topics like navigating data security and understanding the influence of AI.

In this episode, Vasu explains Microsoft's recent 20 billion dollar milestone in their cybersecurity sector, and what it means to do more with less. She also reflects on her time in Australia, and the importance of data protection to Australian customers. Plus, Vasu performs her very first successful Tim Tam Slam to celebrate her time in Australia.

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Helaine Leggat is a Victorian Supreme Court Lawyer, as well as a cyber expert. She is currently the Non-executive Director of CI-ISAC Australia, and Co-chair of the Australian Women in Security Network. Throughout her career, Helaine has worked with law firms in 50 countries around the world, as well as assisted governments and the private sector, specialising in strategic support in legal compliance.

We are also joined by guest host Farah Chamseddine, who is a Cyber Security Architect at Microsoft Australia. 

In this episode, Helaine explains the challenges and opportunities of the recently developed Security of Critical Infrastructure legislation, which is now in effect across Australia. She breaks down what this means for stakeholders in Australia and New Zealand, and shares what businesses need to do to be up-to-date with these recent changes. 

 

Resources and links:

• Helaine Leggat LinkedIn 

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Troy Hunt is the Founder and CEO of Have I Been Pwned, a website that allows users to check if their personal data has been compromised as a result of data breaches. He is also a Microsoft Regional Director and MVP for Developer Security, and an ASP Insider, who has received several awards for his work, including the Mary Litynski Award for lifetime achievement for making the internet safer by M3AAWG.

In this episode, Troy explains the history of Have I Been Pwned, and how it was built. He also shares his thoughts on security best practices for web development and cloud computing, before breaking down how he creates content for online sites like Pluralsight.

 

Resources and links:

• Go Beyond Data Protection with Microsoft Purview

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Venkat Balakrishnan is the CISO for TAL Australia. Venkat has a wealth of knowledge on cyber risk and resilience, leading TAL in a strong partnership with Microsoft for cyber security products and support.

In today's episode, Venkat provides his perspective as a CISO on the current challenges the cyber industry is facing, including changes to working conditions through COVID and the effect that working from home is having on privacy risk. Plus, a look to the future, with Venkat's thoughts on leveraging Zero Trust, and retaining cyber security talent.

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Gavin van Niekerk is the Practice Manager of Cyber Security at Quorum, with over 20 years of experience in IT and security. He currently leads Cyber One, which provides a robust-yet-affordable security portal for small-to-medium businesses.

In today's episode, Gavin breaks down the core principles of Cyber One and how businesses can mature their cyber practices. He also details the biggest challenges SOC teams are facing, from burnout to the overabundance of tools. Plus, we cover some insights into the power of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, and how team members understand their roles can make all the difference.

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Ann Johnson is the CVP of the Cybersecurity Solutions Group at Microsoft. She leads Microsoft's security and compliance roadmap across the world and is an author and speaker on topics such as resilience, cyber attacks, and online fraud. She also hosts a podcast — 'Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson' — where she sits down with leaders in cybersecurity to discuss the ever-changing cyber landscape.

In today's episode, Ann explains Integrated Cyber Security & Privacy, and how Zero Trust fits in a multi-cloud, multi-platform, multi-environment strategy. She also explains why businesses should consider taking a risk-based approach to Cyber Security, and how important diversity is when building a team.

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.