As part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Forward Talent and Wesfarmers OneDigital joined forces once again for our most successful cybersecurity panel to date to unlock the topic Tackling Cybersecurity: Strategies for Large Organizations vs. Scale-Ups.
We brought together some of Australia's Cybersec leaders to share their experiences and expertise on strategies that both large organizations and agile scale-ups can use to safeguard themselves in today’s complex landscape.
The evening was packed with lightbulb moments, insights, actionable takeaways and practical advice flowing so rapidly that we could hardly keep up!
It was also something not many people associate with cybersecurity - FUN!
But the real highlight? The strong sense of solidarity and unity that filled the room as we celebrated, commiserated and explored the complex and intense challenges of cybersecurity together.
If you couldn't make it to the event or need a quick recap, we've got you covered:
🤝 Sunil Rane (Information Security Director, ARN) reminded us to “Make processes sexy again!” He emphasized the power of cyber drills to simulate breach impacts, and pointed out that nothing brings a company together like a breach: “Politics and differences get put aside and everyone pulls together”
🚨 Charlie Carpinteri (Director, RollingLabs) highlighted the emotional toll of a data breach—sleepless nights and feeling like you’ve let your company and customers down. His advice to leaders: communicate clearly with validated information both internally and externally, protect your incident response team to let them do their job, and empower them to ask questions without fear.
🎮 Cheryl Wong (Security Culture & Engagement Lead, EBOS Group) spoke about the value of an agile approach to security, where communication and collaboration are key to staying ahead. She also highlighted how gamification can enhance awareness and education within teams and that having ISO certifications and being ISO compliant can provide a significant competitive advantage for companies.
🌟 Daisy Wong (Moderator & Security Culture Lead, Medibank) left us with a powerful thought: “Never let an incident go to waste.” She also proposed an innovative "security star rating" for companies, similar to energy efficiency ratings. This rating would demonstrate a company’s commitment to high cyber security standards, build trust with clients and partners, and give companies a competitive edge.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month Top Cybersecurity Tips for everyone, every day:
🛡️ Cheryl – Enable MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) and use a secondary phone number or email, especially for online shopping.
🔑 Charlie – Use a password manager. It’s an effective way to keep track of your passwords securely.
⚙️ Sunil – Always remember to update the software services you use. eg: regularly update your internet browser.
🔒 Daisy – Establish a family safe word, especially if you have kids, so they can discreetly let you know if they feel uncomfortable or need your help in a situation, whether it's asking to be picked up or getting assistance. This way, you can ensure everyone knows what to do in tricky situations!
We were thrilled to welcome the largest turnout we’ve ever had and Forward Talent is incredibly grateful and inspired by the brilliant minds that made this event such a resounding success. A big thank you to everyone who attended and contributed!
Stay tuned for upcoming events via our Cybersec Meetup group - next event will be held in February!
