Strengthening your Cyber Security Posture

Fergus Hanson is the Head of the International Cyber Policy Centre. He is the author of Internet Wars and has published widely on a range of cyber and foreign policy topics. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution and a Professional Fulbright Scholar based at Georgetown University working on the uptake of new technologies by the US government. He has worked for the UN, as a Program Director at the Lowy Institute and served as a diplomat at the Australian Embassy in The Hague. He has been a Fellow at Cambridge University’s Lauterpacht Research Centre for International Law and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Pacific Forum.

Professor Jill Slay is Optus Chair of Cyber Security at La Trobe University and Director of Cyber Resilience Initiatives for the Australian Computer Society. She has established an international research reputation in cyber security (particularly Digital Forensics) and has worked in collaboration with many industrial partners.  She was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to the information technology industry through contributions in the areas of forensic computer science, security, protection of infrastructure and cyber-terrorism.  She is a Fellow of ACS and a Fellow of the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, both for her service to the information security industry.

Dr Maria Milosavljevic is the NSW Government Chief Information Security Officer (GCISO). She works across NSW government, with Commonwealth, State and overseas governments, industry and academia to ensure a collaborative approach to cyber security. Her role focuses on building improved prevention, detection and a streamlined response to cyber security. Milosavljevic is also an Honorary Professor at the Australian National University (ANU) and Chair of the Australian Computer Society (ACS) Cyber Security Committee.
 
Prior to moving to NSW Government, Dr Milosavljevic was the CIO and CISO of AUSTRAC where she led the creation of leading-edge data analytics / AI technology and an Innovation Hub for the Fintel Alliance, a world-first public-private partnership between AUSTRAC and its public and private sector partners. As the CIO and CISO at the Australian Crime Commission she was the key driver in the establishment of the National Criminal Intelligence Fusion Capability which won several awards including an iAward and an ACS Digital Disrupter Award.
 
Dr Milosavljevic completed a PhD in Artificial Intelligence on a prestigious scholarship from the Microsoft Research Institute, graduated from ANU with an Executive Masters of Public Administration from the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG), and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). As a data scientist, Dr Milosavljevic has developed several world-first and award-winning solutions to difficult problems in the private and public sector throughout her 25-year career. She has also published widely and has been a keynote speaker for a range of conferences globally.

Philip Dalidakis was born in the Southern Metropolitan Region and has lived here all his life. His father was born in Greece. His mother was born in Shanghai, the daughter of Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany. As the son of immigrant parents, he shares the life stories of many families in his electorate. Philip now lives in McKinnon with his wife Debra and three young children, who attend local primary and secondary schools.

Philip was educated at Gardenvale Primary School, St Michael’s Grammar School, Monash University where he holds a double degree in Business (Management) and Arts (politics and Thai language) and UNSW, where he obtained a Master of Commerce.

Philip has worked in both the private sector and in government. He started at Deloitte, worked in the property and finance team with Centro Properties Group and as a financial controller of a small family group of companies. He was chief executive officer of the Victorian Association of Forest Industries from 2007 to 2011. In government, he was Deputy Chief of Staff to Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, in 2011-12. From 2012 to 2014 he ran his own small consulting firm.

Philip has been active in many community organisations. He has been treasurer of the Jewish Museum of Australia, treasurer of FKA Children’s Services Inc, and a Homework Support volunteer with Southern Ethnic Advisory and Advocacy Council.

In addition to his role as Member for Southern Metropolitan Region, Philip holds the portfolio responsibilities of Minister for Trade and Investment, Innovation and the Digital Economy and Small Business in the Andrews Labor Government.

Stewart is a Principal security advisor in the Optus Digital Business Cyber team.  He has extensive experience in Security and Risk Management covering cyber, physical and personnel protective security measures specialising in integrated services and converged security capabilities.  This leads to a co-ordinated governance and compliance infrastructure meeting business needs and objectives. 

Over his career, Stewart has worked in multiple international environments – Europe, Middle East, North and South America and Australasia and across multiple business sectors including telecoms, finance, healthcare, defence forces, emergency services, air transport and retail.  As an Optus security advisor he will work closely with clients to define effective strategies to mitigate risks, support business growth and ensure continuity of business functions in the event of an incident.

Stewart has held a number of positions where he has been responsible for the definition and implementation of security services, solutions and operational capabilities to support business activities, management of specialists and subject matter experts and the development of outcomes to ensure business success.