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CISO 
Roundtable

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John Roberts

CEO
Leadership Collective Australia

Australia's First Executive Peer Roundtable Exclusively for Chief Information Security Officers The Chief Information Security Officer Roundtable is the first executive peer forum of its kind in Australia - created exclusively for senior cybersecurity leaders responsible for protecting their organisations in an environment of increasing complexity, risk and scrutiny. This is not a networking group. It is a confidential, invitation-only forum where Chief Information Security Officers and equivalent executives from non-competing organisations come together to challenge thinking, test ideas and learn from one another's experience. Today, cybersecurity leadership has never been more demanding. You are expected to: • Protect the organisation against an evolving and increasingly sophisticated threat landscape • Balance security, risk, compliance and business objectives • Influence Boards, Executives and stakeholders who often have competing priorities • Lead incident preparedness and response in an environment where mistakes can have significant reputational and financial consequences • Navigate emerging technologies, AI, regulatory change and growing cyber risk • Make critical decisions under pressure with incomplete information These challenges can be isolating at the executive level. The Chief Information Security Officer Roundtable provides something few leaders have access to: a trusted group of peers who understand the realities of the role and can offer practical, experience-based perspectives. As a Member, you gain: • A confidential forum of Australia's most senior cybersecurity leaders • Practical insights from executives facing similar security, risk and resilience challenges • Honest, non-competitive discussion that sharpens judgement and decision-making • A trusted sounding board for complex strategic, operational and leadership issues • Access to leading expert speakers and emerging cybersecurity thinking This is a space to step away from the immediate demands of incidents, audits and compliance obligations to think more strategically about resilience, leadership and long-term organisational protection. The strongest CISOs recognise they don't need all the answers. They need access to the right conversations. If you are responsible for the cybersecurity, resilience and risk posture of your organisation, this Roundtable was created for you.

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David Gee

Chair
CISO Roundtable

David is a seasoned technology executive with extensive experience, boasting over 25 years in CIO and CISO roles across various industries and countries. At Macquarie Group, David was the Global Head of Technology, Cyber and Data Risk. He previously served as the CISO for HSBC Asia Pacific. His career as a CIO spans multiple industries and regions, including MetLife Japan, Eli Lilly, and Credit Union Australia. In 2014, he won the CIO of the Year award at Credit Union Australia, where he successfully completed a significant transformation of core banking, as well as online and mobile banking systems. David previously served as Chairman of the FS-ISAC Strategy Committee and received the Global Leaders Award in 2023 for his contributions to the cybersecurity industry. He was appointed as Ambassador for CI–ISAC Critical Infrastructure in 2025. ​ David is an Advisor with Bain Advisory Network and an Advisor to JS Careers (Cyber Recruitment) and Emertel (Software Commercialisation). A regular conference keynote speaker and author of over 150 published articles for CIO Australia, Computerworld, ITNews, and CSO (Cyber Security), David now writes for Foundry, CIO.com, CSO.com, and CIO.INC. His most recent bestselling book, The Aspiring CIO & CISO, has made it onto the Top 10 Must-Reads for Security Leaders.

Pitched at the Chief Information Security Officer. 

 

Industry headlines, vendor marketing, conferences and fashionable cyber commentary offer limited value when it comes to the realities of cybersecurity leadership, organisational resilience and executive decision-making.

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This Roundtable enables you to connect with a dedicated group of accomplished CISOs and cybersecurity leaders who understand the unique pressures of the role. Harness the collective experience of peers who have navigated major incidents, Board scrutiny, regulatory change, cyber transformation and enterprise risk.

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  • Gain deeper insights.

  • Make better decisions.

  • Strengthen organisational resilience.

  • Become a more effective cybersecurity leader.

Key Benefits

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The role of today's Chief Information Security Officer extends well beyond cyber defence. CISOs are increasingly expected to influence strategy, build organisational resilience, shape risk appetite, advise Boards and lead through uncertainty.

The Chief Information Security Officer Roundtable supports you in the following ways:

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• Sharpen your thinking through exposure to fresh perspectives, diverse experiences and real-world lessons from fellow cybersecurity leaders.

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• Gain your own trusted Advisory Board of accomplished CISOs who understand the pressures, risks and complexities of the role.

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• Benchmark against leading organisations and gain insight into how others are addressing cyber risk, resilience, compliance, AI, governance and transformation.

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• Learn from expert speakers whose role is to share practical experience and answer your questions - not sell products or services.

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• Strengthen your leadership and influence, helping you communicate more effectively with Boards, Executives and stakeholders while improving organisational outcomes.

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• Test ideas in a confidential environment before making high-impact decisions that affect your organisation's security and resilience.

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• Stay ahead of emerging threats and trends through peer discussion, expert insight and collective experience.

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The strongest CISOs don't operate in isolation. They surround themselves with trusted peers who help them think more clearly, make better decisions and lead with greater confidence.

Overview

 

Chief Information Security Officer Roundtable is not a typical vendor-sponsored networking event, industry conference or cybersecurity forum. While these can provide useful information, they often offer limited value when it comes to the realities of cybersecurity leadership, organisational resilience and executive decision-making.

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As a dedicated membership-based peer group, the Chief Information Security Officer Roundtable takes a different approach. We bring together a carefully curated group of senior cybersecurity leaders who support one another through practical, experience-based learning and meaningful discussion.

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And it's worth highlighting that we do not engage in supplier or vendor relationships.

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The Roundtable comprises up to 12 non-competing Members who rely on their peers for fresh perspectives, sound judgement and practical advice on the issues that matter most. Members meet regularly to discuss the challenges, opportunities and decisions that come with protecting organisations in an increasingly complex threat environment.

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Confidentiality is the foundation of the group. Everything discussed remains within the room. The most effective CISOs recognise the value of seeking support, guidance and challenge from trusted peers who understand the realities of the role.

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We appreciate there are many options available for CISO development, including conferences, executive coaching, mentoring, industry associations and professional education programs. Each offers value in different ways.

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What makes the Chief Information Security Officer Roundtable different is our ability to bring together a small cohort of committed cybersecurity leaders who agree to support, challenge and learn from one another in a confidential, non-competitive environment.

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It is a safe place to discuss sensitive issues, test ideas, explore emerging risks, share lessons learned and gain perspectives from executives facing similar challenges.

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Our focus is simple: to provide a valuable Member experience free from vendor-sponsored marketing, sales agendas and commercial influence. The conversations are independent, candid and centred on helping Members become more effective cybersecurity leaders.

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