ASIAL Security Insider

In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we speak with Neil Fergus, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Intelligent Risks Pty Ltd. Neil founded Intelligent Risks in 2001 following a 20-year career in the Australian Government; including roles as a senior diplomat, as Manager Middle East and as the Principal Operations Adviser. He has since led IR’s growth into becoming a pre-eminent international management services firm. He is an internationally recognised speaker and author on risk management, security, KRE and terrorism; and is a co-author of Security Risk Management (HB167 – 2006). He has been a senior adviser to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) since 2004, on six Commonwealth Games. He has also been engaged in the planning and delivery of security for 11 Olympic Games, including several reviews for the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Neil has conducted numerous complex reviews for governments, such as the ‘Layers of Aviation Security Review’ for the Australian Government and several projects for the US State Department’s Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program, including in the Middle East, East Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. He has led IR security teams delivering projects for several other governments including Argentina, Brazil, Brunei, China, Colombia, France, Greece, India, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the UAE and the UK. He has also advised on security planning for several international political summits including APECs, ASEAN, CHOGMs, G20s and NATO. Neil has been directly involved in the response to over 50 international kidnap or forced detention cases. Most of IRs work in this field is under contract to international underwriters. Similarly the IR team are first responders for international underwriters supporting insured entities affected by product contamination and malicious product tampering events. The International Olympic Committee bestowed the Award of the Golden Olympic Rings on Neil for his contribution to the security of Olympics and international sport. The Governor General of Australia awarded Neil the Australian Sports Medal in 2022. He was also awarded the Outstanding Security Professional Award (OSPA) in 2022 as the leading Australian security consultant. 

In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we explore the issues surrounding the challenges of social media and artificial intelligence, specifically in the context of online radicalisation. How are these tools being used by extremist groups to target and radicalise at-risk individuals? Why has online radicalisation risen in recent years? What can be done to prevent this type of activity, and how might we recognise and address potential victims of online radicalisation in our own organisations?  We are joined by Paul Ash, chief executive of the Christchurch Call Foundation, and Dr Nicole Matejic to help us better understand these challenges. Paul has extensive experience in public policy, including the cyber, digital, and security sectors. In addition to his role as Chief Executive of the Christchurch Call Foundation, he serves as a member of the Aspen Global Cybersecurity Group with the Aspen Institute, one of the world’s leading think tanks on a wide range of topics, including security and global affairs. He was the New Zealand Government representative on the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism and has had a long and illustrious career in government, including 21 years with the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade, where he served as a Diplomat, Deputy Director of the International Security Disarmament Division and a Senior Policy officer, amongst other roles, before becoming the director of National Cyber Policy, Director, National Security Policy and then the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Cyber and Digital security.  In addition to being an Author & National Security focused Behavioural Economist, Dr Nicole Matejic is the Principal Strategic Advisor at The Christchurch Call Foundation. She is also an adjunct Lecturer on Terrorism and National Security at Charles Sturt University and a partner at Immuto Group, where she focuses on National Security and Sovereign Risk. Her books include Social Media, Rules of Engagement, and The Hate Economy - The Lies People Sell That Lead to Violence. 

In this episode of the ASIAL Security Insider Podcast, we speak with Matthew Curtis, one of the authors and a principal driver of the new ISO 22340 Security and Resilience — Protective Security — Guidelines for an Enterprise Protective Security Architecture and Framework, the first-ever standard providing guidance on protective security. This new standard has been developed and completed within the auspices of the International Organization for Standardization. The draft has now passed the final ballot – the process of resolving final editorial matters, conducting the final edit, and, ultimately, publication will then follow.In this podcast, we discuss how the standard is designed to meet a pressing need for organisations to adopt enterprise governance arrangements, enabling formulation implementation of all security controls coordinated within a single framework and strategically aligned with the business of the organisation.ISO 22340 is the first international standard on protective security and following its planned adoption as an Australian standard, the first of its kind here in Australia as well.Matthew went to great lengths to ensure that he explained the development and deployment of this standard was a team effort, stating, “I owe a great debt of gratitude to the team of professionals who have given so much of their time, knowledge and intellectual rigour to the project. These include Jason Brown, Head of Delegation for Australia to ISO/TC 292, Anna Harris, Chair of the Standards Australia committee MB-025 Security and Resilience, Alex Webling, Julian Talbot, Adam Incher, Matt Warmington, David Harding and Robert Gore, and more latterly, Vern Amey. Also of great value were the contributions and support of colleagues on the project team representing France, United States of America, Norway, Japan, Sweden, Republic of Korea and United Kingdom.”

Technologies such as AI are playing a transformative role in shaping the security services landscape in Australia. The pace of technology advancements is revolutionising traditional security practices, enhancing operational efficiencies and addressing evolving security challenges. Security has become a critical business risk for boards. As a result, there is a growing understanding of the imperative to invest in innovative solutions that ensure operational resilience and provide protection against brand and reputational damage. Featuring a panel of CEOs from Australia’s leading security providers, this podcast, which was recorded at the 2024 Security ASIAL Conference, explores the technologies and innovations driving the future of security, what this will look like and how it will address the needs of customers. Key Topics:Broad areas to be discussed include:• Customer-driven solutions – how customer-driven solutions are driving change. Getting customer buy-in and understanding of the investment required to deploy new technologies?• Cyber – understanding the risks organisations face and the role security providers can play in delivering secure systems and solutions.• Emerging Technologies: The panel will discuss the latest technological innovations, such as AI, IoT devices, drones, facial recognition systems, and advanced surveillance tools, and their impact on security operations.• Integration and Interoperability: Delve into the challenges and opportunities of integrating diverse security technologies and ensuring seamless interoperability to create a cohesive security ecosystem.• Future Trends: Gain insights into the upcoming trends and innovations in technology and AI that are set to reshape the future of the Australian security industry. Hosted by Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Journalist, Writer, Producer and Presenter Jeremy Fernandez, the panel members include: Geoff Alcock - Managing Director, MSS SecurityThea Emetlis - Country President, SecuritasBrett Pickens - Chief Executive, Certis AustraliaNick Schijf - Chief Operating Officer, Wilson SecurityHarrie Veerman - Managing Director, Securecorp

In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we speak with Dr Ivano Bongiovanni.Following a career as a Police Officer with the Italian Ministry of Interior, Ivano took on the role of Deputy Venue Security Manager at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic & Paralympic Games. Ivano then went on to complete a PhD in Risk Management in international airports in Australia, following which he created a framework to detect instances of organisational vulnerability to safety and security accidents from the operator level to the strategic one. From 2016 to 2018, Ivano worked for the PwC Chair in Digital Economy at QUT in a hybrid consultant/researcher capacity. He now serves as the General Manager at Auscert a not for profit cyber security incident support, vulnerability management, threat intelligence and training and education amonst other things. When he is not doing all that, Ivano is also a senior lecturer in information security, governance and leadership at the University of Queensland

The escalating reliance on satellite technology for communication, navigation, and national security necessitates a heightened focus on space cybersecurity. The potential repercussions of a successful cyber-attack on these systems extend from disrupting communication networks to causing physical damage. In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we speak with Gaurav Vikash - Head Of Security And Risk, Apac at Axon. Gaurav will be presenting later this month at the security expo, taking place from the 21st to the 23rd of August at Darling harbour in Sydney. In his presentation, Gaurav will delve into the challenges of securing space systems, emphasizing the global impacts and the imperative for international collaboration. 

In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we are looking at the ethical development and deployment of AI in the security space.We all know that AI is set to play a crucial role in the future of not just security but society as a whole. Amongst the many challenges around the development of AI, are things like ensuring that privacy, transparency, security, and fairness are paramount in any discussion and development. To help us better understand these issues, we are speaking with Philip Meyer. Philip is a Technology Strategist at Microsoft, where he has worked for over 30 years. He helps Microsoft Partners build solutions and services for various sectors using Microsoft’s wide range of products and technologies. His main areas of expertise are Migration to the Cloud, Hybrid Cloud implementations, Artificial Intelligence and Security. He has also held roles in Product Marketing, Business Development and Team Management in his career at Microsoft. Philip will be presenting on AI and the way we, as an industry, might better navigate this uncertain future at the upcoming Security Conference being held in Darling Harbour from the 21st to the 23rd of August. 

Data breach class action litigation is one of the primary areas that keeps businesses up at night. Factors such as the emergence of cloud-based storage, the shift to remote work, and the escalation of sophisticated cybercriminal activity have threatened data security. As a result, the number of data breach class action lawsuit filings in the United States doubled last year, going from 604 in 2022 to a whopping 1,320 in 2023. The financial impact is equally daunting, as the top 10 data breach settlements totalled $515.75 million. Our Guest today is Alex Karasik. Alex is one of the leading privacy and data breach class action defence attorneys in the United States. He represents clients in a broad range of industries, including restaurants, hotels, sporting venues, retailers, automotive manufacturers, logistics companies and staffing entities. Mr. Karasik's experience defending multi-national companies in these "bet-the-company" class actions allows him to provide insight to security professionals at organisations regarding strategies to prevent privacy and data breach class action litigation. In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, Alex is going to help us understand how security professionals can better safeguard their organizations from class-action lawsuits.

In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we look at what is involved in selling your business. Guests Peter Johnson, Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Advisor at ASIAL, is joined by Michael Johns, Director at Aquilla Corporate Advisory and Mark Jason, Managing Director – Link Business Solutions, to discuss everything from the reasons might choose to sell their business, how to prepare a business for sale, common errors that people make when selling a business and the various mechanisms that people can use to ascertain the value of your business.

The vast potential for cloud video remains untapped, widely regarded as ripe for monetisation for service providers and brimming with efficiencies and cost savings for end users. Will these benefits be able to be realised without proper pathways - and safeguards - put in place? In this episode of the Asial Security Insider podcast, we discuss how the addition of standards in cloud for physical security can ease transition hurdles and accelerate adoption of cloud services.  Guest - Leo Levit, chairman of ONVIF,  Leo Levit has spent many years in the technology innovation and product management fields. Beginning with a master's degree in Electronic Engineering, his professional career has included multiple positions in several multinational companies such as Ericsson and Sony. During Leo’s 20+ year career, he has contributed to technology adoption in the telecommunication, security and video analytics fields. In addition to his role as Chairman of the ONVIF Steering Committee, Leo is currently the Director of Systems Integration at Axis Communications AB.

In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we explore how AI and other technological shifts are driving the video surveillance market beyond security. The podcast offers a unique perspective from long-time industry analyst, Josh Woodhouse. Learn how the security industry is evolving to include many other workflows beyond security while still providing core security services. How is this shift affecting the composition and growth potential of the industry? What does the market data and composition of industry suggest? Are there different stories based on end-user verticals or more general trends at play? This podcast will provide guidance as to the major technological and business model shifts observed and expected. Security professionals need to understand if and how to adapt their businesses to potential new decision-makers and stakeholders. Guest - Josh WoodhouseJosh Woodhouse is the lead analyst and founder of Novaira Insights. Novaira Insights was founded in January 2021 and is a boutique analyst firm and consultancy specializing in video surveillance, physical security and IoT. Josh has been covering the physical security industries as an analyst for the last decade. Previously at other firms IMS Research, IHS and Omdia. He is based in the UK.For more information and podcasts visit www.asial.com.au

Governance is critical to maintaining an effective cyber security risk profile, yet most governance programs and policies don't work for physical security teams or IoT teams in general. In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we examine the current gaps and give guidance on where to focus to improve and what is needed to build a team around them. Guest - John GallagherJohn Gallagher is head of Viakoo Labs, a research unit focused on providing data and insights on IoT/OT security management and best practices for how organizations can reduce their cyber attack surface. John is a veteran enterprise technology leader in IoT, physical security, and networking and is active in industry associations, including the Security Industry Association, Real Estate Cyber Consortium, and Telecommunications Industry Association. Before joining Viakoo, he was at DDN Storage, Dell/EMC, Cadence, and Hewlett Packard. John has BS in Engineering and MBA in Marketing from Cornell University and speaks (basic) Japanese.

In this episode of the Security Insider Podcast, we look at the Security Mega Trends for 2024. Our panel of experts provide an overview of the state of the industry and shares key takeaways from new Security Industry Association research on the global security market and the security integrator market. Topics covered include the impact of real estate optimisation in catering to an increasingly remote workforce, the impact of mega-tech companies entering the security industry, and what AI governance might mean for security.Our panel for this podcast includes:Ron Hawkins Director of Industry Relations at the Security Industry AssociationNaill Jenkins, Principal Consultant, Principal Consultant, Physical Security and Building Technologies at OMDIASoren Norgaard, Event Director for the Security ExpoFor more podcasts like this one, visit www.asial.com.au

It is challenging in today’s threat environment for organizations to have a sustainable, effective security posture in which physical security and cybersecurity are separate. These domains are two sides of the same coin and the convergence of the two is the future of the security landscape. Joining us on this episode of the Security Insider podcast is Kasia L. Hanson. Kasia discusses the threat landscape and its impacts on physical security and how to integrate both physical and cybersecurity best practices for optimal protection. Kasia leads Intel’s Global Security Ecosystem Development and Partnerships. She is responsible for shaping the strategy, go-to-market, and sales strategies within Intel's security ecosystem for physical and cybersecurity. She is a passionate and dynamic security leader with over 23 years of experience driving digital transformation across Edge, IoT/OT, AI, Computer Vision, Cybersecurity, and Datacenter and is well-versed in security software and hardware that drives business outcomes from data protection to physical infrastructure protection. She actively contributes to industry advancement and diversity and inclusion initiatives. Notably, she has served as the Past Chair of the Security Industry Association Women in Security Forum, is a member of the WISF Executive Committee, and is a member of the SIA Cybersecurity Advisory Board. Recognized for her contributions, Kasia was honoured with the 2022 SIA Progress Award and is a 2x Women in Security Power 100 honoree. In 2023, she was awarded the IIFX Women Innovator award in Sports and holds the title of Distinguished Fellow for the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience in Sports (IIFX).

In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we speak with crisis communications expert Dr Tony Jacques about the security challenges that organisations face when they choose to make public statements around contentious social and political issues.Is it really necessary for an organisation to weigh in on public issues that do not directly relate to that business? When should an organisation speak and if they do, should they say and what should they avoid?Dr Tony Jaques is the Director of Issue Outcomes Pty Ltd, a firm specialising in issues and crisis management.For more than 20 years, Tony worked in Corporate Issue and Crisis Management, mainly in Asia-Pacific, and served two terms as a Director on the Board of the Issue Management Council, of Leesburg, Virginia.Tony is an experienced conference presenter on issue and crisis management and has run professional workshops in Australia, New Zealand, the USA and throughout Asia. In addition he is author of four books in the field, most recently Crisis Counsel: Navigating Legal and Communication Conflict (Rothstein, NY, 2020) and Crisis Proofing: How to Save your Company from Disaster (OUP, Melbourne 2018)Tony is a prolific writer on Issue and Crisis Management and has been widely published in leading management journals and peer-reviewed publications.He also teaches at a number of universities, including RMIT, where he completed his Ph.D. in the field of issue management.For more information, visit www.asial.com.au

In this episode of the ASIAL Security Insider podcast, we speak with Paul Johnstone about the role of foreign government in intelligence gathering against Australian organisations. Paul is a national security analyst and personal protection adviser to various corporate and government clients.  He specialises in Asia-Pacific regional dynamics and conflict & security studies. Paul is a retired federal agent with the Australian Federal Police, retired soldier and he previously served in the diplomatic protection team at the Australian Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. He has academic qualifications in international relations, Asian studies, and criminology and is an honorary professor at several universities in China, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, speak with guests Rachaell Saunders and Karen Lidbury about ways to potentially enhance the appeal of security as a career for female workers. Rachael Saunders is the Founder and CEO of National ProtectiveServices, a Melbourne-based provider of security services. In addition to herrole as CEO of National Protective Services, Rachael is also the Vice presidentof ASIAL; she holds qualifications as a Certified Protection Professional (CPP)and Certified Security Management Professional (CSMP) and is a member of thePortable Long Service Leave Authority. Karen Lidbury is the founder and CEO of Charlie's AngelsSecurity Services, an all-female team of Event and Personal Protectionspecialists based in Sydney. For more information on security as a career, visit www.asial.com.au

In this, the second of a two-part special on the Security Insider podcast, we continue our discussion with Michael Gips about the recently released paperon the top 23 trends, challenges and opportunities for security in 2023/24.  As a Security Strategist, Content Specialist, recipient of the OSPA for Outstanding Security Consultant and Security Thought Leader (ranked No.1 Globally by IFSEC), Michael has interviewed some of the world’s leading security managers and consultants to compile this comprehensive list. In this, episode we discuss, amongst other things, evolving threat vectors in 2024.

In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we speak with Michael Gips about the recently released paperon the top 23 trends, challenges and opportunities for security in 2023/24.  As a Security Strategist, Content Specialist, recipient of the OSPA for Outstanding Security Consultant and Security Thought Leader (ranked No.1 Globally by IFSEC), Michael has interviewed some of the world’s leading security managers and consultants to compile this comprehensive list. In this, the first of our two-part special, we look at some of the leading geo-political challenges for security managers.

In this episode of the Security Insider podcast, we catch up with Chris Delany, Industrial Relations Advisor for ASIAL, about the recently released 2nd element of the Closing the Loophole Bill. We cover:Changes to casual definitions and pathways to permanent employment.The Right to Disconnect – not accept texts, calls or emails out of working hours.“Same Job Same Pay” provision and how they have been tidied up and The definition of employee or personal service contractors.For more information visit www.asial.com.au