Alana Tobgui
vCISO, ctrl:cyber

Alana Tobgui is a virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) who leads strategic cybersecurity engagements across a range of industry sectors and integrates AI security governance into broader enterprise security strategies. More recently, Alana has led the Security Operations Centre (SOC) and Security Engineering functions supporting complex national clients. In this capacity, she took responsibility for day-to-day cyber operations, technology change management, and service continuity, including the rollout of new security tooling, cloud and on-premises change initiatives, and response to AI based threats. Alana holds globally recognised certifications including ISO/IEC 27001 Internal Auditor, CISSP and CISM, and is currently studying for AAISM.

Sanam Makadia
Cyber Security Advisor & Architect, Datacom Group

Sanam Makadia is a thought leader, speaker, and security architect at Datacom, bringing deep expertise to enterprise and critical infrastructure security. He is an active member of multiple cybersecurity forums and working groups. With over 15 years of experience in design, consulting, architecture, risk and governance, Sanam has supported large-scale telecommunications, government departments and enterprise environments across various sectors. His areas of interest include cybersecurity strategy, governance, risk and compliance (GRC), Zero Trust, operational technology and industrial control systems (OT/ICS), cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI). Sanam is a strong advocate for the idea that cybersecurity is not solely about tools and technology—but about understanding business risk, developing a resilient cyber strategy, and leveraging the power of people and process to mature organizations. He focuses on delivering clear roadmaps that align cybersecurity initiatives with business goals, enabling sustainable and effective security outcomes.

Kanik Sachdeva
Security Engineering Manager, Medibank

Passionate about cybersecurity, innovation, and building resilient defences, Kanik Sachdeva has dedicated his career to securing enterprise environments and driving meaningful security transformation. From hands-on technical roles to strategic leadership, his journey has been shaped by a deep commitment to reducing risk, implementing defense-in-depth strategies, and strengthening infrastructure security. With a diverse background in consulting, engineering, and security management, Kanik excels at bridging the gap between technical challenges and business priorities.

David Ferguson
Sales Engineering Manager, CrowdStrike

David Ferguson is a Sales Engineering Manager at CrowdStrike, bringing over 12 years of experience at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation. David specializes in endpoint security, artificial intelligence, threat intelligence, and solution selling, helping organizations understand and navigate today's increasingly complex threat landscape. In his role at CrowdStrike, David works closely with customers and partners to communicate security solutions that address real-world challenges, bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and business outcomes. His ability to translate complex technical concepts into compelling narratives has made him a sought-after voice in the cybersecurity community. David brings energy and expertise to every stage, combining deep technical knowledge with a natural ability to engage and inspire audiences.

Nishan Bhandari
Senior Security Engineer, Oracle

Nishan Bhandari is a cybersecurity professional with over 10 years of experience spanning security operations, cloud security assurance, red teaming, reverse engineering, and network engineering. In his current role at Oracle, he is responsible for establishing and maintaining the integrity of security controls within Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), leveraging both traditional methodologies and frontier ML/AI-driven approaches to strengthen security assurance at scale. Prior to Oracle, Nishan worked across Defence and enterprise environments, supporting mission-critical networks, leading security investigations, developing detection and automation capabilities, and improving operational security outcomes. He completed a Master’s degree in Security Engineering at UNSW in 2024, alongside several industry certifications across reverse engineering, blue teaming, and cyber range engineering. Nishan is also currently pursuing the OSCP certification.
Nishan is passionate about applying engineering principles and automation to build more effective, scalable, and resilient security operations.

Chathura Abeydeera
Cybersecurity Advisor, CYNQ

Chathura Abeydeera is a trusted cybersecurity advisor with over 20 years of industry experience. With a strong track record of advising boards and executive teams, he brings a unique ability to translate complex technical risks into clear, actionable governance insights. He has led high-performing cybersecurity teams at two of the Big Four consulting firms in Australia for over a decade, delivering large-scale cybersecurity assessments, internal audits, and incident response programs for major Australian and global organisations. His expertise spans strategic advisory and hands-on leadership during high-impact cyber events. He is also recognised as a Fellow of the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) and has been awarded the title of Fellow by CREST.

Professor Abbi Sharma
Chief Digital and Transformation Officer, Victorian Government

Professor Abbi Sharma is an Enterprise Executive, Non-Executive Director, and University Professor with more than 20 years of international leadership experience spanning strategy, operations, transformation, technology, governance, and innovation across government, healthcare, higher education, critical infrastructure, and industry. Working across Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East, and North America, he has helped Boards, CEOs, and executive leadership teams navigate complexity, strengthen organisational performance, manage risk, and create sustainable economic and societal value. He currently serves as a senior executive within the Victorian Government, leading enterprise-wide transformation, technology modernisation, cybersecurity, data and AI initiatives, and strategic investment programs aligned to organisational resilience, operational excellence, and long-term public value.

Throughout his career, Professor Sharma has led and governed complex enterprise portfolios exceeding $300 million and multidisciplinary teams of more than 450 professionals, delivering measurable improvements in organisational capability, service performance, governance, cybersecurity maturity, and investment outcomes. His executive leadership experience includes senior roles with the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, PwC, and other leading public and private sector organisations, where he has led large-scale transformation programs, operating model redesign, business optimisation, and enterprise modernisation initiatives.

Increasingly, his work focuses on helping organisations harness Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Data Ecosystems, Quantum Computing, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies to enhance competitiveness, resilience, innovation, and long-term value creation. As a Non-Executive Director, Deputy Chair, trusted advisor, and University Professor, he contributes to governance, executive education, applied research, industry engagement, and thought leadership, helping organisations bridge the gap between emerging technologies and real-world outcomes. He is internationally recognised for building future-ready organisations that combine strategy, leadership, governance, innovation, and operational excellence to deliver enduring value for customers, communities, stakeholders, and society.

Sunil Rane
Deputy CISO, EBOS Group

Sunil Rane is a distinguished technology executive and cybersecurity leader with over 15 years of global experience spanning strategic consulting, operations, and risk management. He currently serves as an executive leader at EBOS Group, where he oversees a complex information security portfolio. Throughout his career, Sunil has led cyber security transformations across diverse international sectors, including banking, financial services, telecommunications, media and government. His expertise lies at the critical intersection of global business and corporate technology governance, focusing on how multinational organizations navigate cross-border cyber risks, regulatory frameworks, and emerging technology trends.