Gareth Collins

Learning as we go is not a strategy. A lack of internal technical capability is holding back AI ambitions in almost nine out of ten organisations. Partner with experts to augment internal capability and guide your development and governance journey. Survey of over 1000 CIOs globally * 94% of CIOs say organisational appetite for AI is growing, * CIOs report early proof-of-concept success, but two-thirds don’t believe they can scale AI beyond initial deployments * 62% report compromising on governance due to limited knowledge * 76% of CIOs say unchecked AI remains a serious concern * Just 39% of CIOs are confident their organisation actively manages AI’s environmental impact As AI adoption accelerates and becomes more deeply embedded in core business operations, respondents expect related risks to intensify. Operational readiness with defined stage gates is critical to ensure control and build trust. AI Access aiaccess.com.au

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At Cisco Live Melbourne, Cisco demonstrated how XDR forensics brings endpoint, network, and telemetry together to reconstruct attacks faster and reduce investigation time. See how unified context changes incident response: http://oal.lu/asOWh #Cybersecurity #XDR #Forensics

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Traditional perimeter firewalls once guarded company networks like digital walls. But in a world of remote work, cloud storage, and mobile access, that wall no longer works. Cyber threats now move inside and outside your network boundaries, blurring the line of what’s “safe.” That’s why more Australian businesses are adopting Zero Trust security, a model that treats every user and device as potentially compromised until verified. It’s not about removing firewalls, but redefining how we defend. #CyberSecurityAustralia, #ZeroTrust, #ITSecurity, #NetworkProtection, #ManagedITServices

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🔦Spotlight: Dani Nikolic -Cloud Architect, Logicalis AU We’re thrilled to shine a light on Dani Nikolic from our returning sponsor Logicalis Asia Pacific - and to share a story so many grads tell us they need to hear. Dani didn’t start in tech. She studied chemical engineering, tried business analyst/sales support roles, and felt…well, bored. What pulled her toward technology was the bit many of us secretly love: the constant learning. Just when you think you’ve mastered something, along comes a new service in cloud, AI, or even quantum, and the chase begins again. Her first break into IT? A role she “shouldn’t” have gotten if you read the job description (hello, 15 years’ experience requirement). What she brought instead was everything great engineers and leaders are made of: ✅Clear communication ✅Openness and adaptability to change ✅Curiosity and the courage to ask questions ✅The honesty to say, “I don’t know...yet” (and then figure it out) ✅The confidence to speak up when something can be done better Dani’s reminder to aspiring women in tech (and anyone eyeing a career pivot): Feeling underqualified is common, and it holds far too many back. Your so-called “soft skills” are not soft at all. They’re high-leverage skills this industry needs more of. To grads and early-career women: reach out to the women you know in tech. Ask about their paths. Most of us are happy to share what we’ve learned and to help where we can. (Dani included.) Our most heartfelt thanks to Logicalis for sponsoring Grad Girls again in 2025 and for nominating Dani for this spotlight. And thank you, Dani, for the generous honesty. You’re proof that growth mindset + people skills + persistence can open doors JDs never will. #GradGirls #Women4STEM #Logicalis #WomenInTech #Cloud #EarlyCareers #LogicalisAPAC #ArchitectsofChange

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Pure Storage and University of Technology Sydney reveal how data sovereignty is shifting from compliance to a critical business risk impacting innovation, trust, and competitiveness. Read More - https://lnkd.in/dErsS2MM The analysis reveals how geopolitical uncertainty and regulatory evolution are transforming data sovereignty from a compliance issue into a fundamental business risk affecting competitiveness, innovation, and customer trust. Key Highlights - - 100% confirmed sovereignty risks, including potential service disruption, have forced organisations to reconsider where data is located. - 92% said geopolitical shifts are increasing sovereignty risks. - 92% warned inadequate sovereignty planning could lead to reputational damage.  - 85% identified loss of customer trust as the ultimate consequence of inaction. “These are wake-up call numbers. Every single leader we interviewed is rethinking data location. The message is clear: sovereignty is no longer optional, it is existential,” said Gordon Noble, Research Director at University of Technology Sydney’s Institute of Sustainable Futures. “Data sovereignty has evolved from a technical challenge to a critical business issue. Organisations that don’t address where their most important data and services are located risk service disruption, regulatory non-compliance, and reputational damage. We expect to see data sovereignty treated as a strategic priority in 2025 and beyond, to safeguard long-term business continuity and trust. ,” said Archana Venkatraman, Senior Research Director, Cloud Data Management, IDC Europe. Image Credit - Alex McMullan Pure Storage, Chief Technology Officer, International, Pure Storage MAVIP Group | Pratyush Shastri | Ishita Das | Anshul Gupta | Aman Fazal Khan | Antima Sharda| Manoj Bagdare I Jay Mothréja I Abdulghani Alhezwani | Malvika Panjwani |Pragya Singhal | Karnika Jain I Shyama Sharan I Bessy Ndeke I Billy Nelson I Vishal Gowda R I #PureStorage #UTS #DataSovereignty #CyberSecurity #DataSecurity #Compliance #DigitalTrust #RiskManagement #Innovation #Research #TechNews

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📋 How resilient is your organisation? Commvault's Field CTO, Gareth Russell, shares key insights on common vulnerabilities and provides leaders with actionable steps to ensure continuous business operations. Watch the interview: https://lnkd.in/gJCSTcWd

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We are pleased to share a new bylined article from Fortinet Australia CISO, Cornelius Mare, examining how AI is changing the way Australian small and medium businesses defend their networks. The piece outlines how AI-driven security is helping SMBs improve threat detection, speed up response, and manage growing cyber risk with limited resources. Read more here: https://ftnt.net/6040CMo74 #CyberSecurity #SMB #ArtificialIntelligence #Fortinet

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