Agenda

Jim is known for exceeding expectations in execution.

His entire career has been spent connecting the right people at the right time in roles across Europe and Asia Pac. ​
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He founded ADAPT to deliver quality outcomes with integrity – with a vision to help Australia thrive commercially, now and for the future.

To enable that, Jim leads ADAPT’s mission to connect, inform and equip our local business and tech leaders. ​
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At the centre of agenda creation and strategic partner management for two decades, Jim is uniquely experienced to be the voice of the end-user, the customer and the vendor. ​
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He satisfies C-suite attendees with all agendas across ADAPT EDGE events. He also regularly presents “Know your Customer” webinars and guides the world’s largest vendors with their g-t-m and content strategies.​
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Through entrepreneurial product development and a servant leader mentality with his team and clients, ADAPT grows annually with clearly differentiated value for all stakeholders.

Gabby’s primary role is managing ADAPT’s overall strategy for Data Analytics. He has extensive experience in using data to identify trends in technology that help shape Australian organisations. Utilising modern Data Science techniques, he provides ADAPT and their customers with confidence in the accuracy and validity of the information used for ADAPT’s Research, Advisory, and Events.​

With a passion for creating stories with data, Gabby is consistently rated as one of the top speakers at ADAPT Events. In round table discussions, he specialises in using statistics to initiate thought-provoking discussions. Gabby is effective in translating information into insights, enabling ADAPT’s customers to become more data-driven.​

Gabby’s primary areas of expertise are: ​

• Advanced AI and ML practices, including AI ethics.​
• Building models to benchmark and predict IT performance.​
• End-user behaviour and human-centred design.​
• Cross-functional team design and value, such as DevSecOps.​

Tenar has spent the last 18 years working in sales, running her own company consulting to corporate Australia around Workplace Wellness / Employee Experience and now she finds herself back over on the dark side as an employee, part of a well oiled machine – and loving it! As a Senior Manager of the ADAPT Advisory team, Tenar runs the team that fulfils over 60 private advisory events each year across Asia Pacific. Tenar build genuine relationships quickly and easily, loves connecting people, finding out how to solve a problem and then delivering.

Ahmad Douglas is the Chief Information Security Officer of CommScope, a global manufacturer of telecommunications equipment based in North Carolina, USA.  CommScope operates a diverse portfolio of businesses, innovating in the fields of fiber optics and coaxial cable, cellular antennas, large-scale and high-density wi-fi installations, and telecommunications systems.

Prior to joining CommScope in 2023, Ahmad served as Chief Security Officer of Equifax Workforce Solutions, securing the premier datasets of American employment and payroll information.  He has also held information security leadership roles at Comcast Xfinity and Visa.  His career began at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where his technical and strategic contributions focused on securing the U.S. nuclear weapons program.

Ahmad holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Allegheny College as well as M.S. (Computer Science) and M.B.A. degrees from the University of New Mexico.  Outside of work, his passions are mentoring the next generation of ambitious young professionals and playing jazz piano.

Byron is a highly experienced technology and business journalist, editor, corporate writer, and event producer.

Prior to joining Adapt, he was the editor-in-chief at CIO Australia and associate editor at CSO Australia. He also created and led the well-known CIO50 awards program in Australia and The CIO Show podcast.

Byron creates valuable insights for our community of senior technology and business professionals that help them reach their organisational and professional goals. He has a passion for uncovering stories about the careers and personal philosophies of Australia’s top technology and digital executives.

When he is not working, Byron enjoys hot yoga, swimming, running, and spending time with his family.

Helen is a Consulting Director at Unit 42.  She has over two decades of global cyber security consulting experience, combining deep technical knowledge with the ability to support CISOs to accurately measure and articulate cyber risk to Executive teams and Boards to support effective risk management decisions and oversight.

Helen serves as co-chair of the FAIR Institute Sydney Chapter, a not-for-profit industry body that drives the use of the FAIR (Factor Analysis of Information Risk) standard to assist C-level executives to make more defensible, informed and effective cyber risk management decisions through cyber risk quantification.

Prior to joining Unit 42, Helen was a Managing Director at PwC where she led the national cyber risk management practice. In this role, she developed and delivered over 25 engagements using FAIR to assist clients to understand and take practical risk management decisions to manage their cyber risk exposure. This included assisting CISO’s to determine appropriate cyber strategies and roadmaps that were fit for purpose for the business’s risk appetite whilst optimising Return on Security
Investments (ROSI), supporting CISO’s in budget and planning conversations at the executive level and guiding organisations towards dynamic data driven risk management through automated risk and compliance reporting.

Helen’s deep technical background includes her research in solid state Physics, working with PLCs, performing network and application penetration testing, delivering secure coding training, holding a patent for integrated fraud & event management and leading identity and access management programs. She has delivered risk assessments in all major sectors, including telecommunication backbone and ISPs, financial, educational and retail sectors, and developed strategies and roadmaps for uplift with
optimised return on security investments.

As the CEO of PrivacyCode and a Partner at Privatus Consulting, Michelle Dennedy has over 20 years of experience in advancing the respect for human information. She is renowned for her expertise in privacy engineering, a field that bridges the policy and technology divide with metrics and outcomes. Additionally, Michelle is an author, a podcaster, and a strategic advisor for several technology companies.

Michelle’s mission is to build better technology that matters, promoting quality, integrity, and asset-level possibilities for information assets. She works closely with families, executives, innovators, and dreamers at all stages and in all sectors to support the combination of policy, practice, and tools. She is passionate about creating solutions that enable data privacy and security, as well as social and environmental responsibility.

Antonio Rancan is a seasoned cybersecurity specialist and pre-sales technology consultant at Abnormal Security, where he advises clients on current and emerging threats across email, cloud and collaboration platforms. 

As Director of Strategic Research at ADAPT Matt Boon, is responsible for directing and developing ADAPTs research content and positions. In his role at ADAPT Boon advises C-Suite executives across the end-user and technology provider landscape. Boon is also responsible for bringing together groups of C-Suite leaders to discuss and prepare for the myriad of challenges and opportunities they face.

ADAPT host’s numerous industry leading IT focused events annually and Boon is responsible for hosting, chairing and delivering ADAPT independent content and positions to help attendees make informed IT decisions.

Enrico, the current Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at IMB Bank, is a highly accomplished IT leader with a strong technical foundation and a passion for leveraging technology to solve complex challenges. With a proven track record in cybersecurity, Enrico is responsible for developing and overseeing a comprehensive, organisation-wide information security framework, ensuring that critical assets are protected through effective policies and programs.

Enrico began his career as a systems engineer, where he cultivated a deep expertise in cybersecurity, eventually transitioning into leadership roles. He collaborates closely with key stakeholders, including the board and executive team, to align security initiatives with business objectives. Enrico holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering and is recognised by Engineers Australia as an accredited Engineering Technologist.

Macquarie Cloud Services is the most trusted Cloud Services provider in Australia – with the highest independently verified NPS in the country. Macquarie Cloud Services has chosen Azure and only Azure as its cloud platform of choice & is proud to deliver unparalleled services that uniquely benefit our customers.

Our passion & steadfast focus runs deep on Azure, with global awarding winning Customer Service, innovative Managed Services, tightly integrated Operations, and an abundance of Azure certified experts spanning all available knowledge paths.

We take great pride in what we do. Be it migration, optimisation, transformation, or perhaps delivering to unique and sometimes demanding criteria – we’re up for any challenge! We enjoy applying our craft, and working in true partnership with our customers, Microsoft, and our select vendors that share our objectives & culture.