Agenda
Day One | Monday | 23 March 2026
8:10
Registration & Morning Refreshments
8:30
Opening Karakia
8:50
Chairperson’s Opening Address
Andrew Choat, Chief Information Security Officer, MTF Finance
9:00
International Keynote: Integrating AI, governance & culture to create adaptive, intelligent security models
As AI transforms the cybersecurity landscape, leaders must balance innovation with governance and culture. In this keynote, Jelena Zelenović Matone shares best practices for integrating AI-driven security with strong ethical oversight and human-centred governance. She explores how building a culture of accountability and continuous learning enables organisations to create adaptive, intelligent security models that evolve with emerging threats, blending technology, trust, and culture to strengthen enterprise resilience.
Jelena Zelenović Matone, Chief Information Security Officer, European Investment Bank
9:40
Headline Partner Session
10:10
Panel: AI-driven attacks: Adapting defences for phishing, identity & access in 2026
How is AI accelerating phishing, impersonation, and identity exploitation, and what do real-world attacks look like in 2026?
How can organisations leverage AI-powered detection and zero-trust frameworks without creating siloed tools that fail to integrate?
What role do cohesive vendor ecosystems and human-centric awareness play in complementing technical controls and sustaining resilience?
Moderator: Andrew Choat, Chief Information Security Officer, MTF Finance
Panellists:
Duncan Hills, Chief Information Security Officer, Fletcher Building
Laura Ross, Chief Information Security Officer, One NZ
Nick Tucker, Head of Information Security, The Co-operative Bank
11:15
Morning Tea
11:40
Panel: From cost avoidance to business value: Changing the cyber conversation in the boardroom
How can security leaders position cybersecurity as a driver of trust, growth, and innovation rather than a sunk cost or compliance exercise?
What are the most effective ways to translate risk into financial, customer, or competitor outcomes that boards truly understand?
How can secure-by-design or shift-left practices not only improve security but also save money and create business value?
Moderator: Andrew Choat, Chief Information Security Officer, MTF Finance
Panellists:
Richard Harrison, Chief Information Security Officer, Foodstuffs South Island
Scott Shearman, Chief Information Security Officer, House of Travel
Marek Jawurek, Head of Cyber Security Advisory, Ampol
Alastair Miller, General Manager Network & Security, Genesis Energy
12:20
Session delivered by Airlock Digital
12:40
Panel: Beyond the perimeter: Securing third & fourth-party risks across the supply chain
How do you define the real scope of your supply chain?
How do you respond to breaches in third or fourth parties that affect you?
How can business impact analysis strengthen continuity in supply chains?
How do you rebuild trust with vendors after a cyber incident?
Moderator: Andrew Choat, Chief Information Security Officer, MTF Finance
Panellists:
Tony Allwood, Head of Cyber Security, Silver Fern Farms
Laura Marshall, Head of Information Security, Livestock Improvement Corporation
Eddy Pereira, General Manager – Supply Chain, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
John-Paul Sikking, Head of Cyber Protection, Bank of New Zealand
1:20
Networking Lunch
2:10
Interactive Breakouts:
During this session, attendees will have the opportunity to attend 2 x 30-minute interactive breakout sessions of their choice
Breakout A: Enhanced API Security - Discuss strategies to secure APIs against misuse, data leakage, and integration vulnerabilities
Breakout B: Cloud Security - Explore how to strengthen posture management and reduce misconfiguration risk across hybrid environments
Breakout C: Securing the SaaS Landscape - Share approaches to controlling SaaS sprawl, managing access, and improving visibility
Breakout D: Data Loss Prevention & Encryption -Examine practical steps to protect sensitive data and prevent insider or accidental loss
Breakout E: Managing the Risks of Generative AI - Debate how to balance innovation with governance and mitigate emerging AI-driven threats
Breakout F: Vulnerability Management & Penetration Testing - Discuss continuous testing methods to prioritise and remediate high-impact vulnerabilities
3:10
Afternoon Tea
3:40
Interactive workshop: Threats of tomorrow: Anticipating risks & aligning patterns beyond business context
Identify emerging risks and digital threats that could shift the security landscape
Explore potential risks outside the traditional business context, geopolitical, social, and environmental factors that intersect with cyber ecosystem
Collaborate with peers to test threat-scenarios and share pattern strategies
Key takeaways for participants:
A practical, repeatable method for assessing emerging risks with patterns
Exposure to peer perspectives on future threats
Actionable insights to bring back to boards and leadership teams when discussing resiliency beyond current state
Facilitators:
Adwin Singh, Head of Cyber Security, Inland Revenue
Kyle Wong, Cyber Security Technology Specialist - CISO Office, Inland Revenue NZ
4:10
Panel: The human firewall: Upskilling for resilience & building a cyber-ready culture
Embedding security awareness and behavioural change across the workforce and supply chain
Ensuring executive-level security priorities don’t get “lost in translation” across organisational layers
Creating incentives and upskilling programs that transform human risk into human defence
Moderator: Andrew Choat, Chief Information Security Officer, MTF Finance
Panellists:
Shivali Kukreja, Head of Risk & Compliance, nib Insurance
Sukhjit Gill, Head of Risk, Compliance & Regulatory Affairs, Southern Cross Health Insurance
Sarah Penman, Director of Enterprise Information Security, National Cyber Security Centre
Sam Johnstone, Group IT Security Manager, Fulton Hogan