MICHELLE RIBEIRO
EVERY VOICE DESERVES TO BE HEARD by Michelle Ribeiro, Cyber and Information Security Content Director, APAC Companies around the world are investing billions
women talking about their practices and experiences
of dollars to prevent and minimise cyber risks.
is distressing.
Australia’s spending in cybersecurity is expected to hit $7.6 billion by 2024, according to an
On the one hand, there is a lack of diversity and
AustCyber report.
inclusion in the workplace to support women seeking to improve their professional performance and
Cybercriminals are putting organisations under
advance their careers in cybersecurity. On the other
immense pressure with their high-level, sophisticated
hand, many women lack the confidence to speak up
practices. Their activities are increasingly impacting
about their achievements.
businesses’ daily operations, limiting organisations’ ability to grow and critically affecting the lives of their
Speaking at cybersecurity conferences is an
clients and end users—us.
incredibly effective way for women in cybersecurity to support the industry while raising their profile and
As we recognise the importance of cybersecurity
advancing their careers. However, one of the biggest
awareness, most of us feel the urge to do something
objections event organisers face when approaching
that will help protect the companies we work for,
female executives to speak at conferences is
the people we love the most, the countries we live in
the women’s insecurity and fear of not meeting
and the communities we belong to. However, even
the audience’s expectations. It is hard to believe,
experienced security practitioners are often unclear
but most of these women are doing amazing jobs in
about how to achieve this objective.
their cybersecurity roles and delivering outstanding results for their organisations. Often, they have
Attending business conferences, gathering with peers
been referred to event organisers by their peers and
and like-minded people and sharing intelligence are
the community.
crucial to strengthening our collective cyber resilience posture, preventing threats and minimising risks of
So, how can you recognise your successes and
attacks and breaches.
trust yourself to get up and speak? Whether you are a senior leader with considerable experience
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But, despite the countless events and initiatives
speaking at conferences locally and globally, a
available for cybersecurity practitioners to share
first-time speaker or someone who is just starting
knowledge and collaborate, the low number of
to consider speaking, there are many things you
W O M E N I N S E C U R I T Y M A G A Z I N E
S E P T E M B E R • O C T O B E R 2022
