🗓️ Episode Overview:

In this premiere episode of CyberMindsz, Mark is joined by renowned cybersecurity leader and CISO Suthagar Seevaratnam, who offers an insightful and deeply human perspective on what it takes to lead in today’s fast-evolving threat landscape. The conversation blends reflections on leadership, people dynamics, emerging technology (especially AI), and how cyber professionals must evolve alongside the tools they use.

Suthagar takes us on a journey through his career—from pivotal lessons learned in Defence to heading up security in high-pressure commercial environments. But the heart of the discussion? It’s all about people. Whether you're a technical practitioner, a rising leader, or a seasoned CISO, this episode is packed with timeless wisdom and future-focused thinking.

👩‍💼 Guest Biography – Suthagar Seevaratnam

Suthagar Seevaratnam is a cybersecurity and technology executive specialising in strategy, operations and organisational transformation. His career has blended experience and skills across consulting, public and higher education sectors, working in exceptionally challenging, complex and high risk operational environments. He uses human centred design combined with technical knowledge and risk based approaches to help build achievable and sustainable security outcomes. He has worked closely with C level executives and boards to help set strategy and build security culture. Suthagar is currently the CISO for Vocus, an Australian challenger telecommunications company, where he heads their Enterprise Security group and leads a security transformation programme.

🔗 Links Mentioned Throughout the Podcast

🌐 Quigly Website - https://www.quigly.com.au/
👤 Mark Williams – Host LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwilliamsmelbourne/
👤 Suthagar Seevaratnam – Guest LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/suthagarseevaratnam/

⏱️ Timestamps & Topics:

00:08 – Welcome Message
00:50 – Introduction of Suthagar Seevaratnam
03:25 – Journey into Cybersecurity
6:51 – Origin Story
9:09 - Creating Safety & Trust in Leadership
10:25 - The Role of a CISO in Modern Organisations
16:12 - Leadership decision-making during a crisis
19:36 - Building High-Trust Teams
22:05 - Why “Soft Skills” Are the Hardest
25:36 - Tech Evolves, But People Don’t Change Easily
30:25 – Common Misconceptions about Cyber Security
33:01 - Future of Cyber Roles
41:36 - Final Thoughts on Leadership & Legacy
45:33 - Acknowledgment & Reflection
46:00 - Podcast Wrap-up & Farewell