CYBER RESILIENCE ROADSHOW
Clean Room Recovery Not Just DR: How CIO CISO and IT Ops Restore Identity Data and Services at Scale
Melbourne - Canberra - Sydney, Australia
Hosted by Factor
- 145 attendees
- 52 hours
Overview
Cohesity and Factor are bringing a focused series of executive sessions across Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra, led by James Blake, VP Global Cyber Resiliency Strategy. With frontline experience as a CISO, global cyber transformation leader and advisor to government, James brings a pragmatic lens on how Australian enterprises can prepare for the inevitable and recover at speed.
The series is grounded in Australia’s current reality. Last year, reported cybercrime surged past 94,000 incidents, up almost 25 percent on the year before, with ransomware remaining one of the fastest growing attack types. The average cost of a cyber incident for large organisations in Australia is now above AUD 3.5 million, with regulators like APRA, ASIC and the OAIC demanding boards prove operational resilience. Despite rising investment, fewer than half of Australian organisations can demonstrate that their backups are fully isolated and immutable, and recovery timelines for many still stretch into weeks which is well beyond what boards and regulators consider acceptable.
Resilience is a team sport. Each stop of the roadshow goes beyond standard disaster recovery to the realities CIOs, CISOs and Operations leaders face during an attack. We focus on speed to clarity before speed to restore, re-establishing trust in identity and communications, and coordinating secure recovery across hybrid estates. James Blake brings global experience from JPMorgan Chase, HPE and Mimecast to anchor an immersive simulation and decision-making exercise.
The Cyber Resilience Roadshow Experience
Across three cities, the series explores how leadership, collaboration and technical readiness combine to build cyber-resilient enterprises and government operations.
Melbourne & Sydney | “Cyber Recovery in Action: Testing Identity, Trust, and Resilience Under Attack”
A hands-on ransomware simulation that puts executives in the hot seat to make real-time recovery decisions. The session exposes hidden vulnerabilities in people, processes and technology, while demonstrating how modern recovery frameworks can restore trust and continuity at speed.
Canberra | “Building Unbreakable Systems: Advancing Cyber Resilience in the Public Sector”
A closed-door discussion for government and public sector leaders on operational resilience under regulation. Guided by Cohesity and Factor, the session examines how agencies can maintain continuity, protect citizen services and embed resilience into everyday operations.
What to expect
- Networking Peer-Driven
- Panelists & Industry Analysts 3+
- Discussions Interactive
- Hours
- Senior Executives 10+
What we will cover
- Backups are now a prime target yet only half of organisations apply strong controls like immutability and least privilege
- Paying isn’t a plan as decryption averages recover only around 60 percent of data with most payers still losing critical datasets
- Recovery speed and sequence matter with Active Directory and comms restored first before mass recovery
- The rebuild versus restore calculus highlights why traditional tape strategies can push recovery timelines into months
- Closing the vulnerability loop during recovery is essential as a third of intrusions start with unpatched weaknesses
Agenda
- Delegates arrival Registration - Melbourne(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Melbourne) Swing by, grab your name tag, and have a yarn with some of the other guests. No rush — just a low-key start to the session.
- Welcome Drinks and Refreshments(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Melbourne) Informal networking with refreshments. Light conversation starters and thought-provoking on-screen prompts related to clean room recovery, trust, and modern DR challenges.
- Opening Remarks(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Melbourne) Welcome and session objectives The evolution from traditional DR to secure, scalable clean room recovery Real-world challenges: why backups are no longer a fallback Introduction to the simulation-based interactive session ahead
- Interactive workshop(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Melbourne) Participants will team up to tackle a simulated cyber attack scenario. The session is designed to put your decision-making under the pump — just like it would be in a real-world breach. You'll work through: Figuring out which identity systems and backups have been hit Getting Active Directory and communications back online — and fast Deciding whether to rebuild from scratch or try to restore Keeping stakeholders in the loop and maintaining trust while under pressure Making sure the recovery environment is locked down and secure post-incident
- Closing Remarks(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Melbourne) Summary of key insights from the simulation Clean Room Recovery checklist and next steps Final reflections: trust, resilience, and the future of secure recovery
- Networking Drinks and End Of Session(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Melbourne) Informal conversation and networking opportunity. Attendees connect with peers and the facilitator for further discussion.
- Delegate arrival and registration - Canberra(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Canberra) Swing by, grab your name tag, and have a yarn with some of the other guests. No rush — just a low-key start to the session.
- Welcome Drinks and Refreshments(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Canberra) Pick up a coffee, tea, or something cold, and settle in. A chance to catch up with peers or introduce yourself to a few new faces before we get going.
- Opening Remarks(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Canberra) Welcome and session goals The unique challenge: keeping services running when paying ransom isn’t an option Framing the conversation: where governance, legality, and operational reality collide in public sector recovery What to expect from the group discussion
- Interactive Discussions(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Canberra) A candid, off-the-record discussion for senior IT and security leaders navigating complex recovery environments with limited options and high stakes. Topics we’ll unpack together: When paying isn’t possible : navigating legal exposure, personal liability, and sanctions risk The insurance disconnect : when insurers optimise for compliance, not actual recovery Keep the lights on : using clean rooms or isolation zones to maintain critical services mid-incident Harden the last line : securing backup platforms with immutability and vaulting — even when adoption is patchy Get the basics back first : why identity, DNS, and comms need to be prioritised in any recovery plan Expect an open exchange of stories, strategies, and lessons learned — without the PowerPoint.
- Closing Remarks(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Canberra) Key takeaways from the discussion Practical actions for public sector teams facing constrained recovery environments Thank you and wrap-up
- Networking Drinks and End Of Session(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Canberra) Grab a drink and hang back for a few more conversations. A relaxed finish to the session — swap stories, share ideas, or just unwind with your peers.
- Delegates arrival Registration - Sydney(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Sydney) Drop by, grab your badge, and say hello. No pressure — just an easy start to the day with time to meet other guests and settle in.
- Welcome Drinks and Refreshments(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Sydney) Informal networking with refreshments. Light conversation starters and thought-provoking on-screen prompts related to clean room recovery, trust, and modern DR challenges.
- Opening Remarks(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Sydney) Welcome and session objectives The evolution from traditional DR to secure, scalable clean room recovery Real-world challenges: why backups are no longer a fallback Introduction to the simulation-based interactive session ahead
- Interactive workshop(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Sydney) Participants will team up to tackle a simulated cyber attack scenario. The session is designed to put your decision-making under the pump — just like it would be in a real-world breach. You'll work through: Figuring out which identity systems and backups have been hit Getting Active Directory and communications back online — and fast Deciding whether to rebuild from scratch or try to restore Keeping stakeholders in the loop and maintaining trust while under pressure Making sure the recovery environment is locked down and secure post-incident
- Closing Remarks(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Sydney) Summary of key insights from the simulation Clean Room Recovery checklist and next steps Final reflections: trust, resilience, and the future of secure recovery
- Networking Drinks and End Of Session(Cyber Resilience Roadshow - Sydney) Informal conversation and networking opportunity. Attendees connect with peers and the facilitator for further discussion.
Speakers
Tony Chapman · Deputy National Cyber Security Coordinator & First Assistant Secretary, National Office of Cyber Security John Winston Howard, born 26 July 1939, served as Australia's Prime Minister between March 1996 and November 2007. He is the nation's second longest serving Prime Minister, was a Member of Parliament for 33 years, and was Treasurer in an earlier government. Under his leadership Australia enjoyed continued economic growth averaging 3.6 percent per annum. His government delivered major economic reform in the areas of taxation, workplace relations, privatisation and welfare. $96 billion of government debt was repaid during the time in office of the Howard Government. When it left office in November 2007 the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia had no net debt, and its budget was in surplus. This strong fiscal position was a major reason why Australia suffered relatively few consequences from the global financial crisis. Under John Howard's leadership Australia strongly supported the United States and other nations in the fight against terrorism. Australia contributed military forces to operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Australia also led the United Nations sanctioned Interfet force following East Timor's vote for independence. The Howard government strengthened bilateral ties between Australia and many nations in Asia. During Mr Howard's time as Prime Minister China became Australia's largest export destination. Mr Howard is a Companion of the Order of Australia and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States by President George W Bush. In January 2012 Queen Elizabeth II appointed Mr Howard to the Order of Merit. In 2013, on the recommendation of the Japanese Government, he was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.
Miranda Ratajski · Chief Information Officer, Group Business Units, Westpac Miranda is the CIO of Group Business Units for Westpac. She is a leader of large-scale and complex technological and digital transformations. Miranda has developed strategic and tactical direction, built high-performing teams, and enabled service to uplift customer experiences. Her leadership, focus, and business direction result in improved engagement and productivity through enhanced employee experience, delivering significantly engaged teams who have more time to delight customers. Driving excellence in product delivery is key to having systems that provide the right experience—Miranda has 25 years of global experience and is a master of this craft. Her experience spans Federal Government, Telecommunications, and Financial Services sectors across Europe, Asia, and Australia. Miranda is passionate about diversity and promoting women in technology. Community is a strong anchor for Miranda, and she is also a volunteer yoga teacher. Miranda’s recent awards and nominations include: WiBF Award for Inclusive Leadership Ranked #37 in the Top 100 Women in Finance Technology (Globally) Recognised #9 on the Power List
Stephen Bennett · Global Chief Information Security Officer, Domino's Australia A versatile Senior Security Leader with 30 years of experience in the IT industry with a strong background in building security capability from the ground up for large enterprise organisations covering such verticals as Gaming, Law Enforcement, Healthcare and Retail in both Asia Pacific and European markets.
Maryam Bechtel · General Manager, Cyber Security (CISO), AGL As the Chief Information Security Officer at AGL Energy, Maryam Bechtel is responsible for safeguarding one of Australia's most critical infrastructures, ensuring the protection of energy and telecommunications services for over 4 million customers. Before joining AGL in 2022, Maryam led IT security operations at NBN Co for three years. Her career also includes significant roles at Deloitte, Deutsche Telekom, and Saab, where she collaborated with C-level executives across multiple continents to develop and implement comprehensive cybersecurity strategies. Recognised for her leadership and commitment to the cybersecurity community, Maryam was honoured with the Cyber Security Professional of the Year award by the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) in 2022. A passionate advocate for integrating cybersecurity with business objectives, Maryam is dedicated to transforming security from a protective function into a strategic enabler, fostering resilience and trust in the digital age.
Christopher Neal · Global Chief Information Security Officer, Ramsay Health Care Christopher Neal brings over 20 years of expertise in information security and risk management. As the Global Chief Information Security Officer at Ramsay Health Care, he leads the organisation’s global cybersecurity strategy, safeguarding digital assets and infrastructure across its extensive network of hospitals and healthcare facilities. Neal has driven key initiatives to enhance data security and governance, including the development and implementation of a comprehensive data retention and deletion policy aimed at protecting patient information while meeting operational needs. He champions practical cybersecurity solutions, empowering data owners with self-service tools to manage access permissions efficiently, which improves operational workflows without compromising security. Beyond Ramsay, Christopher contributes to the cybersecurity community as a member of the Innovation Advisory Council at Vation Ventures, collaborating with industry leaders to advance emerging cybersecurity trends.
Hank Opdam · Chief Information Security Officer, Ausgrid Hank Opdam is the Chief Information Security Officer at Ausgrid, leading cybersecurity strategy and risk management for one of Australia’s largest electricity distributors serving Sydney and surrounding regions. With over 25 years of IT experience and more than 18 years in cybersecurity leadership, Hank brings deep expertise in protecting critical infrastructure while fostering a culture of security awareness and shared responsibility. Prior to Ausgrid, Hank held senior security roles including CISO at The Star Entertainment Group and leadership positions at AMP. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds multiple industry certifications such as CISM and CISSP. Hank is a passionate advocate for inclusion, continuous learning, and collaboration within the cybersecurity community, regularly speaking at industry events and mentoring emerging leaders.
Partners
Cohesity
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