The 2025 Cyber Excellence Awards are more than just accolades, they’re a celebration of the people behind the screens, defending our digital future with unwavering passion, grit, and expertise. In 2025, we continue to champion the individuals and teams who make up the heart of New Zealand’s cybersecurity community, the quiet achievers, the relentless defenders, and the innovators pushing our industry forward.
We invite you to submit your nominations and help shine the light on someone you believe deserves recognition for their hard work and commitment to the cybersecurity! Make your nominations and see the award categories below.
The Cyber Excellence Awards are held during the evening of CybersecCon, NZ’s largest cybersecurity event!
Check out the CybersecCon event and register here.
By supporting the Cyber Excellence Awards, you’re helping shine a light on the everyday heroes who work tirelessly to keep our digital world safe. Their dedication forms the foundation of our collective cyber resilience. Nominate those who inspire you. Celebrate those who lead with integrity. And above all, join us in recognizing the incredible contribution of our cybersecurity peers! Nominations for the awards are now open for the following categories: CISO of the Year, CyberSec Woman of the Year, SOC Analyst of the Year, SOC Team of the Year and for the first time, the 2025 Cybersecurity project of the year award! Check out the atmosphere of the awards by seeing the 2024 awards recap here. We’d like to thank Mimecast for helping make this year’s awards possible!
Congratulations to all our 2025 Cyber Excellence Awards finalists! The competition this year has been tougher than ever, reflecting the incredible talent and dedication across New Zealand’s cybersecurity community. We can’t wait to celebrate your achievements and announce the winners at the CybersecCon Gala Dinner during the official awards ceremony.
Shining the light on outstanding leadership in cybersecurity, this award showcases the vital role CISOs play in protecting organizations from digital threats. This award highlights innovative strategies and excellence, inspiring other professionals to strive for high standards in the field. Celebrating a top CISO emphasizes the importance of strong leadership in maintaining organizational resilience and attracting top talent. Ultimately, the award supports a more secure digital future by acknowledging those who excel in safeguarding data and infrastructure.
Auckland Transport
Tower Insurance
Foodstuffs SI
Fiji Ports
Centrecom
As more women turn to careers in cybersecurity, it is important to celebrate the contributions and achievements of exceptional pioneering women in the cybersecurity field. This award brings the spotlight on often modest role models who inspired as they paved the way. Recognizing the unique perspectives and innovations women bring to the field strengthens the industry as a whole and supports the ongoing effort to enhance cybersecurity for organizations and society. Ultimately, this award champions women's progress and excellence in the cybersecurity profession.
Southern Cross Health Society
Securecom
Datacom
Auckland Airport
Tait
Communications
Kinetics
As the eyes and ears of an organization’s security posture, SOC analysts are on the frontlines — identifying, analyzing, and responding to threats. Their ability to detect anomalies, manage incidents under pressure, and provide swift, strategic responses is critical to good defense. By recognizing outstanding SOC analysts, this award shines a spotlight on their technical expertise, relentless vigilance, and unwavering dedication to protecting sensitive systems, data, and people from cyber harm. Their work often goes unnoticed, but without them, cybersecurity operations simply wouldn’t function.
Securecom
Defend
Datacom
MTF Finance
Spark NZ
Recognizing top cybersecurity teams emphasizes the value of teamwork, collaboration and specialized knowledge in protecting organizations from cyber threats. By showcasing exceptional teams, the award celebrates those who worked collaboratively to strengthen defenses against digital threats. The award promotes heightened safety and security in the digital realm in thanks to team work!
This award recognizes a standout initiative that has significantly elevated an organization’s cybersecurity posture. It celebrates projects that go beyond business as usual — from complex system overhauls and technology deployments to creative awareness campaigns and strategic process improvements. Cybersecurity projects often involve cross-functional collaboration, tight deadlines, and high stakes. This category highlights the teams and leaders who rise to that challenge — aligning business and security goals, overcoming obstacles, and delivering solutions that truly make a difference.
Andrew Choat – MTF Finance
Catherine Cooper – Health NZ – Te Whatu Ora
Subhathra Paramasivam, Datacom
Securecom
Tony Allwood, Silver Fern Farms
Nancy Taneja, Health NZ – Te Whatu Ora
Fraser Dawson, Mainfreight
MTF Finance
CISO
Health NZ - Te Whatu Ora
Crisis Manager
Chillisoft
Tech Director & Solutions Architect
ANZ Bank
Head of Info Security
Mimecast
Director of ANZ Channel
Thank you to Mimecast for sponsoring the 2025 Cyber Excellence Awards.
A Security Maestro of safety and efficiency with an eclectic blend of talents and experiences! From orchestrating symphonies of cybersecurity to navigating the complex waters of commercial seafaring, a seasoned professional and more than just an accomplished security leader.
Someone who not only understands the intricate chords of banking, finance, and insurance but also knows how to hit the right notes in travel, government, and public transport sectors. With a background that spans technology, music, broadcasting, and even a Ferry Captain!
Andrew has fine-tuned his skills to streamline operations, enhance security, and drive excellence, all while maintaining an infectious enthusiasm that motivates everyone around them. Whether solving complex security puzzles or adding a touch of flair to everyday operations, he has dedicated himself to ensuring that every system runs smoothly and every challenge is met with a dynamic, upbeat approach.
Winner of the 2024 Cyber Excellence Awards CISO of the Year, Andrew doesn’t just lead security, he composes a symphony of success!
Catherine is an experienced crisis manager who transitioned from handling some of New Zealand’s largest emergency events to Cyber Incident Management four years ago.
In 2020, she established Incident Response Management for Health Alliance, leveraging co-design, creative thinking, and a people-centred approach to transform the nationwide delivery of cyber security incident response across Health New Zealand.
By integrating Coordinated Incident Management into cyber security practices, Catherine has enabled Health New Zealand to take a holistic, sector-wide approach to response capability, collaborating with teams across the health sector to protect the most vulnerable from cyber-attacks.
Beyond actively managing Cyber Response efforts, Catherine leads projects to strengthen response capabilities across the Health NZ workforce and Sector. She is currently focused on the “Workforce Readiness” Initiative, aimed at Transforming Health NZ to be workforce ready for response nationally, regionally, and locally.
Catherine has also partnered with PHO’s to co-design the Response Ready Playbook for Primary Health and has recently launched the “Women in Cyber” initiative at Health NZ, designed to support and provide mentorship for women in cyber security and privacy teams. Cathrine was also named the 2024 Cyber Excellence Awards CyberSec Woman of the Year!
Pierro is a senior technical manager and cybersecurity architect with more than 28 years’ experience in the IT industry across Cyber Security, Cloud, Infrastructure & Hyperconverged Technologies, IT Support and Professional Services. He has delivered solutions to various multinational and international companies spanning finance, government, utilities and retail.
With a technology career spanning over 30 years, Eli Hirschauge held several security and technology leadership roles in financial services.
Heading ANZ New Zealand, Information Security function since 2023, Eli is a member of both ANZ New Zealand Technology Leadership Team and ANZ Group’s Cyber Security Leadership Teams.
Prior to joining ANZ, Eli worked for Tower Insurance during a successful 5-year digital transformation, holding both CIO and CISO roles. During his time in Tower, Eli served as the chair of the University of Auckland School of Computer Science Industry Advisory Board, and as a director of the New Zealand Insurance Claims Register.
Eli holds an MBA from the University of Auckland Business school (2010) and a graduate of the Auckland University 2018 Strategic CIO programme.
Eli is a frequent panelist and keynote speaker on topics of Cybersecurity, digital transformation, and IT leadership.
