The Defender's Journal

Welcome to another hard-hitting spin-off of The Defender’s Journal.
Today’s guest is Ryan Lindley - CEO of Aegis Cyber and one of the industry’s clearest thinkers when it comes to security leadership. From crashing school networks as a teen hacker to rebuilding billion-dollar organisations post-breach, Ryan brings sharp insight, zero fluff, and hard-earned lessons to this conversation.
In this episode, we dive into what separates tactical firefighting from real security strategy - and what most companies still get wrong about cyber maturity. We also explore how Ryan’s Military Academy experience shaped his mindset, why influence beats authority, and why he refuses to work with organisations that won’t take fundamentals seriously.
+ Interested in joining us on the show? Connect with either Jeff Harrod or Cameron Wenham on LinkedIn or via our website.

Welcome to Episode 31 of The Defender’s Journal.
This week, we’re joined by Matt Presson - a product-driven, context-obsessed security leader currently serving as CISO (Americas) at Bullish. From code reviews at FedEx to building global security functions across EY, B1, and now a regulated digital asset firm, Matt has seen cybersecurity from every angle.
We explore the three defining questions behind his leadership style: Why is context so important and can it mislead you? How do you embed security without creating resentment? And... what changes when you stop trying to do it all yourself?
+ Interested in joining us on the show? Connect with Cameron Wenham on LinkedIn or via our website.

Welcome to Episode 30 of The Defender’s Journal. 
This week, we sit down with Cezary Piekarski - a global cybersecurity leader with decades of experience across the financial sector, national advisory roles, and the highest levels of organisational leadership!
In this conversation, Cezary unpacks the three steepest climbs in his leadership journey = from managing a team for the first time, to leading leaders, to becoming accountable for a distinct security domain. We explore how he builds clarity in complexity, why transparency and vulnerability are essential tools for influence, and what real humility looks like when you’re the one shaping global security culture...
+ Interested in joining us on the show? Connect with Cameron Wenham on LinkedIn or via our website.

Welcome to another thought-provoking episode of The Defender’s Journal.
This week, we sit down with Assaf Keren - a global security leader whose career spans Qualtrics, PayPal, and advisory roles with central banks, regulators, and startups. 
In this episode, we dive into the reality of building an AI-first workforce - and whether it’s actually achievable, why “friction” in security is inevitable but manageable, and how Assaf rewired his own leadership philosophy to enable healthier, higher-performing security cultures. He also shares what security leaders still misunderstand about boards, and the one belief he held early on that no longer holds true...
+ Interested in joining us on the show? Connect with Cameron Wenham on LinkedIn or via our website.

Welcome to a special spin-off episode of The Defender’s Journal.
This week, we sit down with Meg Anderson - a longtime security executive whose career spans nearly 40 years in one of the most tightly regulated environments in the industry...
We explore what longevity really takes, how leadership evolves over decades, and what she might need to unlearn if she swapped it all tomorrow for a disruptive, fast-moving startup. Meg also reflects on legacy, burnout, and the unseen patterns that define great CISOs - whether their name is on the resume or not!
+ Interested in joining us on the show? Connect with either Jeff Harrod or Cameron Wenham on LinkedIn or via our website.