Information Security Specialist at TILT ADVISORY (2019-01 – Present)
Current secondment (2021–current) within a Security, Risk and Governance team in the FMCG sector, my duties include:
- Led rapid end-user security tool adoption during an active incident, deploying containment and eradication capabilities to neutralise a hands-on threat actor within 48 hours
- Streamlined security tool portfolio by decommissioning underutilised solutions and aligning roadmap to strategic objectives; replaced McAfee with Microsoft Defender XDR, realising ZAR 1.4 million annual savings
- Defined and managed full lifecycle of infrastructure-outsourcing RFP for operational security requirements: authored control specifications, scored and interviewed nine vendors, and influenced final selection based on risk, cost and service fit
- Partnered with HR on Identity & Access Governance to reconcile user, contractor and service-account inventories; executed dormancy/orphan cleanup, privileged access review campaigns, and automated onboarding & birthright provisioning for 4 000+ corporate identities
- Run and maintain vulnerability management program: vulnerability scanning, prioritisation, SLA reporting and remediation tracking
- Develop and maintain Cyber Operations reporting: Power BI dashboards, monthly operational and executive summaries; chair operational-security steering committee
Information Security Specialist at TILT ADVISORY (2019-01 – 2021-12)
Two-year secondment (2019–2021) within IT Governance Department at a multinational retail organisation:
- Drove POPIA compliance initiative in collaboration with Legal and Compliance teams: translated privacy requirements into updated policies, conducted impact assessments across business units, and rolled out targeted awareness training to 1 200 employees
- Oversight and tracking of information security program: align policies and standards with business changes; provide security guidance for strategic initiatives
- Led cyber preparations for COVID-19 lockdown: implemented remote access security controls, trained users on secure remote ways of working
Senior Associate at PWC CYBER AND PRIVACY AFRICA (2016-01 – 2019-12)
Internal Managed Security Services team, I performed the following:
- Built and launched a "Vulnerability Management as a Service" solution: led end-to-end tool selection, negotiated vendor contracts, and defined the technical architecture
- Commercialised the service: packaged the offering, pitched to prospects, and closed sales with five large enterprise customers
- Coordinated ongoing delivery: maintained the threat landscape monitoring function, ran remediation planning workshops, and performed cyber threat assessments
- Drove continuous service improvement: refined service definitions, optimised tool integrations, and incorporated client feedback into roadmap updates
Principal advisor for PCI DSS and DESV at PWC CYBER AND PRIVACY AFRICA (2016-01 – 2019-12)
Principal advisor for PCI DSS and DESV at a major African retailer:
- Developed, tracked and advised on PCI DSS 3.1 compliance project; achieved and maintained Level 1 compliance through annual QSA assessments
Information Security Specialist at PWC CYBER AND PRIVACY AFRICA (2016-01 – 2019-12)
Internal IT audit engagements at various sectors, including government, financial services, and manufacturing, which included:
- Assessed control adequacy for vulnerability and patch management
- Audited configuration compliance for firewalls, routers, servers and workstations
- Performed security program maturity assessments
SME for Skybox Security at PWC CYBER AND PRIVACY AFRICA (2016-01 – 2019-12)
Seconded as SME for Skybox Security as part of the pre-sales and professional services team:
- Led deployment, skills transfer and partner training on Skybox platform
Information Security Specialist at SLVA (2014-01 – 2016-12)
Secondment as Information Security Specialist for retail and financial services clients:
- Managed operational security technologies: AV, SIEM, firewalls, IPS/IDS deployment and maintenance
- Conducted PCI DSS gap assessments and remediation planning
- Provided network security advisory services and access governance assessments
- Compiled monthly security posture dashboards
- Represented Skybox Security in South Africa as pre-sales engineer for professional services
Core Networks Engineer at AMOBIA COMMUNICATIONS (2012-01 – 2014-12)
- Oversaw and executed core network projects for wireless ISP
- Provided Level 3 support for operational network issues
- Performed maintenance on network and systems infrastructure
