From Boardroom to Cloud: Security Leadership in an AI-First World

In this interview, Andrew Dell, GM Customer Security Management Office at Microsoft highlights the need for leadership engagement in cyber security and AI governance. He stresses that security is a “team sport,” requiring alignment from the boardroom to every level of the organisation. However, AI governance is lagging behind ambition: while data governance is now the top investment for CISOs and data leaders, 62% of organisations still operate with only basic or minimal controls, and just 3% automate governance decisions, creating scalability challenges as AI adoption accelerates according to ADAPT insights.

Andrew, who recently joined Microsoft as part of the Customer Security Management Office, explains his Asia-Pacific role in building trust with strategic customers. His work focuses on transparency, sharing Microsoft’s own security practices, and facilitating peer forums rather than selling products. Drawing on his experience at QBE and NAB, Andrew notes that AI governance is now a top-two priority…