Aspiring to be a World class CIO & CISO

David Gee, Global Head Technology, Cyber & Data Risk at Macquarie Group reflects on his journey toward becoming a CIO, which began with a pivotal career decision made while sitting in Kyoto’s famous Zen garden, Ryoan-ji. This moment of contemplation led him to embrace the role of a CIO, driven by the realisation that transformation starts with self-authenticity. He emphasises that to lead and inspire transformation in organisations, CIOs and CISOs must first transform themselves, focusing on continuous self-improvement and confronting discomfort to build effective leadership skills.

He further discusses the importance of understanding and adapting to one’s strengths and weaknesses as a CIO or CISO. David shares personal experiences and insights on the challenges of managing teams, dealing with stakeholder relationships and navigating organisational politics. By reflecting on past experiences, such as handling complex interviews and leading high-stakes transformations, he illustrates the necessity of balancing strategic goals with immediate…