Interview Special: Michael Willing Was A Counter-Terrorism Cop. He Says Cyber Execs Face the Same Stresses as First Responders

Michael Willing spent 31 years in the NSW Police Force, beginning in 1990 as a constable, rising through the ranks to commander roles in homicide and counter-terrorism squads before ending his career as deputy police commissioner in 2021-22.

“When you leave an organisation like NSW Police or any first responder organisation, it’s challenging because your identity is wrapped up in a persona and what you’ve done for a long time,” he tells ADAPT.

Willing says he developed a high level of resilience working on high profile cases that attracted significant media attention and resulted in outcomes that he felt were unfair.

“There has been periods in my policing career that where it was tough in many ways and in hindsight, I’ve been able to reflect and pick up some lessons around resilience.”

Willing left policing in early 2022 and joined professional services giant, Accenture as Managing Director, National Security and…