Cyber Change Makers Conference

The Cyber5050 partnership is committed to increasing gender diversity in the cyber security workforce. We are holding a one-day online event for men who want to lead change in the cyber industry.

About the Cyber Change Makers Conference

Australia’s cyber security industry has a retention problem. Women make up just 17% of the cyber workforce, and skilled people of every background are leaving teams that feel unsafe, unfair or burnt out.

Culture is how you keep them. Teams built on psychological safety and active allyship hold on to their talent, raise problems early, and perform better under pressure.

The Cyber Change Makers Conference is a one-day online event for men and gender diverse professionals who want to lead that change. You’ll hear from cyber leaders, get advice from experienced mentors in small groups, and leave with practical strategies to use in your team the next day.

Hear from keynote speakers including cybersecurity leader Alastair MacGibbon and The Hon Andrew Giles MP, Minister for Skills and Training. Plus, a standout roster of inclusion experts will debunk industry myths and deliver actionable steps toward genuine inclusion in cyber.

The conference is part of the Cyber5050 partnership and is funded by the Australian Government. Participation is free for eligible participants.

Key Details

When: The Cyber Change Makers Conference will be held online on Wednesday 11 November 2026.

Where: The conference will run from 9:30am until 3:30pm AEDT, with scheduled breaks.

Who: Our Cyber Change Makers program is a unique event because it centres men's role in creating inclusive workplaces. By creating a focused, high-trust environment for men to share their experiences, the program is able to drive meaningful change for everyone.

Cost: The conference is free for eligible participants.

Register today

Who should attend

The conference is for men working anywhere in cyber security, in the public or private sector. That includes technical specialists, team leads, managers and executives. 

The conference is:

  • Practical, not theoretical: Interactive sessions with live polling and real workplace scenarios from the cyber industry, not lectures.
  • Direct access to leaders: Small group mentoring with senior cyber security specialists.
  • Built for cyber: Content on the pressures that are specific to your industry, from AI-driven workloads to incident response.
  • Join a network: More than 170 cyber professionals have already completed Cyber Change Makers, and this is your chance to join them.

The Program

The day mixes keynote sessions, rapid talks and small group mentoring. Every session focuses on what you can do differently at work.

9:15am - Log on and welcome

9:30am - Opening address from The Hon Andrew Giles MP, Minister for Skills and Training: The future of workplace culture in Australian cyber security

9:45am - Facts, myths and opportunities: What the data says about the cyber workforce, and where the opportunities are

10:30am - Micro-interventions: Breaking the cycle: Small interventions that change team culture, including what to say when it counts

10:30am - Small group mentoring (parallel option)

11:05am - Morning tea

11:15am - Biases and what you think you know: How unconscious bias shapes decisions on hiring, promotion and project allocation

11:50am - Mentorship or sponsorship? Mentoring offers advice, but sponsorship opens doors

12:15pm - Lunch

1:00pm - Keynote from Alastair MacGibbon: Safeguarding culture in the age of AI

1:00pm - Small group mentoring (parallel option)

1:20pm - Ask me anything: Q&A and small group mentoring with industry leaders

1:45pm - Building inclusive cultures: Practical strategies for teams that attract and keep top talent

2:20pm - Caring and self-care: Looking after your team and yourself in a high-pressure industry

3:00pm - Closing remarks

3:30pm - Conference concludes

Register today

FAQs

Nothing. The Cyber Change Makers Conference is part of the Cyber5050 initiatives, which are funded by the Australian Government. There is no cost for eligible participants.

Contact us

For more information on the Cyber Change Makers Conference, contact [email protected].

For more information on other parts of the Cyber5050 partnership, contact our partner CyberCX at [email protected].

Funded by the Australian Federal Government’s Building Women’s Careers grant

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