KBKAST

Mr. George C. Barnes is the President of Red Cell Partner’s Cyber Practice and a Partner at the firm. In this role, he oversees the pursuit of new-start incubations that are focused on cybersecurity opportunities spanning commercial and government sectors. He ensures optimized market gap responsiveness of new incubations and guides Red Cell’s platform team support as young cybersecurity companies progress through their early-stage business life cycles. As a Red Cell Partner, Mr. Barnes applies his national security and cybersecurity domain expertise to Red Cell’s incubation activities and oversees the company’s overall cyber-related investment strategy. Prior to joining Red Cell, Mr. Barnes served as the Deputy Director and senior civilian leader of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) from April 2017 through September 2023. In this role, Mr. Barnes served as NSA’s chief operating officer, overseeing strategy, policy, and operations.  As an agency deputy in the U.S. national security system, Mr. Barnes supported the U.S. defense and intelligence enterprise in national security strategy execution and the formulation of supporting policies.  He positioned NSA as an integrated mission partner enabling U.S. decision advantage and security against foreign threats. Over his 36-year career at the NSA, Mr. Barnes held numerous technical and organizational leadership roles spanning intelligence collection operations, intelligence target analysis, foreign liaison and industrial partnership management, workforce support, and global enterprise governance. U.S. Government Service Recognition Includes: Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Medal Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Medal National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security Distinguished Service Medallion National Security Agency Distinguished Civilian Service Medal Central Intelligence Agency Seal Medal National Reconnaissance Office Medal of Distinguished Performance National Geospatial Intelligence Agency Medallion for Excellence National Intelligence Medal of Achievement Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Awards (2) Mr. Barnes received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland in 1986. In 2020, he was honored as a Distinguished Alumni by the University of Maryland’s College of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The 2020 Partners Dialogue sits at the edge of possibility, where security meets technological ambition. In this special bonus episode, KB explores how nations can move beyond simply consuming innovation to actively co-creating strategic dominance. Anchored by AUKUS and empowered by cross-sector collaboration, this conversation features insights from industry leaders Paul Maddison (Australia &New Zealand Country Manager, Strider Technologies) and Jeff Lindholm (Chief Revenue Officer at Lookout). Paul Maddison, Australia & New Zealand Country Manager, Strider Technologies Paul Maddison is the Australia & New Zealand Country Manager at Strider Technologies, where he is responsible for leading Strider’s market expansion and strategic partnerships with Australian universities, corporations, and governments. Prior to joining Strider, Paul worked at the University of New South Wales in Sydney and Canberra as Director of the UNSW Defence Research Institute. This was preceded by a four-year appointment as  Canada’s High Commissioner for Australia. Paul also spent over 35 years in Canadian naval service. As a surface warfare officer, he commanded at all levels culminating in his appointment as Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy at the rank of Vice Admiral. A graduate of Canada’s Royal Military College, and a dual national since 2020, Paul is from Canada but has chosen to make Australia his home. Jeff Lindholm, Chief Revenue Officer at Lookout As the Chief Revenue Officer at Lookout, Jeff oversees all aspects of the company’s global sales, including the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions, as well as Channel Sales, Commercial Sales and Sales Engineering. He brings a wealth of experience in networking and security sales leadership, having previously served as President and CEO of Plixer, a company focused on network traffic analysis and visibility solutions. Before that, Jeff led sales operations at both Brocade and Juniper Networks. As the Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Brocade, he oversaw a $2.5 billion global sales operation until the company’s acquisition by Broadcom Inc. At Juniper Networks, he served as Chief Revenue Officer, managing $2.5 billion in revenue.” He has also held significant global sales roles at Arbor Networks (the security division of NETSCOUT) and BigBand Networks. Jeff is based in Boston and holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.

The 2020 Partners Dialogue sits at the edge of possibility, where security meets technological ambition. In this special bonus episode, KB explores how nations can move beyond simply consuming innovation to actively co-creating strategic dominance. Anchored by AUKUS and empowered by cross-sector collaboration, this conversation features insights from industry leaders Neha Idnani (Regional Vice President – APAC, Eutelsat OneWeb), James Tennant (Partner – Head of JAPAC, BOKA Capital), and Simon Hodgkinson (Strategic Advisor at Semperis). Neha delves into the significance of operating one of only two global LEO satellite constellations, emphasizing how satellite networks power resilient connectivity, complement terrestrial infrastructure, and enable sovereign national capabilities amid rising geopolitical tensions. James offers a global investment perspective, highlighting how Australia and other key regions are rapidly adapting to strategic defense imperatives, the challenge of nurturing deep-tech startups, and the necessity of scaling defense technology within complex regulatory frameworks. Simon rounds out the discussion with expert insights on cybersecurity, examining the impact of economic uncertainty, increased insider risk during major corporate events and layoffs, and the criticality of robust cyber operations—even as organizations strive to balance resource constraints and work-life demands. Neha Idnani, Regional Vice President – APAC, Eutelsat OneWeb Neha Idnani is an accomplished leader in the Technology, Media, and Telecom (TMT) sector, currently serving as the Regional Vice President for APAC at Eutelsat OneWeb. With over 18 years of experience across the telecom, space, and infrastructure industries, she leads the Asia Pacific and ANZ business for Eutelsat Group, the world’s first multi-orbit satellite connectivity provider. Prior to her current role, she spent over a decade with Bharti Enterprises and Bharti Airtel, notably serving as Vice President and Chief of Staff to the Chairman’s Office. In that capacity, she managed multi-billion dollar fundraising transactions and drove significant global expansion initiatives. Beyond her corporate leadership, Neha is deeply involved in industry governance and the arts. She serves as a Board Director for OneWeb Communications India, is a Founding Member of the Indian Space Association (ISpA), and acts as a Board Trustee for Improbable, a UK-based non-profit. Academically, she holds an MBA from NMIMS, Mumbai, and a Bachelor’s in Commerce (Honours) from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Delhi University. Throughout her career, she has remained a passionate advocate for driving the future of global connectivity through innovation and strategic collaboration. James Tennant, Partner – Head of JAPAC, BOKA Capital James Tennant is a Fellow with ASPI’s Cyber, Technology and Security Program and a Partner at BOKA Capital, a leading AUKUS Investment House in London, Sydney and New York. His key role at BOKA is complemented by his service as an Officer in the Australian Army, where he specialises in Capability Development. He is also a Senior Partner at Gilmour Space Technologies, an Australian-based rocket company innovating in the field of low-cost small satellite launch vehicles. James is a seasoned investor and corporate leader with deep interests and investments in diverse fields such as Quantum, Artificial Intelligence, Space, CyberSec, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, Drones, Enterprise Infrastructure, and Autonomous Vehicles. His professional journey, spanning across different continents and industries, uniquely positions him at the intersection of finance, defence, and technology including artificial intelligence. James holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a specialisation in International Business from the University of Sydney, is a Graduate of Ap...

In this episode, we sit down with Mike Worth, Founder of Indi-tech Consultancy, as he unpacks the unique cybersecurity challenges facing small and medium-sized legal firms. Mike highlights a major misconception in the industry—treating cybersecurity solely as an IT problem rather than a broader business risk—and explains why investing in the human aspect of cybersecurity is more effective than relying on tools alone. He discusses the billable hours mindset prevalent in professional services, the opportunity cost of security training, and the importance of creating a positive, engaging, and competitive security culture tailored to staff demographics. Mike also shares insights into common pitfalls SMBs face, such as overspending on ineffective security tools, gaps in cyber insurance coverage, and the pitfalls of generic training programs. He closes with actionable advice on building a resilient cybersecurity culture, measuring progress through behaviour-based metrics, and fostering open, honest risk discussions within the organisation. Mike is a proud Londoner now living in Hampshire, UK. He has worked across various industries covering local and central Government, manufacturing and more recently 11 years of Legal professional services as an IT professional. Mike’s passion has recently seen him start his own IT consultancy targeting support for SMB’s on Cyber security & virtual IT management.

In this episode, we sit down with Alex Tilley, Global Threat Research Coordinator at Okta, as he unpacks the evolving threat landscape posed by North Korean IT workers infiltrating global organizations. Alex shares insights from his recent research, emphasizing that this is not just a US big tech problem but a widespread issue affecting various industries—including healthcare, automotive, and construction—across multiple countries. He highlights the sophistication of fake applicants, their use of advanced techniques to bypass hiring filters, and the alarming success rate, even if only for short periods. The conversation explores the challenges companies face in verifying remote candidates, the necessity for ongoing identification checks, and the implementation of least privilege access for new hires. Alex Tilley is a Cyber Intelligence and investigation guy with over 25 years of experience spanning the private sector and federal law enforcement. As the Australian Federal Police’s first Senior Cybercrime Senior Technical Analyst, he specialised in unmasking and prosecuting sophisticated threat actors in global cybercrime and child protection. In his current role as Global Threat Research Coordinator at Okta, he leads law enforcement liaison efforts and drives critical threat research for the world’s leading identity company.