Let's Talk About (Secur)IT

Philip de Souza

Philip de Souza is the host of Secure (IT) and a cybersecurity veteran with over 30 years of experience. He founded Aurora, leading it to a successful acquisition by Plurilock. Today, Philip is a sought-after keynote speaker and advisor, helping organizations leverage AI and innovative go-to-market strategies. Deeply committed to philanthropy, Philip co-founded Ainiti (ainiti.org) to support girls' education globally and serves on multiple business boards including the US Chamber’s Small Business Council. When not dissecting the future of tech, he can be for his Harley near his home in LA.

  1. 31 MAR

    AI Adoption & Security: From Threat to Strategic Advantage

    Is AI your biggest security threat—or your next unfair advantage?In this episode of Secure(It), host Philip de Souza sits down with Craig Nelson, founder of GrowthIQ.ai, to unpack how AI is reshaping cyber defense, data governance, and mission critical operations for security minded organizations. 🧠 Built for security and technology leaders:• Why AI adoption is accelerating now—and what’s structurally changed in the last 12–18 months for enterprise teams.• How to build secure AI knowledge bases without leaking your company DNA or violating client trust.• The gap between “defensive” security and strategic AI implementation that actually moves the revenue and risk needles.• Common data governance mistakes that quietly expand your attack surface.• How to balance innovation with compliance, privacy, and regulatory pressure in sectors like wealth management, real estate, and mortgage.• Why “we’ll secure it later” might be the most dangerous phrase in your AI roadmap.• Practical deployment patterns and guardrails for SMB and mid market environments. 🔍 We also dig into:• A 21 Day AI Challenge for ingesting internal data safely.• Vector databases vs relational databases—what technical leaders really need to consider for secure retrieval.• Who should own AI governance: security, data, product, or a new cross functional group.• Real world AI agent and autonomous workflow examples—productivity breakthrough and new risk category.• How adversaries are already weaponizing AI faster than most defenders expect. 🎙 About the guest: Craig Nelson, co-founder of GrowthIQ.ai, helps organizations go from random and unsecure use of AI into a secure and optimized AI operating capability. Through Navi, GrowthIQ’s AI orchestration platform, he works with companies across multiple verticals to align people, data, various AI systems and agents into repeatable workflows with strong security and governance guardrails. If you’re responsible for both innovation and risk, this conversation is for you.

    45 min
  2. Cybersecurity, AI Empowerment, and Cognitive Diversity with Tamara Gracon and Jenny Kay Pollock

    22 ENE

    Cybersecurity, AI Empowerment, and Cognitive Diversity with Tamara Gracon and Jenny Kay Pollock

    Is your organization treating cybersecurity as a technical issue or a strategic business imperative? In this episode of Secure (IT), host Philip de Souza is joined by two powerhouses in the tech and governance space: Tamara Gracon (Founder of TBG Consulting) and Jenny Kay Pollock (Co-Founder of Women x AI). Together, they dive deep into the intersection of Cybersecurity, AI Empowerment, and Cognitive Diversity. As AI reshapes the corporate landscape, boards and executives face the challenge of adapting governance frameworks to match the speed of innovation. Tamara and Jenny share their expertise on the AI Governance Compass Framework, the human element of digital transformation, and how to prepare leadership for the next wave of cyber risks. In this episode, you will learn: The Strategic Shift: How to move cybersecurity from the server room to the boardroom. The AI Governance Compass: A specific framework for managing the rapid pace of AI policy changes. Cognitive Diversity: Why organizational transformation fails without inclusive leadership and diverse perspectives. AI Empowerment: How to use AI for good while navigating ethical dilemmas. ABOUT OUR GUESTS: Tamara Gracon is a seasoned executive and board member with nearly 20 years at KPMG. She is the founder of TBG Consulting and a passionate advocate for bringing talented executives into board service via the Private Directors Association and How Women Lead. Jenny Kay Pollock is the Co-CEO and Co-Founder of WOMEN x AI (WxAI), a global community amplifying female voices in AI. She is also the Founder of Luminizing Growth and serves as an advisor and investor in early-stage women-founded startups.

    57 min

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Philip de Souza is the host of Secure (IT) and a cybersecurity veteran with over 30 years of experience. He founded Aurora, leading it to a successful acquisition by Plurilock. Today, Philip is a sought-after keynote speaker and advisor, helping organizations leverage AI and innovative go-to-market strategies. Deeply committed to philanthropy, Philip co-founded Ainiti (ainiti.org) to support girls' education globally and serves on multiple business boards including the US Chamber’s Small Business Council. When not dissecting the future of tech, he can be for his Harley near his home in LA.