Cyber Leadership Across East and West with David Gee, Hosted by Fred Menachem

Welcome to the Engage & Secure Podcast, Powered by OutThink! Timestamps below the description.In this episode of the Engage & Secure Podcast, host Fred Menachem is joined by David Gee, one of the most respected voices in global cybersecurity leadership and bestselling author, to explore what it really takes to lead with resilience, adaptability, and purpose. Learn leadership lessons from a cybersecurity leader who built high-performing teams across five countries, while defying cultural ceilings and rethinking what it means to lead.A former CIO and CISO at organizations like HSBC, MetLife, Eli Lilly, and Credit Union Australia, David shares his deeply personal journey from being bullied as a child in Australia to transforming entire cybersecurity cultures across Asia, the U.S., and beyond. He opens up about how becoming a father at 20 shaped his urgency, empathy as a leader, approach to personnel development, and why he’s such a firm believer in coaching individuals. Throughout the episode, David offers practical insights into employee development, impactful and progressive cybersecurity principles, inclusive leadership, and how to break out of the “solo contributor” mindset to elevate entire teams. He unpacks his personal frameworks, including daily discipline habits like yoga, his "think two jobs ahead" mindset, and his powerful 9-Day Transformation Plan for rebuilding underperforming security teams.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:- How cultural differences between East and West influence cybersecurity outcomes- Why shaping behavior and team dynamics are critical to building high performing teams- How David’s “vulnerability index” changed the cybersecurity posture at HSBC- His philosophy for building adaptable, loyal teams that thrive under pressure- The habits and self-awareness tools that help him stay at the top of his gameTimestamps: (0:00) - Intro (1:44) - How David’s unique multicultural upbringing forged him as a person and leader(8:02) - Dealing with imposter syndrome, early fatherhood, and how family pressures taught him valuable lessons on personnel development and leadership(15:53) - Early career choices, transition to IT, and arrival at EY (23:07) - Adapting to different work cultures and building teams(30:50) - His books: The Aspiring CIO and CISO and A Day in the Life of a CISO(35:44) - Differences between East and West: culture, team building, security, and regional nuances(50:00) - Navigating the pressures of being a CISO, framing cyber as a growth driver, and the HSBC vulnerability index(1:00:02) - Staying on top of his game, personal philosophy, and effectivegrowth strategies for success(1:08:10) - Leadership advice and what he would tell his younger self(1:11:04) - Conclusion Keep an eye out for our next episode, coming soon!Don’t forget to follow, activate notifications, and drop a comment with your biggest insight from the episode.More Resources & Connect With OutThink:Visit our website.Follow us on Linkedin and Twitter.