What if cyber leaders could learn to think critically, influence decisively and work together to drive meaningful change inside their organisations?
cli:~$ About · Mission & Purpose
We Build Cyber Leaders for the Moments That Matter
Cyber resilience does not rise or fall on technology alone. It rises or falls on leadership. The Cyber Leadership Institute exists to equip cyber professionals with the judgement, influence and executive confidence to lead transformation, navigate crisis and build resilient organisations.
Why CLI exists
The leadership gap between technical excellence and executive impact.
CLI was founded in Sydney in 2018 by three experienced cyber leaders — Darren Argyle, Jan Schreuder and Phil Zongo — who had seen the same challenge from different vantage points: technically strong cyber professionals were increasingly expected to influence boards, shape strategy, lead teams, navigate crisis and enable transformation, yet few had access to practical development for that transition.
Moving from the server room to the boardroom changes the job. Technical credibility remains essential, but senior cyber leadership demands a broader set of capabilities: sound judgement, business acumen, executive communication, influence, team leadership and the confidence to make difficult decisions when the stakes are high.
The founders believed the profession needed a different kind of development platform — one grounded in real executive experience, practical tools and a strong peer community. A place where cyber professionals could prepare not only to solve complex security problems, but to lead organisations through them.
Together, Darren, Jan and Phil created the Cyber Leadership Institute to close that gap and help cyber professionals translate deep technical expertise into enterprise leadership and measurable business impact.
From the outset, the founders asked four bold questions:
What if organisations could access practical, field-tested cyber leadership tools without becoming dependent on expensive consulting engagements?
What if aspiring CISOs could learn how to win executive roles — and establish credibility quickly once they were in the seat?
What if cyber professionals could see leadership pathways beyond the traditional CISO role and realise the full breadth of their potential?
Those questions still shape CLI today.
Our mission
Build highly effective cyber leaders.
Our mission is simple: develop cyber leaders who can turn security expertise into business influence, translate complexity into decisive action and build the trust required to move organisations forward.
We believe effective cyber leadership is one of the foundations of digital resilience. Technology will continue to evolve. Threats will continue to change. The organisations that endure will be those led by people who can make sound decisions, align stakeholders and create resilience before a crisis tests it.
Our purpose
To give business leaders the skills to lead confidently in the digital economy.
Three commitments sit under that purpose, and they shape every program we run.
Develop cyber leaders who build resilience into business strategy
As our virtual and physical worlds merge, we aim to create cyber leaders who can build security and resilience into our networks — integrating cyber resilience into business strategy so enterprises can grow securely and sustainably, innovate, unlock new markets and boost employment within their industries.
Empower business leaders to develop sustainable cyber strategies
As a global digital community we have a responsibility to build trust, develop resilience and be inclusive of businesses of all sizes. We arm cyber leaders with the skills to create strategies that stand strong as the digital landscape evolves, paving the way for responsible digital transformation.
Inspire leaders to work together to secure our digital world
We build a community of cyber leaders able to work in partnership to improve the security of our digital networks and infrastructure — shaping the digital world for future generations and making everyone more resilient to the risks created by our connectivity.
Why us
Practitioners, not commentators.
Five things that make the Cyber Leadership Institute different from a consultancy or a classroom.
- We have carried the accountability a team of CISOs and senior cyber executives with first-hand experience working with business leaders, CEOs and boards of leading global enterprises.
- We translate, not mystify we are passionate about simplifying the critical message of cyber resilience, turning it into actionable business language and developing your cyber leadership skills.
- We work to the clock the business works to we understand the urgency of becoming cyber resilient, and build predictable, measurable processes that accelerate delivery of cyber resilience strategies.
- You keep ownership we use a fundamentally different model to the typical consulting approach, driving innovative and pragmatic solutions and leaving you in full ownership of your cyber strategy and its implementation.
- We are part of a community a strong network of business and technology leaders working together to create sustainable cyber resilience, lead the fight against cyber crime and pave the way for digital transformation.
Leadership capabilities
What we develop.
We focus on the leadership capabilities that become critical as cyber professionals move from technical execution to enterprise accountability.
Lead with business impact
Build cyber strategies that are anchored in business priorities, investment decisions and measurable outcomes — not security activity for its own sake.
Influence the people who decide
Communicate with executives and boards in language that creates clarity, builds trust and moves decisions forward.
Lead through uncertainty
Develop the judgement, confidence and operating discipline to lead transformation, manage competing priorities and respond effectively when pressure is highest.
Built on Ubuntu
Community is not an add-on. It is part of the model.
CLI was built around the enduring African philosophy of Ubuntu — a belief in interconnectedness, selflessness and respect, and in the idea that our individual impact becomes far greater when we work together.
That philosophy comes to life in our global community. Cyber leaders share what worked, what failed, how they navigated difficult decisions and what they learned when theory met reality. Alumni have used those lessons to land their first CISO roles, step into broader executive positions, influence policy, champion diversity and lead major transformation programs.
We want CLI to remain a place where ambitious leaders can rise without diminishing one another — a platform where a thousand flowers can bloom.
Our growth
From five participants to global impact.
When CLI began in Sydney in 2018, our first Cyber Leadership Program had five participants.
Since then, leaders from more than 90 countries — from Cape Town and Mumbai to Fiji and New York — have engaged with CLI to strengthen their leadership, accelerate transformation and build more resilient organisations. Our community now includes cyber professionals responsible for protecting critical infrastructure, global enterprises and institutions that millions of people rely on every day.
The scale has changed. The purpose has not.
5participants in our first Cyber Leadership Program, Sydney 2018
90+countries whose leaders have engaged with CLI since
Why cyber leaders choose CLI
Built by people who have carried the accountability.
- Lived executive experience. Our founders and faculty have led cyber functions, advised boards, managed major transformation programs and operated where cyber decisions carry real business consequences.
- Practical over theoretical. We focus on tools, frameworks, conversations and decisions cyber leaders can apply immediately — not abstract leadership theory.
- Leadership beyond technology. We develop the capabilities that increasingly define senior cyber roles: influence, executive communication, strategic judgement, stakeholder alignment and crisis leadership.
- Independence, not dependency. Our goal is to equip leaders and organisations to build their own capability. We give members practical frameworks and reusable tools they can continue applying long after a program ends.
- A global peer network. Leadership can be isolating. CLI gives cyber professionals access to a community of experienced peers who challenge thinking, share lessons and help one another move forward.
Our leadership
Experienced leaders. Shared purpose.
CLI brings together cyber executives, strategists, educators and operators with one shared objective: helping cyber professionals become the leaders their organisations need.
Phil Zongo
CEO and Co-Founder
A former head of cybersecurity, strategic adviser, author and public speaker who has built his career at the intersection of cyber risk, executive leadership and business transformation. Phil is an Amazon bestselling author and has received international recognition for his contribution to cyber leadership.
Darren Argyle
Chairman and Co-Founder
A global cyber risk and security executive with close to 20 years of international experience spanning hands-on leadership, C-level and board direction, and complex program execution. Darren is a former CISO at Qantas and has been recognised among the world’s leading CISOs and security influencers.
Steffi Rose
Chief Operating Officer
Steffi is a seasoned operations executive with more than 15 years’ experience in strategy, operations and people leadership. As Chief Operating Officer, she drives operational excellence and scalable growth, drawing on her broad experience partnering with founders and leadership teams to turn strategy into execution.
Julie Chatman
Faculty Member
An experienced cybersecurity leader and executive adviser with deep expertise in enterprise security strategy and organisational transformation, including senior roles at McKinsey & Company, the FBI and Fortune 500 organisations.
Natasha Passley
Faculty Member
Former Big Four Cybersecurity Consulting Partner with more than 20 years of international experience across security, risk and technology. Natasha has led cyber strategy, operating-model design and large-scale transformation across complex regulatory environments, and is also a certified IECL coach and ISACA Board Director.
Moriah Hara
Faculty Member | Founder, CISO Next Gen
Three-time global CISO and senior cyber risk executive with extensive experience advising Boards and executives on AI governance, cyber risk and enterprise resilience.
Behind the scenes
The team behind the experience.
Behind every cohort, member experience and new learning resource is a team focused on one thing: making CLI useful. Our operations, member experience, marketing and course-development teams keep the community connected and ensure our programs translate ambitious ideas into an exceptional learning experience.
Operations and support
The people who keep it running.
Programs do not run themselves. This is the team behind every cohort, every member and every new resource — the reason the experience feels organised rather than improvised.
Catrina Mira
Head of Operations
With CLI since 2019, Catrina makes sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes — overseeing projects and day-to-day operations with a focus on detail and efficiency.
Lemon Verdijo
Member Operations Manager
Lemon joined in 2020 from customer service to create meaningful experiences for members: smooth onboarding, real connections, and processes that keep improving across every membership tier.
Avegail Arriesgado
Sales and Marketing Operations Manager
With a background in IT and expertise in digital marketing, automation and CRM, Avegail streamlines operations, sharpens campaign performance and keeps decisions grounded in data.
Aliah Joy Celaje
Course Administrator
Aliah makes sure every participant has a seamless training experience from start to finish, and approaches the work with integrity, professionalism and a genuine interest in the people she works with.
Kiri Imperial
Executive Assistant
A former application and senior analyst in leading HCM organisations, Kiri supports the co-founders with calendar management, event coordination and workflow optimisation.
Pinky Moralla
Course Development Coordinator
Pinky turns complex material into visually compelling, easy-to-follow content, blending creative design with a strategic approach to course development.
Gizel Manalo
Financial Operations Reporting Analyst
A professional accountant, Gizel keeps the financial records accurate and current and makes sure the numbers behind the decisions can be relied on.
Our why
Sustained by a higher calling.
Cybersecurity will keep changing. New technologies, new threats and new regulations will continue to reshape the profession. But one principle remains constant: everything rises or falls on leadership.
That is why building highly effective cyber leaders is not simply what we do. It is the reason CLI exists.
Take the next step
Know You’re Ready.
Whether you are preparing for your first executive role, leading a cyber function today or building leadership capability across an entire organisation, CLI gives you the practical skills, tools and community to lead with greater confidence and impact.
Explore our programs, join the community and take the next step in your leadership journey.