Cyber Leaders on the Move: Halilu, Manager of Information Security Governance at Queensland Health

Towards the end of his bachelor’s degree, Halilu discovered cryptography and network security. He found it demanding but enthralling and became determined to work in cyber security. In 2013, Halilu landed in Queensland, Australia, to study his master’s in cyber security. However, the degree was heavily focused on theory.

Rather than accepting this limitation, Halilu pursued the practical aspect he craved and convinced the international division at Queensland University to allow him to travel to Canada for work experience. He returned eight months later to graduate.

Halilu had a yearning to grow fast. A yearning that he traces back to high school when he lost his best friend to malaria. Halilu recalls the news like it was yesterday. “It changed everything in me,” he says. “I realised time is of the essence, and there are things I want to learn and do,” he explains. “Death doesn’t know a kid — it can happen at any time.”

Equally striking to his drive is his desire to give back — a quality Halilu attributes to his parents. It permeates through everything he does. Halilu’s central vision is centred on impact and bringing out the best in those around him. It’s no surprise that Halilu’s favourite book Kitab al-‘ilm by Al-Ghazali, reflects this. Halilu consistently asks himself, “What is here now available for me to learn? And am I, in return, giving back?”

In 2016, Halilu secured an Australian work visa but struggled to find work in cyber security. The year was punctuated by adversity. Halilu calls it character-building. He was far from home, family, and fighting to forge his career.

Halilu refused a PhD in digital forensics. He believed his sacrifices and the opportunities afforded by his parents would lead him to his goal — a career in cyber security. One backup plan was to return to Nigeria with his experience and education and start something there. But his lengthy absence and lack of connections meant it wouldn’t come easy.

Halilu decided to trial different paths in Australia while leveraging his network. After a brief stint at a call centre, Halilu began working in IT at a small company, where he also wound up as the CEO’s driver. This role connected Halilu to cyber and provided a tremendous learning experience. It exposed Halilu to new ideas and taught him how to communicate effectively.

To advance his residency, Halilu undertook a Professional Year Program, which required an unpaid internship. With encouragement from his peers, Halilu released a LinkedIn ad advertising his professional cyber talent for free for three months. One week later, Halilu was invited to coffee by a cyber executive. This coffee turned out to be an interview, and the next week, Halilu got his breakthrough and began his first job in cyber.

Halilu quickly developed a great rapport with his new boss. His boss saw Halilu’s desire to fast-track his career and introduced Halilu to Phil Zongo. Phil became Halilu’s mentor, with the two catching up fortnightly. To this day, Halilu says he reaches out to Phil whenever he is stuck with ideas.

In early 2023, a colleague told Halilu to map out where he saw himself in five years, given his current situation and knowledge base. Halilu’s vision was clear — to get into cyber leadership.

Halilu needed a training ground. A chance to connect with a community, tinker with ideas and learn from established leaders. He had completed the Cyber Strategy and Transformation Program (CSTP) in September 2022. The opportunity to have three mentors once again, Jan Schreuder, Darren Argyle and Phil Zongo, made the decision to join the Cyber Leadership Program (CLP) easy. “I knew it would fast-track my career to that next level,” he shares.

While undertaking the CLP, Halilu began applying for senior managerial roles and cultivating a network of key mentors. I question how Halilu chose his mentors, and his answer is simple. “They are people I admire. The one you admire is the one you want to imitate,” he replies.

What follows is so perfectly timed it’s seemingly predetermined. The week Halilu applied for his current role, he flew to Canberra for the AISA conference. Here, he met and clicked instantly with two cyber professionals who would become his mentors.

“The week I started the CLP was [also] the week I was invited to interview for my current role,” Halilu recalls. So, Halilu utilised the CLP week one content, which prepares candidates for cyber leadership interviews.

By June 2023, Halilu had landed his first cyber leadership role. He is the Manager of Information Security Governance at Queensland Health. I was curious to know how this was going a few months in. “I was thrust into the ocean,” he replies. Halilu is working hard to build a structure that allows the right engagement at the right level. He is currently focused on stakeholder buy-in — investing time in listening, understanding, and getting to know his stakeholders. He is also using every opportunity to explain what they’re missing and what good looks like.

He has his work cut out for him as the first official manager of security governance in his organisation. But Halilu has placed a stake in the ground of where he wants to be. His goal is to move from reactionary to proactive.

As a health department, there are industry regulations they must adhere to. However, rather than just focusing on the next compliance audit, Halilu is massaging the idea of taking a step back. He has posed the question: “As a business, what are we here for? And what are the core foundations that will deliver the maximum value and reduce our risk?”

Despite considerable challenges, it’s evident Halilu’s good humour and wisdom will carry him through. Referencing Mike Tyson, Halilu states, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” Laughing, he explains some days he gets knocked out, but he is also choosing his battles wisely. His motivation is shaping cyber security as an enabler and building it into organisational DNA.

To achieve this, Halilu jumps at every opportunity to collaborate with other business areas, investing time in getting to know people. He is eager to create a shared vision in the workplace and build solutions together. Halilu’s collaborative work style mirrors his core drive of giving back. “It allows others to see themselves in what you’re trying to deliver and creates room for collective engagement,” he explains.

In the June CLI Quarterly Call, which you can listen to here, Halilu shared many pertinent lessons. I was keen to hear what advice he has for aspiring cyber professionals. “Get to know yourself,” Halilu responds, “If you know yourself, your gaps and limitations, you’re better positioned towards doing things that work for you.” He recommends ditching one-size-fits-all thinking for a fluid mindset. “Once you know yourself and are open to learning, you will figure out how best to deliver value to others,” Halilu expands, a lesson he recommends applying broadly to life.