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Emma Bickerstaffe is the Director of Cyber Defence Operations at New Zealand’s National Cyber Security Centre, where she leads national efforts to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber threats targeting Aotearoa. With deep expertise in cyber policy, security operations, and national resilience, she has held several senior roles within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, including Acting Manager of Cyber and Technology Security and Principal Policy Advisor. Emma brings a strong track record in shaping cyber strategy, strengthening protective security across government, and guiding agencies through complex threat environments, ensuring New Zealand’s cyber defences remain robust, coordinated, and future-focused.

Emma Bickerstaffe

Director, Cyber Defence

National Cyber Security Centre

Emma Bickerstaffe is the Director of Cyber Defence Operations at New Zealand’s National Cyber Security Centre, where she leads national efforts to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber threats targeting Aotearoa. With deep expertise in cyber policy, security operations, and national resilience, she has held several senior roles within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, including Acting Manager of Cyber and Technology Security and Principal Policy Advisor. Emma brings a strong track record in shaping cyber strategy, strengthening protective security across government, and guiding agencies through complex threat environments, ensuring New Zealand’s cyber defences remain robust, coordinated, and future-focused.

SESSIONS

Day 1

2.50

Panel: Making incident response a whole-of-business capability

  • Who truly owns an incident response, and why must accountability extend beyond the IT or security team to include business leaders and executives?

  • How can agencies make incident response and maintaining continuity a whole-of-business capability rather than an IT responsibility?

  • How can government departments coordinate effectively across agencies during interconnected disruptions?

  • What can digital and security leaders learn from emergency management when responding to large-scale cyber incidents?

  • What does real preparedness look like in the public sector today?

Moderator:

Yolanda Wilke, Domain Lead - CISO Office Inland Revenue NZ


Panellists:

Vicki Scott, Deputy Chief Executive, People Services and Delivery, Parliamentary Counsel Office

Matthew Shaw, Head of Emergency Management and Business Continuity, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

Marika Hughes, Director of Strategic Crisis Management, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet New Zealand

Emma Bickerstaffe, Director, Cyber Defence Operations, National Cyber Security Centre

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