Managed services provider Interactive has appointed Fred Thiele as its first chief information security officer (CISO).
Thiele was hired out of the New South Wales Government, most recently as CISO of Transport for NSW from 2019.
Interactive said Thiele will lead its security practice’s strategic direction, working alongside head of security Mike Dowling, who leads the practice’s operations side.
“Interactive’s track record speaks for itself. It has been helping Australian organisations build resilient technology solutions for the past 30 plus years and I’m humbled to be part of a team with such passion for its customers and keeping security top of mind,” Thiele said.
“I look forward to working with the delivery teams to take Interactive’s cyber offerings to the next level and further our position as leaders in the Australian market.”
At Transport for NSW, Thiele led the agency’s uplift and operationalisation of its cybersecurity program during his three-year stint.
Prior to that, he was CISO at Velocity Frequent Flyer from 2017 to 2019 and head of Cyber Defence at Commonwealth Bank from 2015 to 2017.
Thiele also led HP’s ArcSight and Tippingpoint professional services division across ANZ from 2013 to 2015, serving as managing principal for South Pacific. Prior to that, he co-founded a US-based professional services company Laconic Security. Other stints include US-based Cybertrust, IBM Global Services and Fort Lewis College.
Speaking on Thiele’s appointment, Interactive executive chairman Brendan Fleiter said, “Our cybersecurity practice continues to expand in line with the constantly evolving cybercrime landscape and our customers’ needs. We processed triple the number of security events for our customers last year compared with 2020. A clear sign of how organisations are increasingly reliant on and require a trusted technology partner to support them against these rising threats.”
“I’m delighted to welcome Fred to Interactive, his impressive background and experience is a major addition to our Cyber Security practice and our ability to support and protect our customers.”Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
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