25-year veteran will focus on educating the public and private sectors about the need for stronger cybersecurity training, policies and recruitment and give voice to more than 17,500 APAC members
(ISC)² has announced the appointment of Tony Vizza as director of cybersecurity advocacy for the Asia-Pacific region. Vizza will be responsible for facilitating relationships with corporations, government agencies, academic institutions and others to encourage industry collaboration, stronger cybersecurity curriculum and effective legislation to attract and enable the professionals necessary to solve the region’s most critical security issues.
“Tony has seen and done it all and is an expert in several areas, including information security,” said (ISC)2 CEO David Shearer, CISSP. “He will be a key addition to our growing team in Asia-Pacific and an excellent advocate for the security profession in the region. His varied experience in the regulatory, legal, computer science and information security fields gives him a well-rounded perspective on the challenges that our members face and will help further our mission to inspire a safe and secure cyber world.”
Based in Sydney, Australia, Vizza will report to (ISC)² Regional Managing Director for APAC, Clayton Jones.
“As a part-time instructor himself, Tony knows the impact that education can have on bringing more talented individuals into the security industry,” said Jones. “His understanding of technology, business and risk makes him an incredible asset for this market and will not only aid our members in progressing their careers, but the region at large in improving their security postures and cultures.”
“Information security is all about people, and (ISC)² is investing in and providing the tools to make us all that much smarter and better when facing the challenges before us,” said Vizza. “The skills shortage in this industry is something I’m passionate about fixing, and I’m proud to be joining an organization like this at a time when I feel it’s needed most.”
Vizza has been involved in the information technology and information security fields for more than 25 years. His information security credentials include CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), CRISC (Certified in Risk and Information Systems Controls) and CISM (Certified Information Security Manager), and he is a certified ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor. Vizza has also taught and mentored information security students through Victoria University and TAFE New South Wales (NSW) in association with Infoxchange.
A longstanding member of the Australian Information Security Association (AISA), Vizza has provided expert services to the Australian Government’s Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), the Law Society of NSW, the Australian Security Industry Association Limited (ASIAL) as well as numerous boards, and is an expert speaker on information security. Vizza is also a regular contributor to several publications in the region, writing on the topics of information security, business and channel strategy.
Vizza has an accomplished, business, technical and engineering background, having completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Computing Science from the University of Technology, Sydney, and recently completed his Global Executive MBA from the University of Sydney which included study at Stanford University, The London School of Economics and the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. Tony is currently studying for a Juris Doctor degree at the University of New South Wales.
About (ISC)²
(ISC)² is an international nonprofit membership association focused on inspiring a safe and secure cyber world. Best known for the acclaimed Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP®) certification, (ISC)² offers a portfolio of credentials that are part of a holistic, pragmatic approach to security. Our membership, over 130,000 strong, is made up of certified cyber, information, software and infrastructure security professionals who are making a difference and helping to advance the industry. Our vision is supported by our commitment to educate and reach the general public through our charitable foundation – The Center for Cyber Safety and Education™. For more information on (ISC)², visit www.isc2.org, follow us on Twitter or connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
