TransGrid CISO Garry Bentlin joins PwC’s cyber team as a partner

Former TransGrid chief information security officer Garry Bentlin has joined PwC as a cybersecurity partner, with Bentlin to focus on growing the firm’s business in Canberra.

Professional services firm PwC has further boosted its Cybersecurity and Digital Trust practice with Garry Bentlin. The unit, which was created last year to bring the firm’s cyber, digital trust and digital law teams under the one umbrella, now features fifty partners – including an intake of four female partners last month.

Prior to his four and a half years as CISO with the NSW power network operator, Bentlin spent three and a half with Deloitte, serving as Nation Cybersecurity Director. Earlier, he was with IBM in various leadership roles until 2014, including a stint as Global Security Manager. In addition to his professional positions, Bentlin has for the past three and a half years been a member of Deakin University’s Executive Advisory Board for Cyber.

“Sad farewell to my team at TransGrid, but we achieved amazing things and progression during our four years,” Bentlin said in a post to LinkedIn. “I look forward to assisting PwC’s federal clients and the critical infrastructure sector nationally. The escalating risk levels and persistent threats will continue to challenge us all in the coming years, and collaboration and sharing will be a key counter that we can all participate in.”

Speaking to iTnews, PwC’s Chief Risk Officer Rick Crethar said that Bentlin’s appointment was aimed at driving growth in the firm’s federal government and public sector cyber business. “Garry is an experienced executive and security leader. His background working in mission-critical IT environments over 20-plus years, his passion about his domain and his drive to make societal impact through his work made him ideal for the role.”

Crethar also noted that the firm had recruited more than 100 staff in the past six months alone, taking the Cyber Security and Digital Trust team to in excess of 300, with plans to bring in 100 more over the coming twelve months – including additional senior leaders. “We will be continuing to admit new partners internally and laterally, as well as recruit new resources into our skilled service hub in Adelaide and into specialist roles,” he added.

The battle for cybersecurity capabilities among Australia’s professional services firms continues to heat up, both as to assets and expert personnel. Last week, Deloitte recruited former Service NSW CTSO Michael Cracroft as a Director for Cyber and Cloud in its Risk Advisory practice, while EY acquired Australian cybersecurity specialist SecureWorx.

PwC meanwhile recently entered a strategic partnership with cyber-awareness company SecurityAdvisor.