Ventia appoints new cyber security GM

Ventia has put Nine’s former group director of cyber security Celeste Lowe in charge of its cyber strategy.

Lowe left her previous position in July and started at infrastructure services provider Ventia this month.

She replaces Jon Rolfe who joined CyberCX as its director of security engineering, cloud security and solutions in May.

A Ventia spokesperson told iTnews that Lowe’s responsibilities include “safeguard[ing] data and critical assets for Ventia and its clients…focusing on continuous improvement in detection, prevention and incident response capabilities.”

The company experienced a cyber incident in July.

Cyber investments and initiatives listed in Ventia’s 2022-23 annual financial report [pdf], include “the automation of our cyber security protocols… the use of artificial intelligence and managed security services” and “annual mandatory training” for its entire workforce.

The company also said it made updates to its “cyber security strategy and crisis response plan” during the financial year just passed.

Lowe had been Nine’s group director of IT security since 2020. 

Prior to Nine, Lowe had various cyber roles at Qantas for four years; she was appointed Qantas’ inaugural CISO in 2017. She has held other security positions at Deloitte and Telstra.

Lowe's appointment is the second major technology hire recently; in July, the company appointed former KPMG and Telstra executive Melanie Evans to the role of group executive for digital services.

Evans replaced Karen O’Driscoll, who moved to Cochlear in February to take a position as its chief information officer.