In pictures: The 2025 techpartner.news Benchmark Security Awards winners

See the winning security partners.

By William Maher on Nov 7 2025, 8:06AM

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iTnews and techpartner.news presented the 2025 Benchmark Security Awards to security leaders from end user organisations and cyber firms at a gala dinner and conference at Doltone House Hyde Park in Sydney last night.

This was the first time our two publications have collaborated to recognise cybersecurity work by end user organisations and cybersecurity partners.

Cyber leaders from NSW Electoral Commission, Endeavour Group, QBE, Sydney Trains, Ampol, Monash University, HammondCare, Mission Australia and other firms networked with partners working in finance, government, healthcare, education, not-for-profit, industrial sectors, and retail.

The 2025 Benchmark Security Awards winners are:

Government security leader: Peter Gigengack, Director Cyber Security, Department of the Premier and Cabinet WA
Government security partner: The Missing Link
Industrial & Energy security leader: James Court, Chief Security Officer, Cleanaway
Industrial & Energy security partner: Infotrust
Education security leader: Edward Messina, Interim CISO, Monash University
Education security partner: Increment
Healthcare security leader: River Nygryn, CISO, HammondCare
Healthcare security partner: Ip. Glass
Finance and Professional Services security leader: Mahesh Belagali, Senior IT Security Manager, Wotton Kearney
Finance and Professional Services security partner: Slipstream Cyber
Retail security leader: Jumar Pando, Cyber Security Operations Manager, Emeis Cosmetics (Aesop)
Retail security partner: Insicon Cyber
Not For Profit security leader: Leana El-Hourani, Head of Information Security & GRC, Mission Australia
Not For Profit security partner: ONGC Systems
Security Leader of the Year: James Court, CSO, Cleanaway
Security Partner of the Year: Increment

Pictured are the 2025 Benchmark Security Awards winners.

The 2025 Benchmark Security Awards are sponsored by NinjaOne, Airlock Digital, Saviynt, Abnormal AI, Huntress, SANS Institute, Sumo Logic and DataSCG.