PwC Cyber Symposium

Diya is aPartner in the Consulting & Risk Services practice of PwC. She's a seasoned business and management consultant who has transitioned in the field of cybersecurity with a specialized focus on Strategy, Risk and Compliance (SRC). In today's cyber-centric world, understanding the intricate relationship between business and cybersecurity is imperative. Diya's unique perspective, derived from her background in business and management consulting, positions her as someone who addresses the evolving challenges of cybersecurity, emphasizing the need for a strategic, integrated and business-centric approach to ensure both security and success in the digital landscape. Her expertise lies in bridging the gap between the technical intricacies of cybersecurity and the broader organizational context.

In her current role, Diya engages with Cyber Leaders on the paramount importance of aligning cybersecurity initiatives with overarching business goals. Recognizing that effective cybersecurity is not merely a technical challenge, but an integral component of holistic business strategy, she advocates for an approach that goes beyond mere protection and encompasses governance, risk management and compliance. By intertwining business acumen with cybersecurity measures, Diya ensures that security strategies are not only effective in mitigating risks but also align seamlessly with the operational objectives of the organization.

Diya is also well known for her sectoral expertise in border security, public financial management, government reforms and donor-funded initiatives towards SDG 2030. During her time at Visa in North America, she extensively explored money movement, adeptly navigating intricate financial systems, and leading transformative initiatives for Visa issuers.

Diya's commitment to excellence has been recognized through accolades such as the World Women Leader '23 Award, underscoring her dedication to excellence.

Diya's has 18+ years of experience spanning over Africa, Middle East and North Americas. She is also contributing member to the FAIR Institute.

Vincent was appointed Chief Operating Officer in September 2015 and since February 2018, he has been steering the Digital Transformation programme.  He is also responsible for Information Security.  He has accumulated wide-ranging experience in the banking sector, having occupied a number of senior executive positions in international banks.

He spent 7 years working for Crédit Lyonnais International before joining KPMG France as a Management Consultant in 1995. In 1997, he was appointed as Head of Information Technology and Organisation of Banque Robeco France (a Personal Banking Unit of the Rabobank Group). From 2000 to 2008, he was appointed Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice-President Business Development of ING Direct, to establish the units both in France and the UK.

From 2008 to 2011, he launched and was the Chief Operating Officer of BforBank, the direct banking unit of Crédit Agricole. He then acted as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Business Development Officer and Executive Board Director of MeDirect Bank, a privately owned investment and wealth bank operating in Malta and Belgium prior to joining MCB Ltd.

Ravin Dajee is a seasoned executive with a wealth of experience in the banking sector.

As Managing Director since 2007, Ravin has positioned the bank as one of the major players in the Mauritian banking sector.

Ravin has fostered a culture of innovation, driving research and development initiatives that have resulted in groundbreaking products and services. By embracing emerging technologies such as robotic process automation, machine learning and artificial intelligence, Ravin has positioned Absa Mauritius at the forefront of technological advancement, driving competitive advantage and fueling growth.

Prior to joining the organisation, he held several leadership positions, including the role of General Manager of the State Trading Corporation from 2002 to 2004 and General Manager of the Central Electricity Board from 2004 to 2006.

Ravin is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and holds a master's degree in Finance from the University of Leicester (UK). He graduated from the University of Oxford with a postgraduate diploma in Strategy and Innovation, and is also an alumnus of Harvard Business School (USA).

Rishi O. Sookdawoor is a Doctor of Business Leadership and a multi-functional, strategic, and board-level executive with a 20-year track record of bringing strong leadership, business acumen and execution discipline in spearheading strategic ventures and transforming businesses. He has extensive experience in the insurance, financial services and technology industries.

He is currently the Group Officer in Charge & COO at NIC Group of Companies, one of the largest insurers in Mauritius.

He also serves as the President of the Insurers Association of Mauritius, and fulfils the role as Director on the Board of the Financial Services Institute in Mauritius.

He had the privilege to act as Director of regulated entities in different jurisdictions including EU and Africa.

Dr. Rishi O. Sookdawoor is passionate about sharing his knowledge, expertise, and resources to empower business stakeholders and the community to bring about the positive change that will enable them to transform, grow, and shape their success by doing the right thing for the greater good.

He is the founding research member of LeadEthics, a platform dedicated to steering forward the mission of fostering ethical leadership, organisational citizenship behaviour and sustainable development at national and global levels.

Koen is an advisory Partner at PwC Luxembourg, leading the Cyber Security practice with over 20 years of experience in Information / Cyber security in cross-industry environments. Koen advises large organisations operating in a multi-industry environment to think of cybersecurity on a long-term basis. In addition, he addresses complex security topics in layman terms for board of directors and executive committees.

Koen Maris began his IT career as a software developer, gaining invaluable experience in multi-tier environments and the implementation of complex projects. Driven by a natural curiosity, he transitioned to ethical hacking, eager to identify system vulnerabilities. Koen has a strong technical background and operational experience in cybersecurity as well as strong competencies in security architecture, solution design, program management, and business development.

Koen Maris serves as a trusted advisor for many organisations and is becoming a well-known speaker who challenges his audience's views on cybersecurity and related topics, and questions security models currently applied.

She oversees the legal, company secretariat, compliance, internal audit as well as governance functions for ENL and Rogers groups. She provides expert guidance to the group’s leadership team with regards to mergers and acquisitions, corporate transactions and corporate governance matters and is a strong proponent of future-fitting the group through investments in human capital, technology, and sustainable business initiatives.

Virginie also serves as director for companies engaged in various sectors namely: property, global business, financial services and technology.

Both in her roles as executive and board member, she ensures that risk management and more particularly cybersecurity conversations are at the 'top of the mind' amongst the board.

Virginie is trained as a lawyer and previously worked at Groupe Mon Loisir (now IBL). She started her career at Soulier & Associés, a French law firm based in Paris and Lyon, France.

Roshan Koonja, a highly accomplished Chief Information Officer (CIO), boasts 27 years of driving innovation and implementing cutting-edge IT solutions in various industries. In addition to his role as CIO, Mr. Koonja serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director at the Mauritius Institute of Directors (MIOD). 

In this capacity, he provides invaluable guidance and advice on promoting governance principles across the region. His expertise and leadership are instrumental in shaping governance frameworks and enhancing corporate accountability. As the chair of IT Steering Committees, Mr. Koonja provides visionary and strategic direction for the organization's IT operations and technological transformations. His foresight and innovative approach ensure that organizations stay ahead in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Renowned as a cybersecurity expert, Mr. Koonja is dedicated to fortifying companies' security postures. His comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity threats and solutions makes him a trusted advisor in protecting organizational assets and data integrity. He is a respected thought leader, speaking at global tech conferences and earning the CIO Leadership Excellence award.

Roshan holds a Btech (Hons) in Computer Science and Engineering, an MBA from the University of Birmingham, and an MSc from the University of Lancaster. He was trained at the CIO Academy of Oxford University and is a certified Data Protection Officer. Recently

appointed to the council of the CIO Association of Mauritius, Roshan's extensive experience, visionary leadership, and technological expertise make him an invaluable asset in any professional setting.

He has over 25 years of cyber security experience and operates as an independent cyber security consultant in Mauritius and Europe.

Sylvain started his career in France for an Internet Service Provider and then lived in England for 20 years. He first worked there for an international bank in various operational security roles and then joined a major international oil company where he worked for 15 years in different senior positions which broaden his security experience:

Global security administration and monitoring manager, security auditor, security technology team manager, Enterprise security architect for “big data” and finally, he created and led an advanced penetration testing team typically called “red team”.

In 2015, Sylvain created his own cyber security consulting company in England, with the goal to offer a personalised, discreet, and efficient expertise to UK hedge funds.

In 2016, Sylvain became a Mauritian resident and worked for a year in a local company as their Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). Sylvain was responsible for the overall cyber security strategy and operation across the Indian Ocean Islands and Africa.

In 2017, Sylvain decided to become a full-time independent Cyber Security Consultant and created his own cyber security Consulting company in Mauritius, ELYSIUMSECURITY LTD, where he is providing his expertise to some of the largest commercial groups in the region through training, security audits, penetration testing, incident response and virtual CISO activities.

Since 2018, Sylvain is a liaison member in the exclusive incident response international group called FIRST and a member of the ISACA organisation. This allows Sylvain to extend his access to a wide professional network and resources in cyber security.

Sylvain has been leading an open-source cryptography project since 1998 and has been participating in several other major cyber security open-source projects. 

Sylvain holds a DUT, DUETI, BSc and a Master’s degree from the renowned English university Royal Holloway. Sylvain is also a certified IT architect TOGAF9 and has several recognised professional cyber security certifications: CISSP, MCIIS, SANS GIAC. Sylvain has therefore a very practical experience, and passion, in a vast number of cyber security domains.

Having lead Digitalization and Technology for Aspen’s international business based out of Mauritius for 13 years, Richard Wightman has also built the Security Centre of Excellence for the Aspen Pharmaceutical Group.  The CoE is responsible for all Information Security Governance, Delivering all Cyber Security capabilities and operating all of the group security services. 

Cultivating a security culture and focusing on detect and respond capabilities have been key to the success of protecting Aspen from security threats.  Richard builds robust security strategies whilst finding the balance between risk and return in investment. He holds a BSc in Business and Computing and a MBA in Technology Innovation.