Connie McIntosh

Dr. Connie McIntosh is a globally recognized cybersecurity and national security executive with more than two decades of experience across telecommunications, defense, critical infrastructure, and higher education sectors. She currently serves as Head of Security at Ericsson, where she leads strategy and operations spanning Cybersecurity, Information Security, Product Security, Operational Security, and Data Privacy.

Her expertise bridges technical, operational, and strategic domains, with particular emphasis on AI security, cognitive warfare, unmanned autonomous systems, and the weaponization of information. Her leadership and interest areas also focus on safeguarding the systems that underpin global stability — from terrestrial networks to the evolving frontiers of space and satellite security and subsea cable protection.

Earlier in her career, she held key roles within the Australian Government, including Australia’s CERT and the Department of Defence, where she worked on classified systems supporting national cyber defense and critical infrastructure resilience. She also co-developed the Master’s in Cybersecurity program at the University of the Sunshine Coast, integrating human factors and strategic defense into academic cybersecurity curriculum. She commenced with Ericsson in Finland as Head of Security Assurance for all Ericsson Product Security.

Recognized among the Top 100 Women in Cybersecurity Worldwide (Cyber Defense Magazine), she has received multiple awards, including the Black Unicorn Award at Black Hat 2020 and the 2025 Global Recognition Award for Leadership and Mentoring Excellence.