iSANZ finalists highlight New Zealand cyber sector shift

iSANZ has announced the finalists for the 2026 iSANZ Awards, which recognise organisations, teams and individuals in cybersecurity and cyber resilience across New Zealand.

Now in its 12th year, the programme includes categories for senior security leaders, resilience projects, human-focused initiatives, companies, teams, start-ups and emerging talent.

Kendra Ross, Board Chair of iSANZ, said the finalists reflect the progress of the local sector as cybersecurity work expands beyond specialist technical functions.

“Congratulations to everyone who has made the finalist list. The calibre of entries this year has been exceptional, reflecting not only the expertise we have across Aotearoa, but a sector that is growing in maturity, ambition and impact. We have world-class cyber talent here in New Zealand, and these finalists are a great representation of that.

Cybersecurity is no longer something that sits solely with a technical team. It is about people, leadership, resilience, innovation and making security part of the way organisations operate.

What really stands out among this year's finalists is the practical impact they are having, from building stronger cyber resilience and changing security behaviours, to developing new approaches to AI and automation, and growing the capability of our wider industry.

These are people and organisations doing the hard mahi every day to make Aotearoa safer in a digital world, and the iSANZ Awards give us an opportunity to recognise and celebrate that work.”

Key categories

In the Chief Information Security Officer of the Year category, the finalists are Kate Pearce, Head of Security at Trade Me; Raj Yama, CISO at Acronym IT; and Simon Burson, CISO at Auckland Council.

Cyber Resilience Initiative of the Year includes Canterbury Cyber Pals, Fonterra's SOC Sentinel, and Trade Me's HackLabs & Agentic Sandboxing. The Human Security Initiative of the Year shortlist includes Auckland Council's 'Cyber Sharp from the Start', Te Wānanga o Aotearoa's 'Between The Rock and a Hard Place', and Mitre 10's Human Security Programme.

For Security Company of the Year, the finalists are CyberTeam, Layer 9, Mindshift and N4L. Security Team of the Year features Auckland Council Security Practise, Trade Me Security Team, and Xero Automation and AI Forward GRC Team.

The Start-up or New Business of the Year category includes CyberTeam, Fenrir Security and Tier Zero Security. In the Up-and-Coming Cyber Security Star category, the finalists are Amie Finlayson, Security Awareness Lead at Auckland Council; Rocky Loyola of Whip Around; and Thomas Hacker, Senior Cyber Security Analyst at Fujitsu Cybers.

Sector shift

The finalist list includes a mix of established organisations and newer businesses, with several appearing in multiple categories. Trade Me and Auckland Council both feature more than once, while CyberTeam appears in both the company and start-up categories.

The awards also highlight the growing prominence of programmes centred on staff behaviour and organisational culture, rather than technical controls alone. Several shortlisted entries focus on awareness, security habits and resilience practices in workplaces and communities.

Ross also pointed to the influence of artificial intelligence on the sector's direction. That can be seen directly in some shortlisted work, including Xero's Automation and AI Forward GRC Team and Trade Me's HackLabs & Agentic Sandboxing.

“That takes curiosity, resilience and a willingness to keep challenging how things have always been done. It's a great time to recognise the people doing that work, and we're looking forward to celebrating them and announcing our winners in October.”

iSANZ describes itself as a non-profit organisation created to recognise the achievements of New Zealand information security professionals, companies and initiatives, while promoting the wider industry and its people.

The spread of finalists suggests a sector that now spans large corporates, public bodies, education providers, specialist security firms and community-led projects, with entries ranging from executive leadership to operational teams and workforce programmes.

Among the finalists are Fonterra, Xero, Trade Me, Auckland Council, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Mitre 10 and Fujitsu Cybers, alongside smaller and newer security-focused businesses such as Fenrir Security and Tier Zero Security.

The inclusion of a dedicated up-and-coming talent category underlines the industry's focus on developing new professionals at a time when cyber threats, tools and job requirements are changing quickly.

Ross said the finalists were “innovating, adapting and finding new ways to protect businesses, communities and our digital economy.”