Optic Security Group Cybersecurity Leader announced a finalist in Australian Security Industry Awards

Grant McKechnie has been shortlisted as a finalist in the 2026 Australian Security Industry Awards in the new category of Cybersecurity Leader of the Year.

Above image: Grant McKechnie (left) leads a panel session at Cybercon Melbourne 2025.

A big congratulations to Grant McKechnie on being named a finalist in the inaugural Cybersecurity Leader of the Year category at the 2026 ASIAL Australian Security Industry Awards for his achievements as Optic's Chief Security Officer.

Grant is Managing Director of Cyber Resilience Group, which operates in industry partnership with Optic to provide cyber resilience, governance, assurance and incident-preparedness services.

The Cybersecurity Leader of the Year category is being presented for the first time in 2026 as part of ASIAL’s annual Awards for Excellence. Its introduction reflects the growing importance of cybersecurity to Australia’s wider security industry and the need for organisations to manage physical, digital and organisational risks as an interconnected whole.

Optic Security Group Managing Director Michael Cunningham said Grant’s recognition was a well-deserved acknowledgement of his contribution to Optic, its customers and the wider cybersecurity profession.

“Grant has been instrumental in strengthening the governance, policies, controls and assurance frameworks underpinning Optic’s cybersecurity capability,” Mike said.

“He has helped ensure that cybersecurity is understood not simply as an information technology function, but as an enterprise-wide business risk requiring attention from boards, executives, operational teams and every member of an organisation.”

During his tenure as Optic’s Chief Security Officer, Grant strengthened the Group’s governance, compliance and risk-management practices, improving visibility across operational, information technology and cybersecurity risks. He also played an important role in supporting Optic’s successful achievement of Defence Industry Security Program membership and in helping the company and its customers navigate obligations arising from Australia’s Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act.

A Royal Australian Navy veteran, Grant has more than two decades of cybersecurity and executive leadership experience. He has held senior roles with Telstra, nbn and Endeavour Group, where he established and matured a standalone cybersecurity function during the company’s demerger from Woolworths Group.

He was named among Enterprise Security Magazine’s Top 10 CISOs in the Asia-Pacific region in 2022 and has contributed to national cybersecurity capability through industry education, conference leadership and participation in the development of Victoria’s Advanced Diploma of Cyber Security curriculum.

Grant is also a strong advocate for the convergence of physical security, cybersecurity, information security and organisational resilience. He has helped bring this conversation to national professional forums, including through the development of an AISA CyberCon panel examining how traditionally separate security disciplines can work together to improve situational awareness, incident response, regulatory compliance and operational continuity.

Mike Cunningham said this converged perspective had become increasingly important as physical security systems grew more connected and organisations faced threats capable of moving between digital and physical environments.

“Grant has broadened the way Optic and many of our customers think about security,” he said. “His ability to translate complex cybersecurity issues into clear, practical business decisions has been invaluable to our Board, leadership team and customers.”

The 2026 Australian Security Industry Awards will be presented at the Park Hyatt Melbourne on Wednesday 28 October. The event marks the 30th anniversary of ASIAL’s annual Industry Awards for Excellence.