About the Author

Dr Sally Ernst has a rare and enriched background blending prominent industry research, business leadership, entrepreneurship, board governance, creativity, innovation, investment band government exposure in an international context.
Sally is currently having real conversations with regional, rural and remote communities throughout QLD and NT as MD of the Australian Cyber Security Networks, which focus on holistic immunity from cyber threats. ACSN does this through strategic internet security innovation; and, by engaging organisations at Board/ owner level to help them understand cyber security in the context of their business and its interconnected ecosystem, decide how to protect their organisational assets in that context, and act on those decisions. Sally has developed a book, card game, cyber glossary, briefings, business guides and templates, executive education, a growing network of cyber savvy business leaders under ACSNs TouchPoint program, alongside her further and constant innovation in conjunction with both business and cyber security leaders for initiatives to support the business community to stay on top of cyber security.
Facilitating the CSNs track-record of engagement with organisations at Board and Company Director level in the UK and Australia, Sally has held Board roles in both countries, including WebCentral Complex, The London Entrepreneurial Exchange (Chaired at the time by Sir Richard Branson –, CloudStaff , The Institute of Management Consultants , and Entrepreneurs’ Organisation UK-London, where she increased female membership by a third during her term as Chair.
The CSNs leverage Sally’s 15 years experience in corporate venturing, internationalisation and governance including as part of the start up team of Australia’s largest webhosting service at the time, WebCentral where she went on to co-found of subsidiary WebCentral Complex, which along with WebCentral was sold to Melbourne IT; and, co-founder of high growth Business Process Outsourcing firm, CloudStaff. Sally has further invested in a number of internet security technologies and startups. The CSNs further benefit from the experience of its cofounders and advisory board spanning the UK, Australia and the US in cyber security, government, military, industry, entrepreneurship, mergers and acquisitions, manufacturing, family businesses, high net worth individuals, finance and investment.
Contributing to Sally’s strong understanding of UK and Australian business needs in an international context is her business, government and/or cultural exposure to the US, China, the Philippines, Argentina and Pakistan; and, to India as part of her MBA and later as part of a trade mission led by the Hon. Helen Coonan, former Australian Minister for Communication, Information, Technology and the Arts.
Supporting the CSNs insight into the UK and Australian Business and Tech communities, including CyberSecurity: A Board Director Perspective, with co-researcher Lani Refiti, released and presented at the AISA 2014 National Conference, is Sally’s Board-level involvement and research background, including an MBA and Doctorate, both specialising in corporate entrepreneurship in a radical innovation context. Further, Sally previously developed and led the Global Entrepreneur Indicator with Entrepreneurs Organisation and Standard Chartered, which has now been running for over 4 years and has been regularly quoted in the international press including the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Qatar, and Asia Money.
Sally remains actively engaged in academia and industry speaking regularly this on topic, with a business perspective on cyber security. Audiences have included world leading Universities and medical schools, such University College London, London Business School, QUT, the Royal Society of Medicine, Warwick Medical School, and industry events run by Entrepreneur Country, EO, Standard Chartered Bank, Barclays, BGF, PAWA, MGSM, AISA, BlueCoat, CISCO and health, corporate finance and accounting firms.
Sally’s combination of practical experience and academic achievement has been recognised with privileges such as an MGSM alumni award presented by Former Australian Prime Minister, the Hon. John Howard) and a personal invitation to meet the Queen at Her Majestys reception in advance of the 2011 Royal visit to Australia.