Q&A with Senior Lecturer & Consultant, Digital Strategy & Leadership Practice, Mr Max Neo

1.  Please tell us about your professional background?
   Working with a diversified workforce globally across different time zones and geographical locations is something I am very used to. With more than 15 years of experience leading projects across the APAC and Japan region, I provide security consulting and advisory focused on technology risk management, data privacy, security compliance, IT governance and technological audit. What I do is to help my clients improve their cybersecurity posture and maturity level as a trusted and credible advisor. 

   I am a recipient of the National Security Postgraduate Scholarship awarded by The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), having graduated from NUS with a Master degree in Computing, Cybersecurity. Some of the accolades I received over the course of my career is the EY Real Award and SingTel AMG Best Led Sales award for demonstrating leadership qualities and providing exceptional client services. I have also attended the International Education & Research Industry Program (ZERIP) organised by Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China. 

2. Could you share more about the modules/courses which you teach at NUS-ISS?

   I teach Executive Education Programmes in the Cybersecurity discipline. The training provides participants with essential knowledge, tools, and techniques to predict, prevent, detect, and respond to cyber threats. The training targets to address the shortage of cybersecurity talents, as well as drive the Smart Nation initiative for Singapore.

3. Why did you choose to teach at NUS-ISS?

   NUS-ISS with its practitioner teaching approach focuses on addressing industry and real-life situational problems. This matches my profile as I can provide consultant and advisory services to clients, providing solutions to solve pain points which requires immediate action in their organisations. This teaching approach was a strong differentiator for me as it means I could do more besides focusing on academic research and publishing papers in renowned forum and magazines.

4. What do you enjoy most about your work?

   Interacting with students and exchanging knowledge and experience on a broad spectrum, not limited to Cybersecurity is most enjoyable. My students come from diversified backgrounds and geographical locations. Each student has a different perspective and expectation. I have students who are fresh graduates as well as seasoned professionals. And it does not matter how physically remote the locality - as long as there is internet connectivity there will be a need for a Cybersecurity community. Some of my students come from exotic countries like Guyana, Belize and Eswatini, and they share many remarkable developments in technologies and Cybersecurity in their countries.

5. How do you keep up with the industry?

   A strong passion for Cybersecurity motivated me to continually learn and improve myself to manage the evolving threats and rapid changing Cybersecurity landscape. I attend renowned security conferences such as RSA Conference 2020 Asia Pacific & Japan, Black Hat Asia, ISACA Singapore Chapter and Division Zero’s (Div0) monthly meetings to keep myself abreast of the latest development for cyber threat and exploits. Furthermore, I had volunteered and supported many events for security associations inclusive of The International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)², ISACA, and EC Council. The best approach to keep up with the industry is to participate and get yourself involved actively.

6. How is teaching different for you during the circuit breaker period?

   I have been busy altering, converting and enhancing my teaching content to cater to online lesson delivery, making sure my students continue their learning journey without disruption during the circuit breaker period. I ensure that the teaching quality delivered is similar regardless if it is an online class or face-to-face physical class.

7. Tell us something about yourself that very few people know.
   
   You would find me at exotic places on vacation. I like to stay out of touch and be surrounded by nature. My escapades have brought me to Canada, where I visited Smith Inlet looking for the grizzly bear, observed newly born harp seals covered with whitecoats at Îles de la Madeleine and watched the majestic polar bears strolling on Hudson Bay. These places have limited or no internet connectivity. I throughly enjoy immersing myself in nature, off the grid from the modern world to recharge myself and get ready for future challenges.

Here are some of my adventures: