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Benjamin Wise
Divisional CISO at Macquarie Group
Professional Background
Benjamin Wise is a highly skilled cybersecurity professional with extensive experience in security architecture and IT security. He has dedicated over two decades to the field, honing his expertise in various roles within esteemed organizations. Benjamin currently serves as the Divisional Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Macquarie Group, where he is instrumental in overseeing the company’s security strategy and ensuring the integrity of its cybersecurity framework. His leadership and strategic vision have greatly contributed to Macquarie's reputation as a secure financial institution.
Before taking on his role at Macquarie Group, Benjamin was employed by Commonwealth Bank, one of Australia's largest banks. During his tenure there, he held multiple key positions, including Executive Manager of Enterprise Cyber Security Architecture, where he was responsible for developing and implementing the bank's enterprise-wide cybersecurity policies and frameworks. His previous roles at the Commonwealth Bank also included Executive Security Consultant, Manager of Security Design, Security Architect/Designer, and Manager of Security Assessments. Through these positions, Benjamin has demonstrated his capacity for leadership and innovation in enhancing security practices within a dynamic banking environment.
Benjamin's career began in the tech industry, where he gained foundational skills as a Junior Technician at Image Design Technology and progressed to a Systems Administrator role at Wearne and Co. His technical journey continued as he became the Team Leader at Mytek, where he managed various projects and implemented solutions to enhance systems security. Later, at Sharman Networks (known for the file-sharing service Kazaa), he worked as a Global Network/Systems Administrator, further strengthening his knowledge in network security and systems management.
Education and Achievements
Benjamin Wise's academic background is impressive, comprising a rich blend of specialized studies that provide him with a solid foundation in cybersecurity and information technology. He earned a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Computer Science from UNSW Australia, where he gained comprehensive knowledge of computer systems and programming. His education laid the groundwork for his future career in cybersecurity.
In addition to his undergraduate studies, Benjamin pursued specialized certifications to elevate his expertise. He studied Security Architecture at the Sherwood Applied Business Security Architecture Institute, where he learned the intricacies of designing and implementing security frameworks. He also achieved the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) designation through (ISC)², a globally recognized standard for IT security professionals. These certifications underscore his commitment to remaining at the forefront of cybersecurity practices and theories.
Benjamin’s educational pursuits not only emphasize his technical skills but also highlight his dedication to continuous professional development. His combination of a strong educational background and extensive experience in cybersecurity positions him as a thought leader in the industry, influencing best practices and advancing the knowledge of his peers.
Achievements
Over the years, Benjamin has amassed an impressive array of achievements throughout his career, making significant contributions to the field of cybersecurity. He has been pivotal in designing and implementing cybersecurity strategies that have effectively minimized risks and protected sensitive information within financial institutions. His capability to navigate complex security challenges has earned him recognition as a trusted advisor and expert in the cybersecurity community.
His leadership at both Macquarie Group and Commonwealth Bank has resulted in the successful establishment of robust security architectures that comply with regulatory requirements while promoting a culture of security awareness among employees. Benjamin's understanding of the ever-evolving threat landscape has allowed him to anticipate security challenges and proactively address them through innovative solutions.
Additionally, his work has often ensured that organizations are not only prepared for current threats but also resilient to future cyber risks. Benjamin is known for his ability to communicate complex security concepts clearly to different stakeholders, thus fostering an environment where cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. The impact of his work is reflected in the enhanced security postures of the organizations he has been affiliated with, as well as their ability to build trust with clients and partners.
In summary, Benjamin Wise is a distinguished cybersecurity professional whose career trajectory is characterized by significant contributions to the field, advanced education, and continuous professional development. His experience across different roles has equipped him with unique insights and skills that benefit the organizations he leads. Benjamin is not only a subject matter expert but also a dedicated leader who is passionate about sharing his knowledge, mentoring the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, and advancing the profession as a whole.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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- Reminders and Notes: Helps you remember important details about contacts
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- Nexus AI: An AI navigator that helps you derive insights from your network, such as finding contacts who have been to specific places or work at particular companies
Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay takes privacy seriously. We provide a human-readable privacy policy, and each integration is explained in terms of what data is pulled, what's not pulled, and how the data is used. Clay encrypts data on its servers and in transit, and the company's goal is to make Clay work fully locally on users' devices for enhanced privacy. Clay is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
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Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Clay's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Clay as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Clay eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.