Cyber Fusion Forum

Where real-world outcomes meet cybersecurity thinking.Sitting down with IT professionals—who are shaping how companies collaborate, adapt, and secure their operations. Some are deep in the cybersecurity trenches. Others work in roles that influence security without it being their core remit.We unpack how People, Process, Technology with Innovation come together to drive impact actually helps businesses move forward. If you’re in tech, security, or care about what security actually helps businesses move forward, this is the conversation you want to be part of.

Cyber Fusion Forum is a technology podcast hosted by James Oakes, with 10 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

James Oakes hosts Cyber Fusion Forum, a technology show with 10 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #10

  The $65k Report That Missed Everything: Bang for Your Buck in Pen Testing

  Dec 9, 202536 minS1

  <p>Penetration testing is crowded with great brands and even greater illusions. </p><p>In this episode, William Wright, CEO of Closed Door Security and UK Council member at CREST, breaks down the stark difference between real pen testing and glorified vulnerability scans. </p><p>We get into how to vet providers, what a good report actually looks like, why references matter, and how threat-led testing changes the game from “find issues” to “prove business-relevant risk.”</p><p>William shares war stories: a bank test that missed an IDOR exposing transactions, a $65k engagement that produced 70+ pages of screenshots but ignored...

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  Episode #9

  Start With Why, Not the Tool: IAM Transformation with HSBC’s Joe Matthewson

  Sep 30, 202530 minS1

  <p>Most transformations start with the tech and stall with the people. In this episode, Joe Mathewson (IAM Transformation Lead at HSBC) shares a refreshingly practical playbook for turning identity programs into business outcomes. </p><p>We dig into how to lead change in complex environments: begin with the why (not the tool), tailor the message by audience, and bring operations in from day one so the final solution is adopted, not resisted.</p><p>Joe unpacks how security can enable revenue by giving the business controlled speed (think: day-one access, adaptive auth, and cloud controls), and he shows how...

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  Episode #8

  Tailored, Not Templated: Designing a SOC That Fits Your Business

  Sep 9, 202532 minS1

  <p>What does a modern SOC really look like? Craig Gilliver (Head of Cyber, Sector Alarm Group) joins me to unpack how to build a security operations function that fits the business you actually run. Coverage that matters, visibility you can act on, and costs you can defend!</p><p>We get into: why every SOC should start with business risk (not “collect everything”); the coverage vs. storage trade-off and how to show ROI beyond license spend; why SOC teams often become “productive disruptors” who expose missing owners, undocumented systems and CMDB gaps; and how to keep analysts sharp when the aler...

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  Episode #7

  From Chaos to Control: Building Safe AI Practices in Your Business

  Aug 15, 202532 minS1

  <p>AI isn’t coming - it’s already in your business.<br />In this episode, Matt Neal, Founder of Artificia1, reveals how businesses are unknowingly exposing themselves to risk through “Shadow AI” - and what they can do about it.</p><p>From ChatGPT use in marketing teams to users buying AI tools on their own credit cards, Matt breaks down the uncomfortable truth: you can’t block AI adoption - but you can guide it safely.</p><p>We cover:</p><p>Real examples of Shadow AI across departments</p><p>How to safely adopt tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, an...

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  Episode #6

  Tiger Teams and BLUFs: Delivering Identity in Complex Environments

  Jul 21, 202532 minS1

  <p>In the Ministry of Defence, getting digital identity right isn’t just about access control, it’s about operational readiness.</p><p>In this episode, I sit down with Richard Curtis, Program Manager for Digital Identity at the UK MOD, to explore what it takes to lead secure, agile identity programs across one of the most complex operating environments on the planet.</p><p>Richard shares:</p><p>Why he uses “Tiger Teams” to solve delivery bottlenecks</p><p>How the MOD balances agility with Secure by Design principles</p><p>The red flags he watches for when building identity...

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