For the second leg of the AustCyber trade mission to America, we ventured west to San Francisco, home of the iconic Silicon Valley and the cyber-focused RSA Conference.
During the Washington, D.C. leg, we wore our suits 24/7, but the vibe in San Francisco favoured a more casual style and it was a relief to pack the suits away and switch over to jeans and shirts. While relaxed in dress, however, San Francisco is definitely a place where business gets done.
Here the trade mission was intentionally scheduled to fall during the RSA Conference, with a flexible itinerary to allow delegates the chance to explore and network with vendors and partners. As there is no embassy in San Francisco, Austrade rented a small art gallery and rebranded it as Australia House, providing a little slice of home for trade mission travelers. It was a great set up, giving us a space to host delegate meetings and to take a break from our busy schedule.
San Francisco Highlights
- The Welcome Delegation Speed Networking Event was a fun opportunity to meet as many of the trade mission delegates as possible, along with a bunch of VIPs from Australia and the US who were in San Francisco for the RSA.
- The G’Day USA cyber fireside chat with Australia’s Cyber Ambassador, Dr. Tobias Feakin provided a thought-provoking debate on our nation’s role in international cyber legislation. The discussion covered how Australia is working alongside other nations in this area and in progressing the cyber resilience goals of our international trade partners.
- The panel discussion on ensuring Australia and New Zealand remain trusted partners for development and operations was both in-depth and candid. The big talking point was how each of our cyber companies supports the national security framework for interworking with other countries across the world.
That’s a wrap
As you can probably tell, it was a jam-packed, two-week agenda. Both Brett and I were incredibly proud to be included in this mission to represent both Kinetic IT and Australia in the global security arena.
With more than 20 years of history, Kinetic IT has earned a solid reputation as a prime Australian technology services provider, capable as any big player in our industry. What’s apparent now, is that we’re making waves with our global cyber capabilities, and these big players are taking note.
— Tony Campbell, Strategic Security Advisor
