CCN Conversations

About CCN Conversations

CCN Conversations is the official podcast of the Canadian Cybersecurity Network, created to bring real voices and real experience directly to the cybersecurity community. Hosted by Francois Guay, founder of CCN, each episode opens the door to the people who are shaping how Canada protects, innovates, and grows. This show brings you candid conversations with practitioners, CISOs, founders, researchers, builders, and rising talent from Canada and beyond. You will hear honest insight and stories that cut through noise and focus on what truly matters in security and technology today. Whether you want to understand how modern security programs operate, learn what it takes to grow a cyber business, stay ahead of fast moving threats, or build a career that can thrive in a world of constant change, this is where you begin. Welcome to the conversation.

Publisher

Canadian Cybersecurity Network

Category

business · business · technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 Dec 2025

Latest episode

23 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

30 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Sept 2026

   Building Trust Into the Business: Cybersecurity, AI & Leadership with Darren Gallop

   What makes customers trust an organization, and what happens when that trust is lost? In this episode of CCN Conversations, Francois Guay sits down with Darren Gallop, CEO and Co-Founder of Carbide and author of Built to Trust, to explore why trust should be treated as a business asset. Darren introduces the idea of "trust capital," built through consistently delivering on promises and meeting customer expectations. But trust goes much deeper than reputation. Cybersecurity, privacy, AI governance, product quality and leadership decisions all contribute to whether customers believe an organization will do what it says it will do. The conversation explores why cybersecurity cannot simply be delegated to IT, why leadership involvement can determine whether security and privacy programs succeed, and why organizations need to build these considerations into strategy rather than bolt them on afterward. Darren and Francois also discuss the pressure organizations face to adopt AI, the importance of starting with purpose and strategy before governance, and why businesses need to balance innovation with thoughtful risk-taking. For founders, Darren shares lessons from his own entrepreneurial experience, including the long-term cost of treating cybersecurity as an afterthought and why even early-stage companies benefit from thinking about security incrementally as they grow. Ultimately, the conversation comes back to people. As AI becomes more embedded in business, Darren believes trust will continue to depend on the humans behind the technology. Listen now and join the conversation.

2. 

   27 Aug 2026

   Before AI Comes the Foundation: Building AI-Ready IT with Rakesh Jayaprakash

   In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay speaks with Rakesh Jayaprakash, Director of Product Management at ManageEngine, about what organizations need to get right before accelerating their adoption of AI. While businesses are moving quickly toward AI, cloud transformation, and automation, Rakesh explains why many organizations are discovering that their operational maturity has not kept pace with their ambitions. The conversation explores the IT foundations required to make AI useful, secure, and reliable, from configuration management and infrastructure visibility to governance, compliance, security, and data quality. Rakesh also discusses why organizations should start with business problems rather than AI solutions, how leaders can balance innovation with security, and why smaller, focused AI projects can provide a stronger path toward meaningful adoption. They also look at ManageEngine's approach to integrated IT management and what Canadian IT leaders, managers, and practitioners can expect from upcoming ManageEngine ITCON events in Quebec City and Vancouver. (https://events.manageengine.com/itcon-canada#/?affl=ccn26) For organizations asking how to prepare for AI, this conversation offers a practical reminder: transformation starts with getting the foundations right. Listen now and join the conversation.

3. 

   7 Jul 2026

   Building Canada's Next Generation of Cybersecurity Talent | UNIT 7300

   In this episode of CCN Conversations, host Francois Guay sits down with members of UNIT 7300, including Nathan Chan, Paul Kriukov, James Wang, Chelsea Kensall, and Michael Thomas. Founded in 2018, UNIT 7300 is a Canadian cybersecurity team dedicated to developing practical security skills through Capture the Flag competitions, bug bounty research, hands-on training, and collaborative problem solving. The conversation explores how the team was built, why collaboration has become one of its greatest strengths, and how members from diverse professional backgrounds have come together to continuously develop their cybersecurity expertise. They discuss mentorship, offensive security, continuous learning, teamwork, and the value of creating an environment where knowledge is openly shared instead of gatekept. The group also shares why curiosity, discipline, and hands-on experience are often more important than following a traditional path into cybersecurity. Whether you're an experienced practitioner, a student, or someone considering a career in cybersecurity, this episode offers valuable insight into how community, mentorship, and collaboration help build stronger cybersecurity professionals. Listen now and join the conversation.

Contact CCN Conversations

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.