Bridging the OT Cybersecurity Skills Gap

https://www.govinfosecurity.com/bridging-ot-cybersecurity-skills-gap-a-31981

Publish Date: 2026-06-18 09:34:00

Source Domain: www.govinfosecurity.com

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Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points.

Critical Infrastructure Security
,
Governance & Risk Management
,
Operational Technology (OT)

OTsec ANZ Summit Speaker Dominic Grunden on Growing Resilient OT, IT Security Teams

Matthew Robertson •
June 18, 2026

Dominic Grunden, CISO, Power and Water Corporation

The shortage of operational technology cybersecurity talent has evolved from a staffing challenge into a significant operational risk for critical infrastructure providers, said Dominic Grunden, CISO at Power and Water Corporation. See Also: How Factories Lose Control When OT Meets the Cloud
Grunden, a speaker at QG Media’s OTsec ANZ Summit 2026 Sept. 15-16 in Sydney, said organizations that lack professionals who understand both OT and cybersecurity often struggle with slower vulnerability remediation, incomplete asset visibility and increased reliance on a small number of specialists.
For utilities and other critical infrastructure providers, cybersecurity decisions directly affect operational continuity, public safety and community trust. Grunden said organizations must focus on building internal capability rather than relying solely on recruitment. His approach includes converging IT and OT cybersecurity teams, cross-training personnel and creating long-term career pathways that develop expertise across both disciplines. “The leadership challenge I found a long time ago in my career is to create a shared purpose, a shared shared mission, because both teams can rally behind that shared purpose, and in a utility environment, such as power and water, the purpose is not simply cybersecurity, the purpose is protecting essential services for the community,” Grunden said. “It’s keeping the power, the water, the sewage services safe, reliable and resilient.”
In this video interview with event producer Matt Robertson, Grunden also discussed:

How talent shortages affect operational risk;
Moving from the world of IT to OT cyber defense;
Aligning priorities and culture from the office to the factory floor.

Register to join the OTsec ANZ Summit, which merges the unrivaled expertise of the globally renowned CS4CA and ManuSec Summits in an interactive two-day event uniting 200+ IT and OT security leaders from Australia and New Zealand’s critical infrastructure and manufacturing sectors. OTsec ANZ offers attendees cybersecurity insights, breakthrough strategies and high-impact connections.
About the Speaker

Dominic Grunden oversees security for ICT and OT environments at Power and Water Corporation. With over 30 years of global leadership, he has driven major transformations across utilities and finance. An award-winning executive and security leader, Grunden actively mentors future talent and promotes inclusive STEM initiatives.
Register Today