With over 20 years of experience in cyber security, including multi-national Group CISO roles at Vodacom and Old Mutual, Kerissa joined Microsoft in October 2024 as the new Chief Security Advisor for Africa. Kerissa's cyber security experience spans a number of industries including government, telecommunications and financial services. Her deep insights in protecting some of Africa’s most critical infrastructure and largest businesses has her recognised as an expert in cyber security and resilience. Having engaged and managed complex environments and geographically dispersed teams, and been accountable for board, regulatory and governmental engagement on cyber security across multiple countries, Kerissa brings with her a wealth of leadership and senior stakeholder engagement skills. Her aim is to make cyber security simple to understand and communicate, and to empower leaders to think about cyber security as a business priority. Her conversations focus on how Microsoft and Microsoft customers are protecting themselves and are planning for the future. She is also the President and Founder of Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) Southern Africa and is dedicated to bridging the gender divide in technology in Africa.