Akshay Garkel is a Partner and Leader – Cyber at Grant Thornton Bharat LLP, with over 25 years of experience across India, APAC, and the Middle East. His career blends deep technical expertise with strong business leadership, making him a trusted voice in cybersecurity. From safeguarding financial institutions to shaping resilient cyber teams, Akshay has consistently driven digital trust strategies at scale. He has been at the forefront of the industry’s evolution—from the early days of information security to today’s AI-driven, cloud-first world. Known for his balanced approach, he champions cybersecurity as both a technology enabler and a business imperative.
Akshay’s journey is marked by a relentless pursuit of knowledge and resilience in a domain where threats evolve daily. Starting in the era when cybersecurity was limited to network guardrails, he has witnessed its transformation into a global strategic priority. He emphasizes security by design, aligning cyber objectives with business goals to protect brand reputation, financial stability, and customer trust. His career includes leading 24×7 monitoring teams, handling ransomware threats, and navigating cultural/regulatory differences across geographies.
Akshay’s academic experience at Queensland University of Technology exposed him to global perspectives and diverse cultures, shaping his approach to applied cybersecurity. He also balances P&L leadership with subject matter expertise, ensuring sustained growth while staying hands-on with evolving technologies. Beyond his professional work, he finds purpose in animal rescue, mentoring the next generation, reading, and family interactions that keep him grounded.
Key Highlights of Koffee Conversation with Akshay Garkel
- Industry evolution: From static desktops to mobile/cloud-first environments, cybersecurity shifted from network perimeters to AI-driven, trust-focused strategies.
- Board-level priority: Cybersecurity now ranks in the top three risks for boards, moving beyond compliance into a core business concern.
- Defense strategies: High-stake clients (banks, critical infrastructure) require proactive measures, advanced threat intelligence, and skilled teams ready to tackle bot-driven and human adversaries.
- Cultural & regulatory differences: Approaches to cyber differ across regions; India’s regulators are seen as ahead of the curve, focusing on systemic stability and customer protection.
- Daily challenges: His team faces constant threats—from DDoS to ransomware—and relies on automation, correlation, and intelligence-sharing to minimize impact.
- AI & cybersecurity: AI is both an enabler and a risk. It helps detect threats faster but also changes the attack surface. AI adoption is shifting from “good to have” to “must-have” for competitiveness.
- Trends to watch: Zero trust, quantum security, advanced cryptography, convergence of IT/OT, and enhanced digital experiences.
- Leadership & team culture: Akshay stresses continuous learning, coaching, mentorship, and fostering a “constellation culture” rather than a pyramid hierarchy—building leaders, not bosses.
- Personal insights: Loves tea, tandoori chicken, black as a favorite color, and describes himself as inquisitive, slightly OCD, and passionate. Books like The Power of Now and lessons on enabling others have shaped his philosophy.
- Legacy & message: Aspires to write a book, mentor future leaders, and instill values of integrity, curiosity, and human-centric leadership. For his children, he emphasizes: “Be anything you want, love what you do, and always love your family.”
👉 You are on the end, so you are definitely interested in this conversation with Akshay Garkel. Go and watch the full Koffee Conversation episode here:
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