Artificial Intelligence, Fourth Industrial Revolution, Internet of Things – these are the buzzwords of our times. Enormous potential, however, also brings enormous risk. Ransomware, Denial of Service, Data Security – these should also be on everyone’s lips. Too often they’re not.

Izak Oosthuizen is a London IT thought leader, entrepreneur, and cybersecurity expert. He is a member of the Entrepreneur’s Organisation London and was nominated for the prestigious UKTech50 award in 2022.

Izak holds several IT qualifications – including various Microsoft, Checkpoint and VMware certifications. Combined with his 20-plus years of experience in IT, and management qualifications from the London School of Business & Finance and Cranfield School of Management, he appreciates that IT drives growth but also comes with associated security risks.

In 2006, Izak founded Zhero, a London-headquartered end-to-end business cybersecurity and IT support company for SMEs. Zhero is a Microsoft Gold partner providing tailored risk mitigation, cybersecurity, cloud, IT support, consultancy, and professional services to many industry sectors, some include medical, finance, legal, insurance, and architecture. Zhero has worked with a diverse range of brilliant minds and institutions such as WeWork, Giorgio Armani, Energy UK, Edmond De Rothschild, the Federation of Master Builders, City, University of London and Dimension Data.

In November 2023, Izak published his latest Amazon best-seller, You Don’t Need a £1 Million Cybersecurity Budget. The book, which focuses on how SMEs can affordably enhance their cybersecurity resilience and cyber hygiene, peaked at number one in the United Kingdom and the United States, making Izak an international best-selling author. Izak has also previously co-authored two best-selling IT books, ‘Adapt and Overcome’ and ‘Cybersecurity NOW’, also available on Amazon. These are essential reads for navigating the ever-changing worlds of cybersecurity, remote working, and the digitised workplace. His insights have also been featured in The Economist, UK Computer Weekly and other prominent publications.

In January 2024, Izak co-founded Cyber London along with Professor Raj Muttukrishnan, Simon Newman and others, and is also a co-director. Cyber London is recognised by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the UK Cyber Cluster Collaboration (UKC3) as the official Cyber Cluster for London, an informal network of people/organisations who work/have an interest in cybersecurity. Cyber London will support London’s cybersecurity ecosystem to become a world leader in technological innovation and sustainability.

Izak has made a name as a keynote speaker at events hosted by The Economist, N-Able, and London Market Forums (LMF). At the recent LMF 2023 Cyber Resilience Leaders’ Summit, he shared cyber-edge cybersecurity and risk mitigation strategies with contemporary pioneers such as Gary Brailsford-Hart, the Director of Information & CISO at City of London Police, and Simon Newman, the CEO of the Cyber Resilience Centre for London. In collaboration with City, University of London, I have also had the privilege to represent the United Kindom at round table events hosted by the Australian High Commission.