Rachael Falk

Rachael is a Partner in Ashurst’s Risk Advisory practice and a leading authority on cyber security and regulation in Australia. She advises Boards and executive teams on high-profile incidents, governance reviews and resilience, bringing deep operational, legal and regulatory expertise.

Before joining Ashurst, Rachael was Chief Executive Officer of the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre for more than six years, where she led cross-sector collaboration and the Independent Review of the Australian Government’s response to two major cyber incidents. Her work contributed to significant reforms, including Australia’s new Cyber Security Act and updates to the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act.

Previously, she spent over a decade as an in-house legal and cyber adviser at a major telecommunications company. A recognised thought leader, Rachael co‑authored the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Governing Through a Cyber Crisis and both editions of the Cyber Governance Principles, and serves as a Distinguished Advisor at the ANU National Security College and on the RAND Australia Advisory Board.