Cybersecurity Series E24: How AI Is Changing Cybersecurity with Allianz Global Investors' Simon Collins

Today's guest is Simon Collins, Managing Director, Head of Security & Resilience (CISO) at Allianz Global Investors. Founded in 1998, Allianz Global Investors is a leading active investment manager. As part of the Allianz Group,  the firm provides investment solutions across equities, fixed income, multi-asset and private markets for institutional and retail clients worldwide. Through research-driven strategies, a commitment to sustainability and global expertise, they helps clients achieve their long-term investment objectives.

Simon is an experienced cybersecurity and operational resilience leader with more than 25 years in IT, specializing in information security, cybercrime investigation, fraud prevention, and cyber resilience. He has worked with organizations, boards and regulators to strengthen security frameworks and drive industry standards. Passionate about collaboration and knowledge-sharing, Simon regularly engages with cross-industry groups and conferences to promote best practices in cybersecurity and resilience.

In the episode, Simon discusses:

0:00 His journey from IT support to cybersecurity resilience leadership

1:45 Bridging technical cybersecurity risks with clear business storytelling

3:47 Why AI cyber threats demand adaptation, not panic or restart

5:34 How AI accelerates vulnerability exploitation, increasing cyberattack speed and scale

11:31 A demand for faster patching and stronger cyber hygiene in the AI era

15:34 How AI adoption is accelerating a real-time cyber arms race

18:04 Why AI resilience risks are overlooked amid rapid adoption pressure

21:19 The need to reshape resilient teams with AI literacy and gradual adoption