This Media Advisory was first published by Blackberry on February 26, 2026.
CYBERJAYA, MALAYSIA – February 26, 2026: Last month, Malaysia made further strides in establishing the MCMC and BlackBerry Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (CCoE) as a regional hub for world-class cyber training with the completion of its Women in Cyber Leadership Program. The five-day course brought together women professionals from across the region, and was delivered in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada and Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University (“the Catalyst”).
Taking place January 26-30, the inaugural program provided fully funded opportunities to over 25 women professionals who were competitively selected from across ASEAN member countries, including the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Participants from a diverse range of industries enhanced capabilities in cyber risk, governance, and leadership, alongside practical and soft skills to navigate and overcome traditional workplace barriers.
Jaclyn Sim, Senior Manager of Training at the MCMC and BlackBerry CCoE, said: “BlackBerry is proud to support initiatives that empower women in cybersecurity to overcome mid-career obstacles by building confidence and opening pathways to leadership. This unique public-private-academia initiative underscores the MCMC and BlackBerry CCoE’s commitment to grow a highly skilled and diverse cyber workforce, while supporting Malaysia as a leading regional hub of excellence for cybersecurity capability development across ASEAN.”
First announced during the 47th ASEAN Summit in October 2025, the Women in Cyber Leadership Program stems from a strategic co-funding initiative under the Government of Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy, designed to boost cybersecurity capacity in the region.
Program partners and industry experts also shared their perspectives on the importance of advancing women’s leadership and strengthening cyber resilience in ASEAN.
Trish Dyl, Director of Skills Development and International Programs at the Catalyst underscored: “Programs like this are important because the cybersecurity ecosystem must be more diverse to tackle the range of complex issues industries face in this digital age. Women are underrepresented at the leadership table, so working together across borders and industry in this way is important to turn the dial forward, while supporting cyber-resilience and capacity building for Malaysia and ASEAN.”
Raymond Siva, Digital Strategy and Future Tech Investment Consultant, said: “As cyber risks continue to emerge from tensions playing out across borders, it is imperative that organizations in ASEAN embed cybersecurity as a fundamental discipline, integrated into strategic and operational decision‑making, rather than approached as a periodic compliance requirement. Strengthening digital literacy across our workforce, diversifying our digital supply chains, and advancing regional collaboration will be essential to ensuring that ASEAN’s digital economy grows in a way that is not only innovative and competitive, but also resilient, secure, and inclusive.”
Several program participants also shared their experiences following completion of the course:
- Nurul Aisyah Sim Abdullah, Director of Audit and Compliance Division, National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA), Malaysia: “With the cyber environment becoming increasingly complex and challenging, I joined the ASEAN Women in Cyber Leadership program to further strengthen my leadership perspective in addressing the ever-changing cyber challenges. The program provided valuable exposure to the regional cybersecurity situation, cybersecurity best practices, meaningful peer-to-peer exchange, and practical insights that will develop more confident, inclusive, and forward-thinking leadership in building a resilient cyber ecosystem across ASEAN.”
- Juliana Jamil, Principal Assistant Director, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency: “Engaging with peers from across ASEAN highlighted the importance of collaboration and policy alignment in strengthening national and cross-border cyber readiness. I leave the program inspired, more confident and motivated in promoting a proactive security culture within my responsibilities to help strengthen digital trust in government service and public accountability.”
- Esther Soh Peck Woon, Senior Assistant Director, Cyber Security Agency of Singapore: “I joined the ASEAN Women in Cyber course at the Malaysia CCoE to learn how others in the region are dealing with cyber risks because decisions about controls, trade-offs and incident response affect people, operations and trust. The course helped me better connect cyber risk to business impact, have more effective conversations with senior stakeholders and teams in my day-to-day work.”
For more information about the MCMC and BlackBerry CCoE, visit the website, follow us on LinkedIn or contact us at ccoemalaysia@blackberry.com.
About Global Affairs Canada
Global Affairs Canada is responsible for managing Canada’s diplomatic and consular relations, promoting international trade, and leading Canada’s international development and humanitarian assistance. Under the Indo-Pacific Strategy, the department works to advance Canada’s interests and values in the region, including by supporting international norms and legal frameworks.
About Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst
Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst is Toronto Metropolitan University’s national centre for training, innovation and collaboration in cybersecurity. Since its founding in 2018, the Catalyst has grown into Canada’s most active cybersecurity hub, earning a global reputation for delivering high-impact programs and driving innovative solutions to critical technology security challenges. A not-for-profit corporation, the Catalyst collaborates with governments at all levels, public and private organizations, and academic institutions. Headquartered in Brampton, Ontario’s Innovation District, the Catalyst delivers its programs across Canada and around the world. Learn more at cybersecurecatalyst.ca.
About BlackBerry
BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) provides enterprises and governments the intelligent software and services that power the world around us. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company’s high-performance foundational software enables major automakers and industrial giants alike to unlock transformative applications, drive new revenue streams and launch innovative business models, all without sacrificing safety, security, and reliability. With a deep heritage in Secure Communications, BlackBerry delivers operational resiliency with a comprehensive, highly secure, and extensively certified portfolio for mobile fortification, mission-critical communications, and critical events management.