Black Snow: Boardrooms Playing Billion Dollar Chinese Whispers
The leader's playbook for resilience and cyber defensibility — how governance failures cascade and what it takes to build institutions that survive real-world shocks.
Australian · Based in Kyiv
AI & Cybersecurity Specialist. Real-World Experience. Real Results.
John Mackenzie brings 83 certifications, three published books, enterprise-scale advisory work, and hands-on venture experience into classrooms, boardrooms, startups, consulting firms, and government agencies.
83
Qualifications & Certifications
14
Billion-Dollar Organisations
$350B+
In Assets Assessed (USD)
6 Years
AI & Cybersecurity Focus
About John
John Mackenzie is an Australian AI and cybersecurity specialist, technology developer, and independent researcher. With 83 qualifications and certifications spanning artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, governance, risk, and business strategy, John brings a rare combination of technical depth and real-world execution to every engagement.
Over the past six years, John has provided advisory and assessment services to 14 different billion-dollar organisations, evaluating more than USD $350 billion in assets. His work spans financial institutions, critical infrastructure, and government-adjacent entities — bringing enterprise-grade thinking to complex, high-stakes environments.
John is also the author of three books on cybersecurity and organisational risk management, contributing original research and practical frameworks to the field.
Ventures & Experience
John has worked with many billion-dollar companies in highly confidential roles across digital transformation, privacy uplift, and cybersecurity improvement programs, and holds high-level clearances for various functions.
John's entrepreneurial track record is equally significant. He scaled a digital agency from the ground up to 65 staff in 18 months, and previously owned and operated an 84-room hotel — experiences that ground his advisory work in the realities of building and running organisations at scale.
Staff Leverage
Staff Leverage is John's offshore delivery capability — a curated team built to support design, development, content, video, and digital growth work across the JMacTech ecosystem and client engagements.
- • 20+ designers, including 10 UX/UI designers
- • 15 website developers
- • 6 full-stack programmers for app and web-app development
- • 5 SEO professionals
- • 3 video and animation team members
Federal Government Business Advisor
Appointed as a Business Advisor under the Australian Federal Government's Entrepreneurs' Programme (2015–2017), John advised high-growth Australian businesses on strategy, commercialisation, and capability uplift — recognised by AusIndustry at a national level.
Cybersecurity Speaker
John has spoken at various cybersecurity events on Black Snow governance failure, cyber defensibility, and organisational cyber risk — most recently at the Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum 2026 on "Understanding Cyber DNA and the Omega Point."
Mentored & Coached By
John has been mentored and coached by a range of business, technology, and growth leaders — including Jordan Belfort (The Wolf of Wall Street), Daymond John, Grant Cardone, Guy Kawasaki, Ernesto Sirolli, Nicholas Kusmich, Ezra Firestone, Billy Gene, Jon Loomer, Ed Mylett, and Tai Lopez.
2018 USA Technology Company Tour
In 2018, John undertook a self-funded tour of leading United States technology companies — visiting Google, SpaceX, LinkedIn, Facebook, Uber, Amazon, Twitter, Airbnb, and TechStars — to study how world-class engineering, product, and security cultures operate at scale.
Endurance Sport
Outside professional life, John is an endurance athlete with a long competitive record across marathon running and cycling. He has won more than 22 marathon and ultra-marathon events, and holds multiple Victorian Country State titles.
Career Total
22+ marathon & ultra-marathon wins
- • Victorian Country Marathon Champion — 2001, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
- • Victorian Country Cycling Champion — 2005, 2006
- • 22+ marathon & ultra-marathon wins across his endurance running career
The same discipline, consistency, and long-horizon thinking underpins everything John does professionally.
- • 83 qualifications and certifications across AI, cybersecurity, and business
- • Assessed USD $350B+ in assets across 14 billion-dollar organisations
- • Author of 3 cybersecurity and organisational risk management books
- • Globally accredited to train ISO 27001 and ISO 42000
- • Australian Federal Government Entrepreneurs' Programme Business Advisor (2015–2017)
- • Scaled a digital agency to 65 staff in 18 months
- • Previously owned and operated an 84-room hotel
- • Multiple Victorian Country State titles — marathon and cycling
- • Endurance athlete across running and cycling
Domain Expertise
Where John works.
Artificial Intelligence
Machine learning fundamentals to enterprise AI deployment and governance.
Cybersecurity
Threat intelligence, risk frameworks, and security strategy for complex environments.
Governance, Risk & Compliance
GRC frameworks, regulatory alignment, and institutional risk at scale.
Digital Strategy
Technology adoption roadmaps and digital transformation.
Business Growth
Scaling ventures, market entry, and enterprise development from lived experience.
Independent Research
Original research and frameworks published in books and applied in advisory work.
Research & Books
Published works.
Original research and practical frameworks on cybersecurity, governance, and organisational risk for leaders and decision-makers.
Hacked: Why You? Postcode Targeting
Cybercriminals don't pick victims at random. The mechanics of postcode targeting and the practical steps to protect yourself and your organisation.
Black Snow: Banking & Finance — Credit Stress and Liquidity Crisis
Volume two of the Governance Failure Series — structural vulnerabilities inside banking and the fault lines between credit stress, liquidity, and governance.
Coming Soon
The next volumes in the Governance Failure Series.
Black Snow for CISOs — Structural Drift, Risk Appetite & Accountability
A frank examination of the governance and leadership dynamics that make the CISO role one of the most consequential — and most exposed — in modern organisations.
HACKED: Why You? — Path of Least Resistance
Attackers are deliberate, patient, methodical — and they follow the path of least resistance. How behavioural and structural vulnerabilities get exploited.
Podcast
Boardroom Cyber Intelligence
A weekly podcast for directors and executives who need to understand cyber risk at a boardroom level. JMac cuts through the jargon to deliver actionable intelligence, real-world case studies, and strategic insights on cybersecurity, AI threats, and digital resilience.