One New Zealand Brings Greg Patchell to Serve as CEO of Cybersecurity Firm DEFEND

One New Zealand has announced that Greg Patchell will take over as CEO of its cybersecurity subsidiary, DEFEND. With extensive experience as a senior executive in the technology and telecommunications sectors, Patchell is a well-recognized figure in both public and private industries across New Zealand. His career includes several high-profile roles in central government, such as Head of Immigration New Zealand and leadership of key regulatory functions, including the NZ Companies Office, intellectual property, insolvency, and the establishment of CERT New Zealand—the country’s Cyber Emergency Response Team.

Most recently, Patchell led digital and insights functions at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), where he also served as Chief Security Officer. Before that, he held executive positions at Telecom New Zealand (now Spark), including Group Technology Officer, and managed the company’s capital investment program for several years. Earlier in his career, he spent a decade in technology-focused roles at Westpac Bank in both New Zealand and Australia, where he was responsible for Westpac New Zealand’s technology strategy and architecture, as well as overseeing the application architecture portfolio for the wider Westpac Group.

DEFEND Chair Ken Tunnicliffe expressed enthusiasm about Patchell’s appointment, describing it as an important step in DEFEND’s growth as an independent yet integral part of One New Zealand’s Security Practice. He noted that Patchell’s leadership would enhance the company’s mission to provide top-tier cybersecurity services and strengthen cyber resilience for its clients. Highlighting Patchell’s background as a former customer and Deputy Chief Executive of Digital, Data, and Insights at MBIE, Tunnicliffe emphasized that his expertise would be invaluable to the team. Patchell is set to assume his new role on March 3, based in Wellington, with regular visits to Auckland.

Reflecting on his appointment, Patchell shared his eagerness to join the DEFEND team, particularly alongside Wenzel, one of the company’s founders, who has played a key role in shaping what he described as New Zealand’s leading cybersecurity organization. He underscored the critical nature of DEFEND’s work, emphasizing its role in protecting businesses, safeguarding information and assets, and bolstering cybersecurity resilience at a time when it is more essential than ever. Having previously been a DEFEND client and collaborated with professionals across the broader One New Zealand network, Patchell conveyed his excitement about leading the company into its next phase of growth.

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