WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, June 2026 — SSS – Cybersecurity Specialists, one of New Zealand’s leading independent cybersecurity consultancies, has appointed Allison Yannakis as its Head of People and Performance, strengthening its leadership team as the organization continues to expand its capabilities and support growing client demand across Australasia.
In her new role, Allison will lead the company’s people strategy, talent development, organizational capability, leadership effectiveness, employee experience, culture, performance management, and workforce planning initiatives. She will play a key role in ensuring that SSS continues to attract, develop, and retain high-performing talent while supporting the company’s long-term growth ambitions.
Allison brings more than two decades of leadership experience spanning human resources, organizational development, business operations, governance, health and safety, employee wellbeing, capability development, and corporate services across both public and private sector organizations in New Zealand and internationally.
Prior to joining SSS, Allison served as Manager – People and Capability at Careerforce, New Zealand’s Industry Training Organisation for the health and wellbeing sectors. In this role, she led the people, capability, health, safety, and wellbeing functions for the organization, overseeing the delivery of comprehensive HR services while fostering a strong culture aligned with organizational values and strategic objectives. Her leadership helped strengthen workforce capability, employee engagement, and organizational performance during a period of significant change and growth.
Before Careerforce, Allison spent more than nine years with Nuku Ora, where she held progressively senior leadership positions. She most recently served as General Manager – Business, a member of the Senior Leadership Team reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer. In this role, she led multiple corporate and shared services functions including Human Resources, Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Information Technology, Finance, Administration, Marketing, Communications, and Events. She was responsible for providing strategic direction and operational oversight while ensuring the organization achieved both strategic and operational objectives.
Earlier at Nuku Ora, she served as Support Services Manager, managing HR, health and safety, administration, facilities, policy governance, and technology functions while supporting executive leadership and board operations.
Allison also gained valuable public sector experience through a contract leadership role with Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), where she worked closely with the Chief Executive and executive leadership team, supporting governance, strategic planning, ministerial engagement, and organizational operations.
Her international experience includes serving as Global Business Manager for Strategic Equity Solutions at Royal Bank of Scotland in London, where she supported senior business leaders within a global financial services environment. She also held professional support and executive management roles with Charles Russell LLP and Deloitte UK, working alongside senior partners and global leadership teams.
Earlier in her career, Allison worked with Tranzqual Industry Training Organisation, where she managed administration, health and safety, and accounts functions at a national level, and began her professional journey with Hartner Construction in Wellington.
Throughout her career, Allison has developed deep expertise in strategic human resources leadership, organizational capability development, people strategy, employee engagement, health and safety, governance, operational leadership, business transformation, culture development, leadership coaching, and organizational performance improvement.
Her appointment reflects SSS’s continued commitment to investing in people, culture, and leadership as key drivers of business success. With organizations across New Zealand and Australia facing increasingly complex cybersecurity challenges, the company continues to strengthen its organizational capabilities to support sustained growth and client impact.
About SSS – Cybersecurity Specialists
SSS – Cybersecurity Specialists is New Zealand’s independent cybersecurity consulting and advisory firm, serving private and public sector clients locally and internationally since 1989. The company provides strategic cybersecurity consulting, risk management, governance, assurance, and security advisory services through a client-centric and strategy-first approach. With offices in Wellington and Auckland and clients throughout Australasia, SSS is recognized for its deep expertise, responsiveness, and commitment to helping organizations build resilient and secure digital environments.
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