Optic’s Nick Dynon First Kiwi In Security Top 40 Thought Leaders in Security & Life Safety 2025.
Optic’s Nick Dynon First Kiwi In Security Top 40 – Optic Security Group’s Auckland-based group brand strategy & innovation director, Nicholas Dynon, has been named in Life Safety Association’s Top 40 Thought Leaders in Security & Life Safety 2025 – the first time a New Zealander has been named in the prestigious list.
Candidates were scored by a committee against such factors as number of conference presentations delivered, webinar and podcast appearances, LinkedIn reach, journal articles authored, media commentary published, and volunteer leadership positions held in the 12 months from 01 May 2024 to 30 April 2025.
“What we know at Optic Security Group is that it takes years of hard work to become an overnight sensation,” said Optic Security Group managing director, Mike Cunningham. “That is true at all levels of Nick’s work, his dedication, and his approach to client engagement.
“To be the only New Zealander recognised underscores Nick’s commitment to the industry and Optic Security Group’s customers across an unmatched service footprint in Australia and New Zealand,” Cunningham said. “Well done, Nick, we at Optic are very proud of your achievement.”
The publication late last year of Nick’s research into the public acceptability of facial recognition technology across varied security and surveillance deployments was a key factor in his Top 40 listing. Published in the peer reviewed National Security Journal, his findings appeared in media articles internationally, including a translation in the Japanese press.
Nick Dynon First Kiwi In Security Top 40
The listing also recognised Nick’s service across a range of voluntary leadership roles, including as secretary of the ASIS International New Zealand chapter, member of the New Zealand Security Association (NZSA) Security Consultant Special Interest Group, and co-founding organiser of the annual Women in Security Awards Aotearoa.
“I am honoured and humbled to be named among this esteemed group of security professionals,” said Nick. “I’m particularly proud to be the first New Zealander to make the list, and I’m confident we’ll be seeing more Kiwis recognised in the Top 40 going forward.”
“We’re advancing some exciting work in Optic Security Group in the emerging security technology space, including facial recognition, artificial intelligence, and advanced video analytics,” he said. “It’s an environment that promotes innovation, thought leadership, and a genuine desire to raise industry standards and take security thinking to new heights.”
“Ultimately, I’m grateful to Optic for providing not only an intellectually enriching workplace, but also for encouraging its people to seek opportunities for leadership and service to the industry and community.”.
Nick Dynon First Kiwi In Security Top 40 – In his role at Optic Security Group, Dynon overseas the work of the OpticIQ Lab, which is led by world-renowned CCTV expert Vlado Damjanovski. OpticIQ, a division of Optic Security Group, researches and develops emerging security technologies. The Adelaide-based OpticIQ Lab is a sovereign capability for the development, testing, training, and deployment readying of advanced analytic and AI-enabled security technologies.
You can learn more about Optic Security Group here or read more SEN news here.
“Optic’s Nick Dynon First Kiwi In Security Top 40 Thought Leaders in Security & Life Safety 2025.”
