Anna Collard is a creative security awareness content developer and founder with a demonstrated history of working 20+ years in the cybersecurity industry. Originally from Munich, Germany, Anna has called Cape Town, South Africa home for the last 20+ years. Anna successfully grew the bootstrapped startup Popcorn Training to US acquisition and scaled a team in a hyper-growth environment under the new ownership as the regional MD of KnowBe4 Africa.

Anna is now the SVP of Content Strategy & Evangelist for KnowBe4 Africa, driving cyber awareness across the African continent with a special focus on cyberpsychology, security culture, metaverse, Web3 security, and the intersection of mindfulness on cyber.

Anna is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on the Future of Metaverse for the 2023-2024 term as well as a member of the WEF Metaverse Initiative Governance Working Group and Security Skills Development Group.

Additionally, Anna is a founding member and on the Mido Cybersecurity Academy advisory board, aimed at underserved communities in South Africa to bridge the cyber skills divide.

As a certified business analyst Anna also holds an MSc in Cyberpsychology from the University of Applied Sciences in Vienna, and multiple security certifications, including CISSP, CISA, CIPP/IT, ex PCI DSS QSA, ISO 27001 Implementer, and auditor.

Always mindful, Anna is also a Yoga Alliance certified Yoga Teacher Trainer (YTT 500) and certified Trauma Sensitive Yoga Facilitator.

Awards / Recognitions:

- Top 20Women in Cyber of the World 2024

- Top 100 Influential Women in Tech South Africa 2024

- Women in Cyber People’s Choice Award 2023

- IFSEC Global Influencer in Security for 2022.

- UK’s IT Security Guru 21 Most Inspiring Women in Cyber in 2021

- Top 100 Women in Cyber 2020 and 2021 globally by Cyber Defence Magazine.

- ISACA South Africa President Award for 2020

- Women in Tech Innovations Africa 2020 Award for Southern and Central Africa at Africa Tech Week

- Top 50 Women in Cybersecurity – Africa 2020