Cameron Whittfield

Cameron works extensively for clients in Australia and internationally advising on cyber and information security, emerging technology, digital platform regulation, technology and telecommunications reform and other technology-related transactions and legal issues.

Cameron has significant experience advising Australian and global corporates on the preparation and response to major cyber security throughout the world. He has been the lead advisor in relation to some of Australia’s most complex and contentious cyber-attacks, overseeing all aspects of the response including forensic reviews, incident recovery, root cause analysis, regulator / regulatory engagement, stakeholder management and cyber insurance. He also helps clients, executive teams and boards navigate and understand the nature of cyber security resilience and maturity, cyber reforms, crisis response, emerging technologies and the implications of technology on traditional (and emerging) legal principles.

Cameron has complimentary expertise in related fields including technology and telecommunications M&A, technology reform and regulation and technology sourcing and transformation. He has extensive experience dealing with bespoke and complex commercial arrangements.

Cameron has worked extensively throughout the world, included extended periods based in the UK (London), the US (Houston), France (Paris) and SE Asia (Hong Kong / Singapore).

Prior to rejoining HSF, Cameron founded the Melbourne office of Gilbert + Tobin, was TMT leader for the PwC Global Legal Network and legal leader for the PwC Cybersecurity and Digital Trust group.

In 2019, Cameron was awarded ‘Technology Law Partner of the Year’ at the annual Lawyers Weekly Australian legal partner awards and has been on listed in Australian Best Lawyers  for corporate, commercial, telecommunications and IT law every year from 2016.

Cameron established, coordinates and teaches ‘New Technology Law’ at Melbourne Law School, a course designed to provide law graduates with a breadth of knowledge across various technology areas, ranging from digital platform businesses, technology sourcing and cloud computing, cyber security and data protection, blockchain technologies and artificial intelligence.

Cameron's experience includes*:

• Since 2018, Cameron has advised on no fewer than 40 plus material cyber incidents, including as lead adviser to Toll Group on its 2020 ransomware attacks, often cited as the most significant cyberattacks in Australian corporate history.
• Advising numerous companies and their boards, both listed and unlisted, within Australia and across SE Asia, on cyber resilience, cyber maturity, 3rd party risk assessments, specific incident response, ransomware playbooks, crisis management, extortion payment decisions, threat intelligence, director duties and cyber simulations. 
• Extensive experience dealing with regulatory reform and data protection laws, including Security of Critical Infrastructure reforms, notifiable data breach regimes (throughout the region and the EU), CPS234/232 and ASX disclosure / trading halt decisions.
• Assisting clients with their data related regulatory engagement, including with the ACSC, OAIC, APRA, ASIC, PDPC (Singapore), PCPD (Hong Kong), AFP, auDA, State-based cyber-crime enforcement and the new Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre. 
• Cameron also assists companies with their cyber resilience uplift programs, including preparatory work for cyber incident response, preparation of ransomware playbooks, third party risk assessments. He has negotiated various cyber insurance arrangements, advised on insurance market trends and assisted clients with various underwriter assessments and claims processes.
• Advising on various emerging technology transactions, including as lead legal adviser for the PwC AI ethical framework, the Alibaba Food Trust Framework (blockchain) and the formulation of the Global Shipping Business Network blockchain solution.
• Drafting and negotiating technology sourcing agreements and managing disputes associated with technology sourcing, including acting in transactions involving the world’s largest technology companies, including transactions involving AWS, IBM, Accenture, Infosys, Salesforce, Cisco, Oracle, Atlassian, SAP and DXC and Tata.
• Advising on M&A transactions in the technology and telecommunications space, including advising on strategic restructuring, demergers and private company M&A.
• Advising regulators and Governments on telecommunications liberalisation processes and technology reform, both in Australia and throughout the world, including as one of the lead advisers on the Telstra and nbn Definitive Agreements and acting as General Counsel for Telstra Wholesale.
• Advising on Australian and international telecommunications infrastructure projects, including asset utilisation, sale and leasebacks, establishment of infrastructure business units and businesses.

*Experience was gained at a previous firm.

Background

Cameron studied at the University of Victoria, Wellington (LLB) and FINSIA (Cert of Applied Finance). He also completed Law Firm Leadership Executive Training at Harvard Law School.

Cameron is an Honorary Senior Fellow at University of Melbourne, a lecturer & subject coordinator for the ‘New Technology Law’ course at Melbourne Law School, where he is on the Advisory Council. He is also the Chair of the Advisory Board for the Ninian Stephen Law Program.

Cameron has worked extensively throughout the world over the last 25 years and is qualified to practice law in England & Wales, Australia and New Zealand.