Antonios (Tony) Christodoulou, Founder of Cyber Dexterity

As AI accelerates, cybercrime evolves and disruption becomes constant, the future will be led by organisations that can adapt and respond faster than change itself. This ability is not dependent solely on infrastructure and systems, but, rather, on the “dexterity” of your human capital.

“Critical thinking, instinctive action, and adaptability in a digital world aren’t nice-to-haves anymore, they’re core human capabilities. They’re the line between staying ahead and falling behind.” So says Antonios (Tony) Christodoulou, Founder of Cyber Dexterity. With 24 years in IT, including 12 in the financial sector and a further 10 as CIO for the EMEA region of a Global Fortune 500 company in telecommunications, Tony has a proven track record. He has seen firsthand how digital transformation initiatives often neglect its most critical layer: its people learning process. Most organisations measure success based on delivered components rather than the adoption of change to achieve the intended business objective.

As an Adjunct Faculty member at GIBS Business School for over 13 years, he has engaged with thousands of executives, inspired future leaders, and developed custom programs for over 50 companies. He focuses on strategic execution, and technology business enablement and his current studies are in cyberpsychology and security.

One of company’s highly successful value propositions is its cyber resilience offering. It has proactively challenged the status quo in the field of cybersecurity training and awareness.

Cyber Dexterity offers a range of professional services to help organisations enhance their cybersecurity awareness and understanding of the threat landscape. These services include masterclasses, learning journeys, simulations and advisory services.

Each offering is grounded in behavioural science, immersive storytelling, and real-world applicability.

“Most corporate training is forgettable and tick-box in nature. We create experiences that are memorable,” says Tony. “We recognise that attention spans are constrained, and fear-based, obligation-driven learning is ineffective. Consequently, we have developed an offering that is engaging, surprising and transformative.”

The offering includes tailored, on-demand learning paths, live virtual and face-to-face masterclasses, custom video animation storytelling-based content, and executive masterclasses focused on leadership in driving a cyber resilience culture. Over the past 12 months, one key client has seen a 77% reduction in employees who were deemed “repetitive clickers” when it comes to simulated phishing campaigns. 

Since Cyber Dexterity’s inception, the company’s impact has been massive in a short space of time:

• 48 000+ people trained

• 96 000+ course seats filled

• 20 000+ participants in its Phishing 101 masterclasses

• 70+ executives and C-suites trained in the “leading a cyber culture” sessions

• Training delivered across 15 countries

The psychology of learning differentiates Cyber Dexterity and ensures that the engagement is effective. “You can invest millions in technology and infrastructure, but it takes just one employee to click on a malicious link for a breach to occur,” says Tony.

Individuals tend to exhibit a higher level of trust when engaging with a virtual environment than when interacting with a real-life stranger. This is an area that cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting, through deepfakes, angler phishing and the dissemination of amplified misinformation and disinformation. The combination of authenticity and deliberate social cues can be highly effective for cybercriminals.

Cybercrime is evolving at an exponential rate, and cybersecurity training needs to do the same.

At the heart of Cyber Dexterity’s approach is its new gamified experience, called Hack-To-Protect™.

Instead of simply warning people about threats, it lets them become a threat.

Participants step into the shoes of a cybercriminal, learning how phishing works, crafting deceptive emails, and testing social engineering tactics. The objective is to develop instincts, not merely knowledge. Participants are immersed in a simulated cybercrime underworld, assuming the role of a cybercriminal. They are guided by fictional mentors like Igor and Vex, who teach them how manipulation works, using real-world scenarios. Tony’s approach encourages participants to think like a cyber criminal and have fun in the process. This equips them to spot the tactics of cybercriminals and strengthen their instincts.

This reverse-engineering approach, coupled with immersion into the mindset of an attacker, ensures that training is effectively absorbed. It activates emotion, memory and critical thinking, which are essential ingredients for behaviour change in high-risk environments.

“Technology will always advance more rapidly than regulation,” says Tony. “Our most effective defence is to have individuals who can apply healthy scepticism to every action they take.

“We are committed to keeping our customers at the forefront of the evolving security landscape. We regularly introduce new subjects to ensure our delegates are well-versed in the latest crime trends and developments. We work closely with our clients to provide ongoing support,” Tony says.

Cyber Dexterity offers a training journey that is tailored to the individual customer’s landscape. It differentiates itself in the market by changing the process of learning. It also facilitates the evolution of its clients’ employees into skilled, mindful and effective protectors of the organisation’s security.

Cyber resilience is built on people. We’re helping organisations turn their greatest vulnerability into their strongest defence. Let’s build a more resilient future, together. Get in touch at lets.engage@cyberdexterity.com or visit our website www.cyberdexterity.com