Abhinandan
Handa, CISSP

SOC Transformation & Cortex Domain Expert — architecting AI-driven security operations across APAC, ASEAN, and ANZ markets.

16+
Years
95%
PoV Win Rate
$4M+
Pipeline
3
Countries

Who I Am

With 16+ years of specialized expertise, I architect and implement next-generation SIEM, SOAR, XDR, ASM, and XSIAM solutions for enterprise customers across the Asia-Pacific region.

My journey spans India → Singapore → Australia → Singapore, giving me deep cultural understanding and technical acumen to drive Cortex portfolio adoption across diverse customer environments and regulatory landscapes.

Currently at Palo Alto Networks as a Domain Consultant for Cortex, I work with BFSI, Retail, and Service Provider verticals — delivering some of the largest XSIAM deals in ANZ with measurable SOC efficiency improvements.

XSIAM Pioneer

Led some of the largest Cortex XSIAM deployments in ANZ, driving SOC consolidation and AI-powered automation.

Cross-Cultural Expertise

8+ years across APAC markets with proven ability to navigate diverse customer needs and business environments.

Technical-to-Business Translation

Consistently converts complex security architectures into compelling business outcomes and ROI narratives.

Core Competencies

Cortex Portfolio

XSIAM Cortex XDR Cortex XSOAR Cortex Xpanse IBM QRadar

SOC & SecOps

SIEM/SOAR Architecture AI-Driven Analytics Incident Response Exposure Mgmt SOC Optimization

Technical Stack

Python PowerShell REST APIs AWS Azure GCP

SIEM Platforms

QRadar Splunk Microsoft Sentinel XSIAM

Network Security

Next-Gen Firewalls IPS / IDS WAF

AI / ML

LLM Models NotebookLM AI Security Analytics Threat Detection

Professional Experience

Palo Alto Networks Singapore
Domain Consultant — Cortex (BFSI, Retail, Service Providers)
Aug 2023 — Present
  • Spearheaded XSIAM implementations delivering some of the largest Cortex deals in ANZ
  • Architected SOC consolidation strategies unifying XDR, SOAR, and SIEM with measurable MTTR reduction
  • Designed data centralization solutions via XSIAM Command Center for real-time decision-making
  • Led technical validation (PoV) programs achieving 95% win rate across BFSI and retail
Palo Alto Networks Melbourne, Australia
Channel Systems Engineer — Cortex (A&NZ)
Jul 2021 — Jul 2023
  • Enabled 10+ channel partners generating $4M+ pipeline across ANZ
  • Developed strategic enablement programs for SOC transformation and automation
  • Executed partner PoCs resulting in 12 new solution launches
  • Positioned Cortex XDR and XSOAR for managed security services
Wipro Melbourne, Australia
Regional Practice Manager — Cyber Security & Risk
Nov 2020 — May 2021
  • Drove cybersecurity business growth across ANZ with next-gen security solutions
  • Trusted advisor translating technical requirements into strategic roadmaps
Micro Focus Melbourne, Australia
Lead Engagement Consultant
Nov 2019 — Nov 2020
  • Led pre-sales engagements designing holistic multi-vendor security architectures
  • Developed customer journey maps aligning security investments with transformation
IBM Security Singapore
Senior Client Technical Specialist — ASEAN
Nov 2017 — Nov 2019
  • Technical Lead for Cognitive Analytics & Incident Response across ASEAN
  • Architected enterprise SIEM for financial services and government sectors
IBM Security India
Senior Technical Sales Specialist — Asia Pacific
Mar 2012 — Nov 2017
  • Pre-sales technical leadership across APAC with consistent quota attainment
Tata Consultancy Services India
SOC Team Lead — Network Security
Jul 2009 — Jan 2012
  • Led SOC operations for enterprise security across global customers
  • Built SOC processes and procedures for 24x7 monitoring and incident response

Certifications & Education

🛡️
CISSPCertified Information Systems Security Professional
📊
IBM QRadarCertified Associate — Security QRadar V7.0 MR4
🌐
CCNACisco Certified Network Associate
🔓
CEHEC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker
📡
ACWSAAirTight Wireless Security Administrator
📋
ITIL V3Foundation Certification
🎓
BCAIndraprastha University, Delhi — 2008

Get In Touch

🌐
Website
📍
Based in
Singapore
🔗

Let's Secure Something Together

Whether it's SOC transformation, XSIAM deployment, or AI-driven security — I'm always open to a conversation.

Send a Message →