Ryman Senior Security Engineer Praveen Subramani Turns His Passion for Cybersecurity into Protecting Care and Services
For Praveen Subramani, cybersecurity is much more than a professional responsibility. It is a long-standing passion that began during his university years and has since developed into a career focused on protecting critical systems, sensitive information, and digital services.
Today, Praveen works as a Senior Security Engineer at Ryman, based in Christchurch, New Zealand. As part of a small cybersecurity team responsible for the organisation’s security environment, he plays an important role in identifying and reducing cyber risks, strengthening security controls, monitoring emerging threats, and helping ensure that Ryman’s systems remain secure and reliable.
While much of his work is technical, Praveen says the impact of cybersecurity extends well beyond technology. For an organisation delivering care and services to residents, maintaining secure and dependable systems is an important part of ensuring that teams can continue their work without unnecessary disruption.
A Passion for Cybersecurity That Started at University
Praveen’s interest in cybersecurity began while he was studying computer science and engineering in India.
Rather than discovering cybersecurity later in his professional career, he was drawn to the field from the beginning of his university education. His interest was strong enough that he chose a cybersecurity-related subject for his final college project.
“I studied computer science and engineering and liked cyber security from the start. Even my final project in college was related to it,” Praveen says.
That early interest provided the foundation for a career that would eventually take him into security operations, cloud security, risk management, and cybersecurity leadership.
After completing his education, Praveen worked in cybersecurity roles across several industries. Over time, he developed experience not only in technical security operations but also in managing teams and taking responsibility for broader security functions.
Before joining Ryman, he was a manager within a cloud security operations team. The leadership experience gave him an opportunity to work with cybersecurity from both technical and organisational perspectives.
His move into a senior engineering role at Ryman has allowed him to continue applying that experience while working across a broad range of cybersecurity responsibilities.
Protecting Ryman’s Systems and Data
At Ryman, Praveen primarily focuses on implementing, managing, and optimising cybersecurity technologies designed to protect the organisation’s systems, data, and digital services.
Cybersecurity is a constantly changing discipline, requiring organisations to remain aware of new vulnerabilities, attack methods, and emerging threats. For Praveen and his colleagues, this means security cannot be treated as a one-time implementation.
Instead, security controls must continually be reviewed, improved, and adapted to changing circumstances.
On a typical day, Praveen may be involved in strengthening security controls, assessing risks, monitoring threats, responding to security-related issues, or working on improvements to the organisation’s broader security environment.
The objective is to reduce the likelihood and potential impact of cybersecurity incidents while helping ensure that important systems remain available.
“In effect, this ensures critical business systems remain available, reliable and protected, enabling team members to focus on delivering exceptional care and services to residents,” Praveen explains.
This connection between cybersecurity and care is an important aspect of his role.
For an organisation such as Ryman, technology supports numerous business and operational activities. A disruption to critical systems could affect employees, business processes, and ultimately the organisation’s ability to deliver services.
Cybersecurity therefore plays an important supporting role in maintaining continuity.
Security Has an Impact Beyond Technology
Although Praveen’s responsibilities are primarily technical, he believes the results of his work have a much broader impact.
Every security improvement can contribute to reducing risk. Every potential threat that is identified and addressed can help prevent an incident. And every system that is appropriately protected helps safeguard the organisation’s operations and the information entrusted to it.
“Although my role is primarily technical, the outcome of my work extends far beyond technology,” Praveen says.
“Every security improvement, threat prevented and system protected helps ensure that Ryman’s teams can deliver care without disruption and that residents’ personal information remains secure.”
The protection of personal information is particularly important in environments where organisations handle sensitive information about individuals.
Maintaining appropriate security controls helps protect data while also supporting trust between an organisation, its employees, residents, families, and other stakeholders.
For Praveen, this broader purpose is one of the aspects that makes cybersecurity meaningful.
From Security Operations to Leadership
Before joining Ryman, Praveen had already developed considerable experience working in cybersecurity.
His previous roles exposed him to security challenges across multiple industries, eventually leading to a management position in cloud security operations.
“I managed a team in cloud security operations in my last role,” he says.
That experience provided him with an understanding of how cybersecurity teams operate and how technical security measures connect with broader business requirements.
Cloud security has also become increasingly important as organisations rely on cloud-based systems and digital infrastructure. Protecting these environments requires continuous monitoring, appropriate access controls, risk management, and proactive responses to potential threats.
Praveen brought this experience with him when he joined Ryman, where he now works as part of a small team responsible for cybersecurity across the company.
A Small Team With a Broad Responsibility
One of the things Praveen appreciates about his current role is the size of the team.“We are a team of three and take care of cyber security for the entire company,” he says.Working within a small team means each member can have visibility across a wide range of cybersecurity activities.
Rather than being restricted to a narrow area of responsibility, Praveen has opportunities to become involved in different aspects of security, from risk management to incident reporting and security technology.“I love working here. The team is small, but that allows you to explore more,” he says.
For someone with a strong interest in cybersecurity, that variety provides an opportunity to continue learning.Praveen says he enjoys being involved in different areas of the organisation’s security work and appreciates the opportunity to contribute to projects and challenges across the wider cybersecurity environment.
He also values the team culture.“If you love what you do – that’s ideal. We have a lot of fun here,” he says.
A Journey From India to New Zealand
Praveen’s career journey eventually led him from India to Christchurch.The move to New Zealand was not a sudden decision. It was an ambition he had developed over many years, influenced by his appreciation of nature, outdoor activities, and the country’s reputation as a peaceful place to live.
Outside his professional career, Praveen has a strong connection to mountaineering and outdoor activities.He spent approximately four years as a professional mountaineer and climbed several mountains in the Himalayas and Western Ghats in India.
His love of the outdoors played a major role in his desire to eventually move to New Zealand.Cricket also played an unexpected part in introducing him to the country.
Praveen grew up playing cricket and followed some of the sport’s leading players. Through that interest, he became more familiar with New Zealand.He also became interested in international rankings of countries based on happiness and quality of life.
“I also looked up the happiest countries, and there in fifth place was New Zealand,” he recalls.The country’s natural environment and quieter lifestyle appealed to him.“I kind of like peace and quiet – the nature. So, I always wanted to move here,” he says.
An Opportunity That Arrived After Covid
Like many plans around the world, Praveen’s ambitions were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.His plans to explore opportunities in New Zealand were put on hold for several years.
Eventually, he began looking again and came across an opportunity with Ryman.“I had to start looking again and saw this opportunity at Ryman and luckily my (now) boss at Ryman gave me an opportunity to interview,” he says.
Because Praveen was still in India at the time, the entire recruitment process took place online.“My entire interview process was online because I was in India, and everyone was so helpful,” he says.
Once the interview process was successfully completed, Praveen received the opportunity to move to New Zealand.In 2025, he and his young daughter, Lannah, made the move to Christchurch.
Settling Into Christchurch
Since relocating, Praveen says he has been extremely positive about his experience at Ryman and in his new home.“The team has been fantastic, and I can’t complain about anything,” he says.
The transition has also been positive for his daughter.“It’s just me and my daughter! Lannah loves it here – her preschool is amazing.”For Praveen, building a life in Christchurch involves more than establishing himself professionally. He is also looking forward to becoming part of the local community and taking advantage of the outdoor opportunities that New Zealand provides.
His background as a mountaineer means exploring the outdoors is something he naturally wants to incorporate into his life.
Returning to the Outdoors
Praveen has already started exploring some of the outdoor activities available in his new surroundings.He says he would like to go camping once he and his daughter are more settled. He has also recently tried a beginner mountain bike trail and is considering developing mountain biking into a hobby.
“I would love to do some camping, and I recently tried a beginner mountain bike trail. I’m looking to learn and make it a hobby,” he says.He is also planning to return to hiking and mountaineering.
“I have listed easy-to-tough peaks to summit and will start one at a time,” Praveen says.After spending years climbing mountains in India, the opportunity to explore New Zealand’s peaks is an exciting prospect.
He also hopes that mountaineering will provide an opportunity to meet new people.“I should make friends and be part of a rope team!” he says.
Building a New Future
Praveen’s story combines two passions that have shaped his life: cybersecurity and the outdoors.
Professionally, his passion for cybersecurity has taken him from university studies in computer science and engineering to security operations management and now to a senior security engineering position with Ryman.
His work involves protecting systems and data, managing security technologies, identifying risks, monitoring threats, and helping maintain the reliability of systems that support Ryman’s operations.
Personally, his passion for mountains and nature helped inspire his long-standing ambition to move to New Zealand.The move eventually became possible after the pandemic, with an opportunity at Ryman providing the catalyst.
Now, with his daughter settled into life in Christchurch and his career established at Ryman, Praveen is looking forward to building connections in his adopted home.“I want to be in a place that we feel connected to,” he says.
His experience demonstrates how professional expertise can have an impact far beyond a technical job description. By helping protect Ryman’s systems and information, Praveen contributes to the organisation’s ability to deliver reliable services and care.
At the same time, his personal journey reflects the value of pursuing long-term ambitions, whether that means building a career in a field that has been a passion since university or eventually finding a new home surrounded by the nature and outdoor opportunities he has always enjoyed.
For Praveen, Christchurch appears to offer the combination he has been seeking: meaningful cybersecurity work, a supportive team, opportunities to continue learning, and a place where he and his daughter can build a connected life.
And with a list of mountains waiting to be climbed, his next chapter in New Zealand may be just as adventurous outside the workplace as it is within it.
Source link: https://www.rymanhealthcare.co.nz/
