Meet the CRN Lifetime Achievement Award winner: Michael Demery, Seccom Global
Demery has spent 30 years in the industry and is known for the way he cares for his staff and peers.
While he might be known for his IT prowess, it is his impact on his team, family and peers that makes him a worthy recipient of the CRN Australia Lifetime Achievement Award 2026.
His partner Maryanne Demery explains, “He has always cared deeply about his staff – which is why we have staff still with us after 20 years that started with us – and customers.
“[He] has also generously mentored and supported many others building their own businesses. He has never viewed others as simply competitors, but as colleagues, friends and part of the broader IT community.”
She added, “He is widely respected for his honesty, integrity and genuine care for others and his legacy is not only the business we have built, but the people he has supported and the positive influence he has had across the industry.”
He started MSSP Seccom Global in 2003, where it has grown to support customers across several industries including mining, renewables, aged care, critical infrastructure, local government, manufacturing, education, health, financial services, and legal.
Seccom Global houses 50 staff and is a family run business with both his partner, Maryanne Demery and their children work within the business.
Demery has also helped other MSPs establish themselves within the market by backending them with managed services while they grow, according to Maryanne.
“He has also been a huge advocate for partnering to win and does it with integrity and honesty. He has mentored many young business owners as well,” she added.
Maryanne noted that Demery and his team have worked hard to build a work culture that promotes work-life balance and has a genuine care for their team.
“Michael embodies this culture,” she said.
“He has helped build an environment where there is no ego or politics – just a team that wins together and supports each other. This will be one of our greatest achievements as business owners and one we are extremely proud of.”
She added that Demery has also helped to establish partnerships with three major telcos and has delivered over 2000 SD-WAN sites on behalf telco partners to date.
Demery’s leadership style
Describing how Demery operates, Maryanne said he is someone that wants to be in the trenches alongside his team.
“His leadership style is relaxed, approachable and caring, while always remaining professional,” he said.
“He is genuinely liked by the people around him and is rarely without a smile, an encouraging word or a willingness to help.
“At the same time, he is highly competitive and driven to succeed. What makes him special is that he wants everyone to succeed together — he celebrates the wins of others as much as his own and creates a culture where people feel supported, valued and motivated to do their best.”
What makes Demery inspiring is his vision and his ability to see where technology and the industry are heading, Maryanne noted.
“He is always looking ahead and thinking about where the business needs to go next. While we make decisions together as a team, Mick has a real knack for understanding technology, emerging trends and the direction the industry is taking and he isn’t afraid to take risks or change things up accordingly!”
As an example, Maryanne said that Seccom has had a 24x7 SOC from day one — long before there was any real market requirement for it — because Michael understood the value it would ultimately bring to our customers.
“He has consistently had the courage to invest in what he believes the industry will need, often well before others see it coming,” she added.
In terms of community service, Demery gives back to the community in several ways, professionally and personally.
“We have several NFP Customers and he is always looking for ways to support them. We have also supported charity golf events, or sporting events to raise funds with other industry partners,” she said.
“On a personal level, Mick also works with the local Men’s Shed organisation, giving his time outside work helping others learn things such as woodwork.”
Demery reacts to the news
For Demery, winning the CRN Lifetime Achievement awards was "very unexpected”.
"It’s not something you actively pursue and then it happens and it’s very humbling,” he said.
“You spend years focused on customers, your team and the next challenge, so you don’t often stop to look up and think about these types of things – but to be recognised by my peers in the industry means a great deal to me.
“I’m proud of what we’ve built at Seccom, but this award reflects the work of many people, not just me.”
Winning this award, Demery thanked his wife, Maryanne, first and foremost.
“She’s been my rock throughout this journey and has put just as much of herself into Seccom as I have. I’d also like to thank our team, past and present, who have cared about the work and backed the business,” he said.
“And our customers and partners who trusted us, particularly in the early days when we still had a lot to prove.”
The best thing he loves about the Aussie IT channel is the people hands down.
“It’s competitive, but there’s also a real willingness to help each other out and a genuine support for one another,” he explained.
“Some of the relationships I value most started through the channel years ago and remain to this day. I love seeing Australian businesses and people with great ideas get a chance, then watching what they build over time.”
For 2027, Demery said he has some “big plans”.
“It will be about pushing hard to see those come to fruition,” he said.
In the last few remaining months, this year is also all about giving their people room to grow and “show everyone how incredible they are”.
“We’re working on making our security and network services more accessible to customers, while continuing to invest in the people and systems behind them and this will be reflected in our customer experience moving forward,” he said.
“Technology will keep changing, but the successful formula is straightforward: do good work, be there when customers need us, and keep earning their trust.”
Demery said he is grateful for the recognition, but he does not see this award as the “finish line”.
“I still enjoy the work, I still learn from the people around me, and I still believe there’s a lot more to do,” he said.
“Thank you to CRN for this award and thanks to everyone who has been part of my journey – especially my team, who are what Seccom is all about.”
Recognition from his colleagues
Trevor Ings, the CCO, Seccom Global said he has known Demery for more than 10 years and met him when he owned his own business.
“Even back then, he was always willing to share advice, challenge your thinking and help where he could. Before I sold the business, he spent a fair amount of time chasing me to come across to Seccom. As usual, he was right,” he said.
“Michael is a rare combination. He's a salt of the earth country man with a sharp eye for technology, a genuine passion for people, and an ability to tell a yarn that can keep a room entertained for hours.”
More importantly, Ings noted that he is someone who “genuinely cares”.
“He cares about his team, his customers, his company and, above all, his family. He's built a career on relationships, trust and doing the right thing by people,” he said.
“I've seen firsthand the impact he's had on individuals, businesses and the broader industry over many years. He's helped countless people in their careers, often without seeking any recognition for it.”
He added, “To me, Mick has always been one of the good ones. A leader, a mentor, a mate and an absolute legend. I can't think of anyone more deserving of a Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Dinesh Senadheera, the technical team lead at Seccom Global said Demery has been an “extraordinary role model” for him.
“From day one, coming from a completely different cultural, professional, and international background, Mick has been an extraordinary role model and mentor to me,” he said.
“Beyond his exceptional professional guidance, he genuinely cares about helping his team grow both personally and professionally.
“His open, approachable nature, and endless supply of great stories, played a pivotal role in helping me adapt, even if it took my ears a good few months to tune into that thick Aussie country accent.”
What Senadheera admires most about Michael is his genuine humility, his deep capacity to listen, and the authentic respect he shows for everyone’s perspective.
“He actively works to enrich our organizational culture, ensuring that everyone around him thrives,” he said.
“His down-to-earth leadership style, genuine care for people, and ability to foster an inclusive workplace make him deeply respected and valued by everyone who works alongside him. It is a true privilege and honour to work with him.”
Senior BDM at Seccom Global Pritesh Bhatt said Demery is often called a legend in their industry, but those who truly know him understand that the impact he makes goes far beyond him leading Seccom for the past 23 years.
“He and Maryanne built the business through courage, hard work, and strong values, taking a risk on an idea and turning it into something special. More than a company, Mick (and Maryanne) have created a family built on trust, support, and genuine care for people’s success,” he said.
“Through every challenge and achievement, and also the tough times, he has always been there, not just as a leader, but as a true friend.”
Learn more about the CRN Channel Awards Australia 2026.