Our Expert Network

Antonia is an Assistant Cyber Risk Manager at Deloitte LLP, a professional services firm. With over five years’ experience in the technology industry, working across various areas such infrastructure services, project delivery and risk management. Her role entails her ensuring firm-wide adherence to controls, policies and standards. Antonia is responsible for reporting cyber risks to be managed in the overall risk framework, following Deloitte’s risk appetite approach.

In her lecture she talks about her career journey, skills needed for the industry as well as salary expectations and trends.

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Francesco is an Executive, Public Speaker, out of the box thinker. He is a data and result-driven Cyber Security Executive/vCISO and highly regarded for planning and executing strategic Information Security improvement programs. Francesco has held a number of strategic position ranging from Head of Application Security to Head of Security Architecture. He has extensive experience with implementing security across multi-cloud providers (Amazon An Internationally renowned public speaker, Francesco has multiple interviews in high-profile publications (eg. Forbes). He utilises his platform to evangelise the importance of cloud security and cutting-edge technologies on a global scale. In his lecture, he talks about his career journey in becoming the Head of Security Architecture @ HSBC, industry trends and salary expectations.

Harry Boje is a Certified Data Protection Officer and GDPR certified data protection specialist, with an exemplary career spanning across the public and private sector for NHS hospitals, leasing companies, digital media specialists, global pharmaceuticals, charities, universities and multi-billion global manufacturing businesses.

He has experience in global organisation in world as Group Data Protection Officer & present a Chief Privacy officer for large Non For-Profit organisation. 

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Prior to these role Harry has work on GDPR project across different sector for the past 3 years ranging from GDPR Business Analyst, GDPR SME and GDPR Consultant. Harry has a master’s degree in computer and Network Security, ISO 27001 Lead Implementer, ITIL.

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Katia Dean is the founder of Katia’s CyLife - a business to assist people in learning about the field and to navigate through their cybersecurity careers. As a career changer herself from the Electronic Engineering field, Katia coaches’ people from a variety of fields specializing in resume writing for the cybersecurity industry. She also authored her 1st eBook called The Struggle Is Real: A Blueprint To Excelling Into the Cybersecurity Discipline. Katia graduated with honours from the Master of Science in Cybersecurity Technology program at the University of Maryland Global Campus. She also has a Bachelor of Science in Electronic Engineering. She currently works as a System Engineer for Anavation LLC and supports a contract with the Department of Homeland Security/ Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (DHS/CISA).

Sharon Lawrence is a Cybersecurity Engineer at GDIT. She is a graduate of Business Ed- Information Technology, A+ Certified Computer Technician, CCNA Cyber Ops, with Cisco Certified R &S Associate (Training) with a quick learning curve and an insatiable thirst to work and train on more certifications and potentially advance in IT career to a certified IT Cyber Security expert. An IT Operations Support Analyst backed by strong background knowledge of IT Support for USPS Mobile Wireless Retail Devices/ Training in Wireless Tier II in Monitoring AP & Controllers/ Wireless Network Monitoring. She will be sharing her career journey as well as a step by step guide in becoming a Cybersecurity Engineer as a newbie. Before transitioning to IT, she worked in Retail, banking and the educational fields.

Louise Marie Hurel is currently pursuing her PhD in Data, Networks and Society at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) researching technical security expertise, emerging security epistemologies, cybersecurity governance, and incident response. In 2017, Louise Marie concluded her MSc in Media and Communications (Data and Society) from the LSE (distinction), where she studied the governmentality of IoT Platforms – that is, the relationship between big tech companies and technical architectures in shaping security.

Prior to this, she finished her BA in International Relations from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (distinction), having been awarded for her dissertation “Cybersecurity and Internet Governance: Two Competing Fields”.  

Aisha is a lawyer and Director of Business Development at Orbital Witness, she previously worked at cyber security company Tessian, a start-up focused on "Securing the Human Layer". Tessian’s Human Layer Security platform automatically protects your employees on email – where they spend 40% of their time – from risks like data exfiltration, accidental data loss and phishing. Aisha is also Co-Founder of WEDS (We Empowering Diversity in Start-ups). WEDS is a network founded by women in start-ups who believe that diversity and inclusion of all kinds are essential and drive happiness and success in the workplace.

Ibukun Emmanuel-Adebayo is a mum of five, and a long-standing Fellow of the British Computer Society plus a Vice-President and Senior Cybersecurity Expert for a global investment bank. As an experienced CIO/CISO and GRC leader, she has led and worked with many exceptional individuals within various sectors including as IT Chief at the Royal Albert Hall in the UK.

Often recommended as an IT leadership and Cybersecurity Summit Speaker, by her CIO/CISO peers, Ibukun holds multiple leadership qualifications, including from the Institute of Directors. Having served as a Judge at the Guardian Public Sector Awards 2012, and a BCS ELITE Committee Member, Ibukun has addressed her CIO and CISO peers at summits including the UK’s CIO Summit and Computing Magazine’s Enterprise Security.

Experienced and passionate recruiter and business owner. Karla has experience running businesses in recruitment, staffing and ecommerce. Experience recruiting up to CXO level and across a variety of industries.  Karla has 10 years of experience as a recruiter and business leader. She is committed to growing and developing BeecherMadden as an award-winning international recruitment company, seen as the recruitment partner of choice for corporate governance, resilience & security and niche technology. BeecherMadden provides talent to banks, consultancies, telecoms, retailers, technology houses and public sector bodies. In 2017, BeecherMadden were acquired by the Nicoll Curtin Group.  Karla is a judge for the Cyber Security Awards. She is also an experienced speaker, on the topic of cybersecurity and women in technology. 

Femi is a Project/Programme Manager focused on delivering solutions across Identity Access Management (IAM) Systems, Privileged Account Management (PAM), Vulnerability Management, Software Application Development, Infrastructure & Change Management, IT & Telecoms Service Improvement, ITIL, Internet/E-commerce and Document Management.

He is experienced in the implementation of IAM Solutions (SailPoint IIQ, Okta), PAM Solutions, Vulnerability Management Solutions, Information/Cyber Security, Software Applications, Infrastructure, E-Commerce, Digital, ITIL, ERP and CRM Projects, Web Content Management System (WCMS) Projects using industry-standard methodologies.

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Joyce Osei is a published co-author (having contributed her personal story in Voices of Hope), Business Analyst, and champion of Diversity and Inclusion.

She is a mother of two children, a wife and loves to travel.  From an early age, Joyce has been fascinated with storytelling and loved to create and tell her own stories. Joyce has now published her first children’s book which is called The Adventures of Amma and Kwessi in Barbados.  

Joyce is very passionate about providing access to diverse role models and particularly increasing the representation of BAME women in the workplace.

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Sophina Kio-Lawson is an Information Security Professional with over three (3) years of experience in the tech/cybersecurity space, co-founder for SheSecures and currently an Information Security postgraduate Student at the Royal Holloway University of London. Over the course of these years, She’s had the opportunity to work with some of the key players in social Innovation, financial, telecommunications and human rights sector as a Security Analyst/Researcher. 

This had led her to develop her skills as a digital security analyst (co-creating the safe online.ng guide), are a web application security tester, risk assessment auditor, digital security trainer and an advocate for Online Security. She’s also quite passionate about tech, cybersecurity, human and digital rights and photography.

Cigdem Sengul a Senior Lecturer at Brunel University. She previously worked as a Senior Researcher at Nominet, mainly working on privacy and trust in Internet of Things. She has more than 10 years of experience in research and development in mobile and wireless networks in both academia and industry.  Between 2012-2015, she was a Senior Lecturer in Oxford Brookes University, where she lectured on wireless and mobile networks, and conducted research on energy and interference efficiency in wireless mobile networks, and Internet of Robotic Things. From 2008-2012, she was a Senior Research Scientist at Telekom Innovation Labs.

 Mahbubul Islam is a Chartered Security Professional (CSyP) who has worked in the Security profession for over 12 years covering various functional security roles, 8 years of which has been in security leadership. Initially starting as an apprentice/trainee with no knowledge of security, he helped build the HM Passport Office Information Assurance training Programme. Mahbubul has taken a converged approach to security assurance, audit and delivery, and often transitions between Physical and Cyber Pillars of Security based on project engagement. As a Civil Servant, he has worked at various Government Departments such as Home Office, Department for Work and Pensions and is now employed as the Head of Transformational Security with Government Digital Service (GDS) in a cross-government security role. 

Seyi Akiwowo (Shay-ee Aki-wo-wo)is the Founder and Executive Director of Glitch, a young not-for-profit organisation determined to end online abuse through education, campaigns and advocacy. Using her lived experienced and expertise Seyi travels the globe developing practical solutions with Governments, NGOs and companies to protect our online public spaces from hate and abuse.

Seyi was named UK's Digital Leader of the Year and in 2018, she was named Stylist Magazine’s Woman of the Week. Her many achievements have been captured in books such as Slay in Your Lane and Misogynation. Seyi is Amnesty International’s Human Rights Defender and is part of the #ToxicTwitter campaign to end online abuse against women. Seyi was elected as the youngest black female Councillor in East London at age 23.

Julie Dawson, Director of Regulatory & Policy, Yoti Julie leads regulatory and government relations, steers our ethics framework development liaising closely with the Yoti Guardians Council, and prepares Yoti for external accreditations - such as ISO 27001, BCorps for ethics and transparency and the SOC2 security accreditation. 

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Yoti is an identity checking system that allows organisations to verify who people are, online and in person. Yoti has a team of 250 based in London, with offices in Mumbai and present in the US, Canada and Australia. They count over 6 million installs of the Yoti app, following their launch in November 2017. For consumers, it’s an app that helps them prove who they are and confirm the identities of others. ​

Ebunoluwa Ogundipe is a Cybersecurity Consultant in the Managed Security Services sector responsible for assisting client organisations with the implementation of security tools, methodologies and processes that mitigate risks to critical assets. Her functional experience spans across governance, risk and compliance (GRC) and security operations (SOC). She began her career in Cybersecurity at Accenture in 2017 as an analyst. Prior to that, she completed an MSc. in Information Security degree from Royal Holloway, University of London and BEng. Computer Engineering at Covenant University, Nigeria. She is also a CISSP (Associate of ISC2), CEH, Splunk Power User and AWS Cloud Practitioner certified. Outside of work, Ebun is a member of the ISC2 London Chapter and Women in Security and Privacy (WISP).

Julia Slupska is a doctoral student at the Centre for Doctoral Training in Cybersecurity and the Oxford Internet Institute. Her research focuses on how cybersecurity concepts and practices can address technologically-mediated abuse. She is also exploring how feminist theories and methodology—such as participatory action research and the ethics of care—can improve cybersecurity.

Previously, she completed the MSc in Social Science of the Internet on the role of metaphors in international cybersecurity policy.  Before joining the OII, Julia worked on an LSE Law project on comparative regional integration and coordinated a course on Economics in Foreign Policy for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.  She also works as a freelance photographer.