Speakers

Ajay Kumar, Head of AI, Salesforce

Ajay Kumar is Head of Artificial Intelligence at Salesforce, where he works at the intersection of AI, enterprise architecture, data and integration. With nearly a decade at Salesforce, his experience spans generative AI, AI and data platforms, enterprise integration and complex digital architectures. Alongside his role at Salesforce, Ajay is an AI Tutor at the University... of Oxford. His work gives him a practical perspective on the challenges organisations face as AI moves from experimentation into production—including how AI systems interact with enterprise data, applications and existing technology estates.more

Andy Powell, CISO, A.P. Moller Maersk

Andy Powell joined Maersk in June 2018 as the Chief Information Security Officer, and is accountable to the CIO and CEO for assuring all aspects of Information Security and Cybersecurity, across all brands that form part of A P Moller-Maersk. Prior to joining Maersk, Andy was head of the Cybersecurity business for Capgemini in UK, prior to that for CSC, and in both... roles, was responsible for delivering Cybersecurity solutions for clients across all sectors. Andy has spent much of his career in the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) as an Engineering Officer, and served as CIO/CISO for the RAF and was Head of Cyber Defence Operations for the UK Ministry of Defence. He is a keen runner (slow), ex-Windsurfer (too slow) and Golfer (too fast)!more

David Varney, Partner, Womble Bond Dickinson

David is a partner in Womble Bond Dickinson’s Digital team, advising clients on technology, data and cybersecurity matters. With more than 15 years’ experience, he supports businesses on complex technology transactions, digital transformation projects, IT outsourcing, software development and licensing, cloud services, digital marketing, data protection, e-privacy,... cybersecurity and emerging technologies, including AI governance and implementation.David acts for global technology providers, UK corporates, PLCs and high-growth businesses across a range of sectors, including energy and utilities, real estate, retail, financial services, healthcare and manufacturing. He is recognised by Chambers and Legal 500 for his work in information technology and data protection, and has extensive experience advising on the technology, data and intellectual property aspects of corporate transactions. He is also a member of the Society for Computers and Law and the International Technology Law Association.more

Isabella Wilkinson, Senior Research Fellow, Digital Society Programme, Chatham House

Isabella Wilkinson is a senior research fellow in the Digital Society Programme at Chatham House. Her work focuses on the geopolitics of global technology governance (specifically AI), new centres of decision-making power on technology, and disinformation.Isabella is also a DPhil Public Policy candidate at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford,... where her research explores the political economy of collective action among companies in global AI governance. Passionate about advancing equity in international affairs, she is Co-Chair of Women in International Security UK. Formerly, Isabella was a Research Associate in Chatham House’s International Security Programme – covering cybersecurity, cybercrime and gender – and part of the Journal of Cyber Policy’s Editorial Team. She was also a Visiting Fellow at The Hague Program for International Cybersecurity.more

Ray Dodd, Head of Infosec Transformation & AI Security, Just Group PLC

Ray Dodd is a senior cyber security and AI governance leader with more than 25 years’ experience across UK financial services, telecommunications, local government and retail. His career has centred on security transformation, turning fragmented or immature functions into trusted capabilities that strengthen resilience, protect information and support business ambitions.
Working... with boards, executive teams and technical specialists, Ray translates complex security and technology risks into clear decisions, accountable ownership and measurable improvements. He aligns security strategy with organisational priorities, enabling businesses to embrace innovation with confidence.
His expertise spans security transformation, governance, risk and compliance, data protection and supplier assurance. He brings experience of PRA- and FCA-regulated financial services, alongside established security standards and frameworks, including ISO/IEC 27001, NIST and PCI DSS amongst others.
Recent focus has been on AI security and governance, Ray helps organisations establish effective oversight, assess emerging threats and embed accountability into the responsible adoption of AI.
Alongside his executive career, Ray brings non-executive board experience across charitable and commercial organisations, including Emerging Leaders, contributing strategic oversight, constructive challenge and governance expertise.
Ray believes CISOs must understand AI through practical use. By actively engaging with the technology, security leaders can unlock its business and security potential, understand its limitations and strengthen their organisations’ ability to defend against AI-accelerated threats.more

Leroy Stanford, Director of Cyber Security, Ocado Group

As Director of Cyber Security at Ocado Technology, Leroy leads enterprise security across multiple disciplines, including security engineering, security operations, security architecture, governance, risk management, and security culture. Working closely with executive leadership, engineering, product, and platform teams, Leroy ensures security is embedded into the... way technology is designed, built, and operated. His approach is centred on making security a strategic business enabler that accelerates innovation while strengthening organisational resilience.With more than 20 years of experience in cybersecurity, Leroy has built his career at the intersection of security, business strategy, and leadership. His focus has always been on helping organisations grow securely by building high-performing teams, embedding security into technology and business decisions, and creating strategies that enable innovation while effectively managing risk.Early in his career, Leroy recognised that effective cybersecurity is as much about people as it is about technology. Building resilience requires understanding human behaviour, developing trust, and creating cultures where security becomes a shared responsibility.This interest led Leroy to study psychotherapy, strengthening his ability to mentor leaders, develop teams, and apply behavioural insights to security awareness, organisational change, and leadership.Alongside his executive role, Leroy advises organisations on cybersecurity strategy, governance, and leadership. His work focuses on helping businesses translate complex cyber risks into clear business decisions, enabling boards and executives to make informed, risk-based choices.Passionate about developing the next generation of cybersecurity leaders, Leroy mentors, coaches, and speaks regularly on leadership, security culture, and the future of cybersecurity. He is a strong advocate for a more inclusive profession that values diverse perspectives, continuous learning, and leadership at every level, believing that the strongest security teams are built by investing in people as much as technology.Leroy holds industry-leading certifications, including CISSP, CISM, CISA, CCISO, and CRISC. These reflect his commitment to continuous professional development, while his primary focus remains delivering measurable business outcomes through effective cybersecurity leadership.
Leroy's mission is to help organisations build trust, enable innovation, and lead confidently in an increasingly digital world by connecting cybersecurity, business strategy, and human behaviour.more

Sarah Lawson, Director of Cybersecurity, Risk and Resilience (CISO), Oxford University Press

Sarah has over 20 years’ experience in technology and cybersecurity and is currently Director of Cybersecurity, Risk and Resilience (CISO) at Oxford University Press. She leads a team of professionals working on improving security resilience while ensuring user's experience of robust security is a positive one. Sarah brings extensive leadership experience from senior... roles including CISO at University College London, Amey and OCS Group.more

Andy Giles, Executive Director, Cyber & Technology Risk Reporting and Metrics, JPMorgan Chase

Andy leads cybersecurity intelligence integration with business security risk management stakeholder groups and manages strategic cybersecurity intelligence sharing relationships within the UK.  Andy is an internationally experienced cybersecurity leader in the financial services industry, where he has led security policy implementation, risk and control management,... consultancy services and cyberthreat intelligence frameworks integration within high-profile financial services firms, where he also provided transformational thought leadership in the Zero Trust architecture and metrics automation fields. A veteran of British military intelligence and security operations spanning Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Central Europe, Andy is passionate about clearly communicating how cyberthreats can impact security risks to enable effective decision-making.more

Punit Bafna, Head of Cybersecurity & Compliance, Haleon

Punit is the Head of Cybersecurity and Compliance at Haleon, where he leads the organisation's cybersecurity, governance, risk, and compliance strategy, helping to strengthen cyber resilience across the global business.Prior to joining Haleon, Punit was the Information Security Engineering Principal at bp, where he was responsible for information security assurance,... GRC technology and automation strategy, and product security, supporting all three lines of defence. During his time at bp, he also served as Head of GRC Technology Enablement and Information Security Assurance, leading global security assurance initiatives and managing product security across finance and other corporate functions.Punit began his career at Accenture in 2005 as a graduate in India before taking on controls and SOX specialist roles at Philips and HCL. He later joined bp Malaysia as a Lead Security Engineer and progressed through a variety of business information security and security engineering leadership roles before relocating to the UK.With more than 15 years of experience, Punit has built and led large-scale cybersecurity functions spanning security engineering, application security, governance, risk and compliance (GRC), platform security, product security, and second-line assurance. He has extensive expertise in developing security capabilities that enable organisations to manage cyber risk while supporting business transformation.Punit holds an Engineering Degree and a postgraduate certificate in Business Management from XLRI. He is a Certified PRINCE2 Practitioner, CISA, ISO 27001 Lead Implementer, and GRCP.more

Ben Trethowan, CISO, Brit Insurance

Ben is a senior technology leader of some 18 years’ experience and is currently the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Brit Insurance. He is an accomplished hands-on Cyber Security leader, with extensive experience working in the FinTech, Entertainment, Transport and Defence sectors. Ben has led Cyber Security activities at all levels, from governance... and strategy to transformation and technical implementation, and continues to expand his skills through both academic and professional development. He also offers his Cyber Security and broader engineering skills voluntarily to a number of organisations that he supports. more

Etay Maor, VP Threat Intelligence and Founding Member of Cato CTRL, Cato Networks

Etay Maor is the VP, Threat Intelligence at Cato Networks, a Founding Member of Cato CTRL, and an industry-recognized cybersecurity researcher. Prior to joining Cato in 2021, Etay was the Chief Security Officer for IntSights (acquired by Rapid7), where he led strategic cybersecurity research and security services. Etay has also held senior security positions at Trusteer... (acquired by IBM) and RSA Security’s Cyber Threats Research Labs. Etay is an adjunct professor at Boston College and a guest lecturer at MIT. Etay holds a Master’s degree in Counterterrorism and Cyber-Terrorism and a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from IDC Herzliya.more

Patrick Sullivan, Vice President of Strategy & Innovation, A-LIGN

Patrick Sullivan is the Vice President of Strategy & Innovation at A-LIGN, specializing in AI Governance, IT security, and compliance. With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Patrick focuses on providing strategic guidance and support to our customers and partners, helping them navigate the complex and evolving landscape of AI governance, cybersecurity,... and compliance. His expertise is instrumental in aiding organizations to achieve their strategic security and compliance goals effectively.more

Stuart Wilson, Sales Engineering Director, Europe, Forcepoint

Stuart Wilson is the Sales Engineering Director for Europe at Forcepoint, bringing over 25 years of experience in cybersecurity and enterprise security technologies.Throughout his career, Stuart has worked with organisations across a broad range of industries, helping them address complex security challenges, protect sensitive information and adapt to an ever-evolving... threat landscape.Today, Stuart leads Forcepoint's European Sales Engineering organisation, working closely with security professionals, CISOs and enterprise customers to tackle emerging challenges in data security, risk management and the secure adoption of AI and other transformative technologies.As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes the way organisations operate, Stuart brings a practical, industry-focused perspective on the evolving security implications of AI, from protecting sensitive data and managing new risks to enabling innovation without compromising security or control.more

Aiden Sinnott, Principal Threat Researcher, Sophos

Aiden Sinnott is a Principal Threat Researcher with Sophos, specialising in cyber threat intelligence and incident investigations. He works at the intersection of technical research and strategic risk, helping organisations understand how threat actors operate and how emerging technologies, including AI, are reshaping the threat... landscape. His research has supported security teams, business leaders, and public sector stakeholders, and he is a frequent speaker on cybercrime trends, ransomware operations, intelligence-led defence, and the future of cyber threats.more

Khetan Gajjar, Field CTO EMEA, Mimecast

Khetan Gajjar brings over 25 years of leadership and expertise in the ICT sector to his role as Field Chief Technology Officer for EMEA at Mimecast. He sets the long-term vision for cybersecurity in the region, focusing on innovative solutions and integrating customer needs into strategic business plans. Khetan’s career includes leading roles at... Meta, where he led the OpenWiFi Project Group, and executive positions at Vodacom, VAST Networks, and Internet Solutions. As a trusted advisor, he shapes strategies to secure businesses against evolving cyber threats.more

Callum Ring, AI Innovation Architect, Bytes

Callum Ring is AI Innovation Architect at Bytes Software Services, where he owns the company's AI strategy and leads its delivery. His focus is moving AI beyond pilots and into the core of how a business operates.
Callum previously led Bytes' Microsoft Security & Copilot services teams. That background shapes how he approaches AI: what happens when it's wrong,... who is accountable, and how you prove it works before anyone relies on it.
Today he sets the direction for how Bytes adopts AI. That covers which platforms it builds on, the standards that take agentic solutions from idea to production, and the governance that keeps them trusted. He leads from the front, staying close enough to the technology to know what's possible now rather than what was possible six months ago.more

Brett Ayres, CRO, Teneo

Brett Ayres is Chief Revenue Officer at Teneo, having recently transitioned from the role of CTO. With over 17 years’ experience helping organisations design and deliver large-scale network, security and digital transformation programmes, he is responsible for shaping Teneo’s product strategy. His focus is on balancing technical innovation, operational resilience... and commercial value to deliver secure, highly visible and optimised IT platforms.In recent years, Brett has led the integration of AI and automation capabilities into Teneo’s portfolio, with a particular focus on enabling the secure adoption of GenAI and agentic workflows.He has played a key role in evolving Teneo’s managed services to support Zero Trust architectures and the security of AI models. This includes incorporating next-generation security and intelligent visibility to protect distributed workforces.Brett has held a range of senior commercial and technical roles during his time at Teneo. He also regularly writes and speaks about the practical application of AI in complex enterprise environments.more

James Fernley, Director of Cybersecurity Sales, Acora

James Fernley is a cybersecurity leader with more than a decade of experience spanning cyber strategy, security operations, risk and managed security services. He currently leads the client facing Cybersecurity practice at Acora, helping organisations translate cyber risk into pragmatic strategies that deliver measurable business value.
Before joining Acora, James... held senior cybersecurity roles at BDO UK and McLaren, giving him first-hand experience of the challenges CISOs and security leaders face when balancing risk, investment and business priorities.
Having worked on both sides of the table, James brings a unique practitioner’s perspective to cybersecurity. He focuses on cutting through industry hype and helping leaders build resilient organisations, accepting that security isn't about preventing every attack, but understanding what matters most and being prepared to respond when incidents happen.  more

James Sherlow, Senior Solutions Engineer, Noma Security

Josh Neame, Chief Technology Officer, BlueFort Security Ltd

Josh’s 17 year tenure with BlueFort and has honed his expertise as a technology leader, delivering best of breed value driven solutions in both public and private sector. As CTO, Josh orchestrates the strategic direction of BlueFort’s technological endeavours, leveraging his extensive experience in the ever changing and challenging cyber security landscape. By... staying ahead of the curve in the latest security trends and methodologies, Josh ensures that Bluefort delivers the cyber safeguarding clients need, while maintaining trust in protecting against adversaries. His diverse skill set encompasses not only technical proficiency (incl. design, architecture, and implementation) but also a deep understanding of how cyber security plays a major role in business objectives, enabling him to align technology initiatives with organisational goals. more

Simon Turpin, Regional Director, Abnormal AI

Simon Turpin is a seasoned cybersecurity sales leader with over two decades of experience driving growth across enterprise markets. Currently serving as Regional Sales Director for UK&I at Abnormal AI, Simon brings deep domain expertise in solution selling, information security, and account strategy.
Prior to joining Abnormal, Simon led CyberArk’s UK Enterprise... Accounts team, steering strategic engagements and expanding the region’s portfolio through collaborative leadership. His earlier roles include senior sales positions at HP Enterprise Security Services, NTT Data, and Computer Associates, where he consistently delivered results through a hands-on, customer-first approach.
Simon is passionate about building inclusive teams, forging strong partner ecosystems, and championing long-term client success. 
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