Security conference 2022 speakers

Keynote speakers

Matilda Rhode

Matilda is head of cyber innovation and scouting at Airbus Operations Ltd.

Dr. Matilda Rhode is an economist turned security researcher with a keen interest in how artificial intelligence (AI) can be applied to security and how AI can be protected. As head of the cyber innovation and scouting team at Airbus, she works with a team of experts across cyber disciplines to try to anticipate and mitigate future cyber risks.

Professor Pete Burnap

Pete is professor of data science and cyber security at Cardiff University

Professor Burnap is director of the Cardiff Centre for Cyber Security Research, and Airbus's only global centre of excellence in cyber security analytics. He sits on the UK government's AI Council, advising on artificial intelligence and the data economy. His research covers the development of artificial intelligence approaches to automated cyber attack detection and response, and the fusion with risk and human factors of cyber security. He also directs the Wales Cyber Innovation Hub – a £13.8 million programme aiming to grow the Wales cyber security sector by 50% over the next five years through innovations in IP commercialisation, and to develop a world class suite of hands-on cyber security skills programmes aligned to local industry needs – reskilling over 1500 people in South East Wales.

Dave Spence

Dave is account director at KHIPU Networks

Dave has worked at KHIPU for over 12 years and been part of KHIPU’s successful transition from a traditional reseller to a fully fledged managed network and security services partner, delivering managed SOC services to customers across all industries. Dave is responsible for a number of strategic customers within education and research. He oversees KHIPU’s relationship with Jisc as a customer and framework partner, most recently to bring to market the Jisc managed firewall service.

Larisa Davidovic

Larisa is head of technical pre-sales and dev ops at KHIPU Networks

Larisa is responsible for a team of network and security architects, solution specialists and dev ops experts. She specialises in cross-platform solutions and processes that result in unified networks and security.

Sarah Lawson

Sarah is director of information services division (interim) and chief information security officer (CISO) at UCL

Sarah is currently interim director of information services division and CISO for UCL. Sarah is an evangelist for transforming and simplifying information security practice both in the HE sector and global enterprise. Her career in technology and security spans over 20 years working at many levels including three years at Gartner working with global enterprise CISOs. Recently Sarah has been developing practical ways of using the latest research in  changing human behaviour to create stronger cyber and data security good practice.

Chris Parker MBE

Chris is director of government at Fortinet UK

Chris Parker MBE joined Fortinet UK in 2020. He is a strategic leader who has designed and led international operations at national and multi-national level. His senior corporate roles include being a $1 billion infrastructure project director, chief operating officer (COO) of a global oil exploration corporation and founder of three consultancy companies. Chris is a fellow of the Tällberg Foundation, holds a masters degree in technology and two post-graduate diplomas in strategic management.

Adrian Ellison

Adrian is associate pro vice-chancellor and chief information officer at University of West London

Adrian Ellison is associate pro vice-chancellor and chief information officer at the University West London, where he is a member of the vice-chancellor’s executive and has responsibility for academic administration, academic registry, academic quality and standards, library and IT services and the Institute for Policing Studies. He has been in UK higher education for 24 years having worked previously for London School of Economics and Political Science, Royal Holloway University of London and the University of Leeds. Adrian is chair of UCISA, the member-led professional body for digital practitioners within education, actively promoting networking, collaboration and shared inspirational thinking. He has written about and spoken widely on the use of technology, cyber security and analytics in the HE sector, nationally and internationally.

Alex Harding

Alex is head of IT services at Runshaw College

With fifteen years’ experience in the further education sector, Alex leads the college’s IT services function. He is equally passionate about service management, cyber security and the positive impact a secure, agile, functional and excellent IT service can make. Alex is an ITIL strategic leader, managing professional with an MSc in agile leadership. Under Alex’s leadership the team achieved a 4-star business led rating from the Service Desk Institute and his team were also crowned Best Service Desk 2022 at the SDI Awards. Alex is a keen advocate for the adoption of best practice approaches in IT and this has brought success for the team and the college as a whole.

Jonathan Wilson

Jon is executive head of IT at Milton Keynes College 

Jon has worked as an IT lead in education for over 20 years across further education and academy trusts. Milton Keynes College ia a large FE college group that also delivers education into 20 prisons across the country. Jon has worked there for five years and has recently established a dedicated security function within their IT department. 

Tasha G

Tasha is deputy director of cyber assessments at NCSC

Tasha has worked on cyber policy since 2015, first at the Home Office and then at NCSC where she heads up the cyber assessments team.

Zac Warren

Zac is chief security advisor at Tanium

Zac started his career in IT with a passion for cyber security and was a senior security analyst at a leading manufacturer of security platforms and later a cyber security architect and consultant for large system integrators. Zac has spent most of his career helping government agencies and several Fortune 100 companies reorganise their security architectures, controls, policies, and procedures. Today, Zac is responsible for developing and supporting Tanium’s cyber security business in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

Alison Wakefield

Alison is professor of criminology and security studies at University of West London

Alison is a professor at the University of West London and co-director of its cybersecurity and criminology centre. She is also a senior associate fellow of the Royal United Services Institute, a member of the National Preparedness Commission, and chair emeritus of the Security Institute, the UK’s largest member association for security practitioners. Her publications include Security and Crime: Converging Perspectives on a Complex World (Sage, 2021). Alison was named one of SC Media UK’s 30 Women of Influence in Cyber Security 2022.