The East Midlands Cyber Summit will return in 2027 following the success of its inaugural event earlier this year.

The sold-out event in February – which brought together regional businesses, cyber professionals, educators and public-sector stakeholders for a day of practical cyber-resilience learning – was 58% oversubscribed.

East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster (EMCSC), which delivered the first Summit, has confirmed plans to bring the event back next year.

And it has now launched a sponsorship pack for organisations interested in supporting the 2027 programme.

About East Midlands Cyber Summit

East Midlands Cyber Summit is a regional event for organisations wanting to understand and improve cyber resilience in a practical, proportionate way.

It is designed for business leaders, SME decision-makers, technology and cyber professionals, education providers, public-sector stakeholders and organisations working across the regional cyber ecosystem.

The 2027 event will build on the first Summit’s focus on useful insight, real-world experience, practical action and meaningful connections. 

Its purpose is to help organisations make more informed decisions about cyber risk, business continuity, workforce skills and digital security.

When and where is the 2027 Summit?

The second East Midlands Cyber Summit will take place on:

• Date: Tuesday 23 February 2027
• Venue: The Venue @ DMU
• Address: Western Boulevard, Leicester

Why is the Summit needed?

The Summit is returning following strong demand for the inaugural East Midlands Cyber Summit in 2026.

The event brought together business leaders, cyber specialists and regional partners to discuss the steps organisations can take to make cyber security a core business priority. It provided practical guidance on topics including leadership responsibility, cyber risk, incident planning, workforce awareness, supplier checks, secure backups and access controls. 

The event was organised by EMCSC through its CyberGrowth programme, delivered in partnership with De Montfort University and funded through the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s Cyber Local scheme.

Dr Ismini Vasileiou, founder of the East Midlands Cyber Summit and EMCSC, said: “The response to our first East Midlands Cyber Summit showed the level of interest across the region in practical, relevant cyber-resilience support. 

“Businesses do not need more complexity. They need the confidence, knowledge and connections to take proportionate action.

“The Summit created valuable conversations between businesses, cyber specialists, educators and public-sector partners. 

“Bringing it back in 2027 allows us to build on that momentum, strengthen regional collaboration and support more organisations to make cyber resilience part of their everyday decision-making.”

What do Summit speakers cover?

The inaugural Summit combined specialist perspectives with first-hand business experience.

Keynote speaker Paul Abbott, former Group Director of KNP Logistics, shared the experience of the ransomware attack that forced the 158-year-old transport business into administration, resulting in the loss of more than 700 jobs. 

His session highlighted the commercial, operational and human consequences of a serious cyber incident, as well as the importance of board-level understanding and practical safeguards.

Other contributors included representatives from techUK, Cyber PATH, the East Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre and ISACA. 

The programme explored cyber risk, business resilience, emerging threats, leadership, workforce skills and regional collaboration.

How can organisations sponsor the Summit?

EMCSC has created a dedicated sponsorship pack for organisations interested in supporting the East Midlands Cyber Summit 2027.

The pack sets out the available sponsorship opportunities and explains how organisations can become involved in an event focused on cyber resilience, knowledge exchange and workforce development across the East Midlands.

Sponsorship provides an opportunity to support a practical regional event that convenes business leaders, cyber specialists, education providers, public-sector stakeholders and the wider technology community.

Organisations interested in sponsorship can access the East Midlands Cyber Summit 2027 sponsorship pack here. 

For further information, please contact Ismini.vasileiou@emcsc.uk.

ENDS