East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster (EMCSC) founder Dr Ismini Vasileiou has been invited to join senior figures from policing, government and industry at the Cyber Resilience Centre (CRC) Network Summit 2026. 

The invitation-only event takes place at The Kia Oval, London, on Thursday 29 January and brings together key decision-makers shaping the UK’s cyber resilience strategy.

The agenda features contributions from senior policing leaders, the NCRCG’s Cyber PATH talent programme as well as businesses including Mastercard, Co-op, CGI, and NatWest Group. 

Keynote address on national security and high-profile case study

Dan Jarvis MBE MP will deliver the keynote address ‘A Nation’s Security Imperative’. The summit will also include an interview with Rob Elsey, Group Chief Digital and Information Officer at Co-op, reflecting on the organisation’s recent high-profile cyber attack and how it restored operations and customer confidence.

Sessions throughout the event will cover threat intelligence sharing, engaging SMEs, building cyber skills pipelines and increasing uptake of schemes such as Cyber Essentials, Cyber Essentials Plus and Cyber PATH.

Panel discussion to maximise CRC Network impact for SMEs

Dr Vasileiou has been invited to speak on a panel entitled “Ensuring the CRC Network Is Having Maximum Impact”, hosted by CRC Network Lead Patrick Milford. The panel will look at how the Cyber Resilience Centre (CRC) network can navigate cross-government initiatives while maintaining a clear remit focused on small and medium-sized enterprises.

Fellow panellists include Toby Grainger, Head of Wales Cyber Security Operations Centre; Dan Giannasi, Director at the Cyber Resilience Centre for the North West; Tom Howes, Senior Policy Advisor at DSIT; and Stephen Bell, Home Office Head of Cyber Crime Prevention and Victim Support.

Regional clusters bridging Government, policing and industry support

Dr Vasileiou said: “I’m looking forward to joining national colleagues at The Kia Oval to discuss how the CRC network can deliver maximum impact for organisations on the front line of cyber risk.

“Our work at EMCSC is rooted in practical organisational cyber resilience – helping businesses build the culture, capabilities and partnerships they need to prepare for, withstand and recover from cyber incidents. 

“This summit is an important opportunity to ensure that regional clusters like ours are fully aligned with policing, government and industry, so that support for SMEs is joined up, evidence-based and focused on real-world resilience rather than tick-box compliance.”