EMCSC founder Dr Ismini Vasileiou has been invited to speak at the Westminster eForum policy conference.

The online event in March will consider Next steps for cyber security policy and regulation in the UK and will feature Dr Vasileiou alongside keynote speaker Professor Simon Shiu, lead author of the UK Cyber Growth Action Plan report, and senior industry figures including Ben Lyons, Senior Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Darktrace.

Darktrace is a global AI cybersecurity company that uses self-learning AI to understand normal behaviour in an organisation’s digital environment and autonomously detect and respond to subtle signs of cyber attack in real time.

The conference will bring together policymakers, regulators, industry leaders and experts to explore how the UK should respond to fast‑evolving cyber threats, new regulation and the National Cyber Action Plan. 

Sessions will cover AI‑enabled threats, ransomware, the extension of NIS Regulations to cloud and managed service providers, and how to define and support critical suppliers across complex digital supply chains.

UK Cyber Growth Action Plan aligning resilience, innovation and economic growth

Professor Shiu will deliver a keynote speech on UK Cyber Growth Action Plan – developments, priorities and implications. He will outline how the UK can align resilience, innovation and economic growth. 

Professor Shiu’s report, published in January, makes system‑wide recommendations on leadership, regional clusters and public engagement in cyber skills and innovation.

Dr Vasileiou’s invitation reflects her growing influence on cyber skills, regional ecosystems and workforce policy through EMCSC and the Cyber Workforce of the Future White Paper. 

Her contribution will bring the perspective of a regional cluster leader and academic working directly with SMEs, education providers and policymakers on closing skills gaps and building sustainable cyber capability.

Turning National Cyber Policy into organisational resilience

For EMCSC, the conference is an opportunity to demonstrate how regional initiatives, skills programmes and industry – academia collaboration can help turn national policy into real resilience for organisations across the UK. 

By speaking alongside Professor Shiu and other senior stakeholders, Dr Vasileiou will help keep workforce, skills and regional growth at the heart of the UK’s next phase of cyber strategy.

Dr Vasileiou, Associate Professor at De Montfort University, said: “Being invited to speak at Westminster alongside the author of the UK Cyber Growth Action Plan is a real opportunity to bring the voice of regions, SMEs and educators into the national cyber conversation. 

“If we want policies and action plans to succeed, they must be grounded in the realities of the organisations delivering them every day – from local businesses to colleges and universities. My focus will be on how we turn strategy into skills, careers and practical support that strengthen cyber resilience in every part of the UK.”

Bridging the gap from cyber strategy to practical business support

By sharing insights alongside Professor Shiu and other senior stakeholders, Dr Vasileiou will help ensure that workforce, skills and regional growth remain central to the UK’s next phase of cyber strategy – bridging the gap between high‑level plans and the practical support that businesses, public services and local ecosystems need to thrive securely.

Other speakers include Arunava Banerjee, Cyber Risk Consulting Lead at Zurich Resilience Solutions UK, and Nick Benson, CEO of CREST International. 

Book a place at the conference on March 23 here.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

NEED TO KNOW

Why has EMCSC founder Dr Ismini Vasileiou been invited to speak at the Westminster eForum policy conference?

Dr Ismini Vasileiou has been invited because of her growing influence on cyber skills, regional ecosystems and workforce policy through EMCSC and the Cyber Workforce of the Future White Paper. She will provide the perspective of a regional cluster leader and academic working directly with SMEs, education providers and policymakers on closing skills gaps and building sustainable cyber capability.

What is the UK Cyber Growth Action Plan and how does it relate to the conference?

The UK Cyber Growth Action Plan is a national report led by Professor Simon Shiu that sets out system‑wide recommendations on leadership, regional clusters and public engagement in cyber skills and innovation. At the conference, Professor Shiu will give a keynote on how the UK can align resilience, innovation and economic growth, setting the context for discussions on future policy and regulation.

How will EMCSC contribute to the discussion on cyber security policy?

EMCSC will highlight how regional initiatives, skills programmes and collaboration between industry and academia can turn national cyber policy into real organisational resilience. Through Dr Vasileiou’s contribution, workforce, skills and regional growth will be kept at the centre of conversations about the UK’s next phase of cyber strategy.