Cyber Leaders

In this special episode of Cyber Leaders, Ciaran and James are joined once again by Tim Conway, Technical Director of Industrial Control Systems Security at SANS, to discuss the ongoing conflict in Iran. As three of the world’s most potent cyber actors clash militarily, Tim shares his expert insight on the cyber dimensions of the conflict, the real-world risks for cyber defenders, and how best to protect critical infrastructure in an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape.

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In this episode, Ciaran and James are joined by cyber policy and practices leader Jen Easterly. Together they discuss the power of storytelling in cybersecurity, the evolution of cyber as a tool of state power, and why Secure by Design is critical to improving the security of the technologies we rely on

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In this special live episode of Cyber Leaders, Ciaran sits down with Thomas Harvey, CISO at Santander UK. As one of the UK’s leading operational cybersecurity figures, Thomas discusses the growing need for cross-sector collaboration, why a more connected security community is essential to national cyber resilience, and how building trust can help create a safer and more fraud-resistant digital landscape. 

Recorded at Merchant Taylors’ Hall, London on Wednesday the 22nd of October 2025.  

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In this episode, Ciaran and James speak with Emily Taylor of Oxford Information Labs and Roxana Radu, Associate Professor of Digital Technologies and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, about who really controls the internet. Emily and Roxana discuss how internet governance operates amid shifting geopolitics, dissect the foundational protocols (and problems) that underpin the web, and explore the often-obscure institutions that keep it running.

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In this episode, Ciaran and James are joined by Curtis Dukes, Executive Vice President of the Center for Internet Security, to discover what “best practice” really means in cybersecurity today. Curtis draws on his extensive experience as former Head of the Information Assurance Directorate at the NSA, and discusses his current work on safe harbor laws and global “secure by design” initiatives aimed at building a safer digital world.

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In this episode, Ciaran and James speak with Dr. Nikki Robinson – author, professor, and Senior Technical Staff Member and Senior Manager for Platform Development at IBM – about vulnerability management and human factors in cybersecurity. Nikki shares insights from her research into vulnerability chaining and how organisations can strengthen their approach to managing technical risk, as well as the human dynamics that shape security behaviour across teams.

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In this episode, Ciaran and James speak with Heather Barnhart, Senior Director of Forensic Research at Cellebrite and Head of Faculty and DFIR Curriculum Lead at SANS, about the challenging world of digital forensics. Heather shares her experiences working on high-profile criminal cases, discusses the importance of thorough logging, and reflects on the real-world impact of cybersecurity on people’s lives.

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In this episode, Ciaran and James are joined by Marin Ivezic and Dr. Kawin Boonyapredee of Applied Quantum to discuss one of the biggest strategic challenges in the future of cybersecurity: quantum computing. 

Marin and Kawin share their insights on quantum and how it could reshape security; from the existential risk of Q-Day to the regulations driving quantum readiness.

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In this episode, Ciaran and James are joined by Paul Chichester CMG, MBE, Director of Operations at the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, to explore how cyber threats have evolved over the decades. Drawing on more than 30 years experience at GCHQ, Paul reflects on the progression, from early digital espionage to major nation-state attacks and the rise of ransomware, and explains why collaboration and partnership remain essential to building a safer online world.

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In this episode, Ciaran and James are joined by SANS Chief of Research and Head of Faculty, Rob Lee, to tackle the one big issue on everyone’s mind, AI. Rob shares his expert insight on the rapid rise of AI, from mainstream adoption to cognitive impact, and examines the threats, opportunities, and where human judgment still matters.

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