This conference explores what the UK Government’s proposed Cyber Security and Resilience Bill means for emerging and current IT Leaders.
Speakers
- Michael Crooymans, FBCI, FIRSM
- Rick Cudworth
- Jonathan Leeson, FBCS, CITP
- Russell Friend
- Gill Ringland
- Steve Sands, CITP, FBCS, MCIIS
- Dr Sam De Silva
- Ed Steinmueller. PhD, FBCS
Agenda
17:00 - Chairman’s welcome and introduction
17:05 - The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill
17:30 - Implications for IT Leaders
18:05 - New skills – Education and training, qualifications
18:35 - Closing panel – what else is needed in this new world
18:55 - Chairman’s closing remarks and next steps
19:00 - Event close
Synopsis
This conference explores what the UK Government’s proposed Cyber Security and Resilience Bill means for emerging and current IT Leaders.
The ITLF Conference is an annual event which has added importance in 2025. The UK Government has recognised the crucial role that IT plays in the economy and society, and hence the need for resilience against IT failures. The conference builds on the messages from the proposed Bill to outline what this means to IT Leaders.
The conference starts with a briefing from DSIT on the proposed Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. We then have a Panel of speakers to present and then discuss the implications for IT Leaders.
Finally, we have a Panel of speakers on education and training for IT Leaders and their emerging leaders. The conference is chaired by ITLF Chairman, Jonathan Leeson.
Speaker biographies
Michael Crooymans, FBCI, FIRSM, is Continuity Manager at Rabobank, managing major IT incidents and crises. His expertise includes IT and Business Continuity, Crisis Management, and Resilience. He shares his expertise as a university lecturer and as a volunteer at the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) where he helps develop Business Continuity, Crisis Management and Organisational Resilience standards. He is Vice-Chair of the Netherlands chapter of the Business Continuity Institute.
Rick Cudworth is a leading authority in organisational resilience and a Board and Executive Director for Resilience First, which is a not-for-profit business network with over 500 organisations. Resilience First provides the opportunity to collaborate, knowledge-share and innovate, ‘Building Resilience Together’ to create a safer, more secure, and sustainable future. Rick is also the founding partner of the specialist advisory firm, ResilienC. He is a ‘Critical Friend’ to the UK Government Minister responsible for the UK Resilience Review and was Chair of the British Standards Institution Technical Committee for Continuity and Resilience. He continues to be influential in the development of British and International Standards in the field. He is a visiting professor at King’s College London and visiting fellow at Cranfield University School of Management. He was a contributor and co-editor of the National Preparedness Commission’s report: Resilience Reimagined: A Practical Guide for Organisations.
Jonathan Leeson, FBCS, CITP, is a digital and technology leader with 28 years in a multi culture and multinational environment and experience in digital strategy, technology, sourcing, business transformation and change portfolios at an executive/board level. I’ve recently set-up my own company The GTL (Global Thought Leaders) focusing on Business and Digital Transformation opportunities. I’m a CEng/IEng assessor for the BCS Institute of IT and the Chair of the IT Leaders Forum. Outside of my profession I enjoy competing in sporting events including Triathlons, Cycling and Motorsport.
Russell Friend has been with BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, since 2016, and is Head of Registrations. He is responsible for developing, managing and maintaining professional registrations offered through BCS, including CITP, Engineering Council, FEDIP and Data Science registrations. He was instrumental in developing and launching the FEDIP Professional Standards for the Health and Care Informatics profession and in developments and launch of Data Science awards with the Alliance for Data Science Professionals.
Gill Ringland is co-chair of the BCS ITLF Availability/Service Resilience Working Group, a Life FBCS, Secretary of the BCS IT Leaders Forum, an Emeritus Fellow of SAMI Consulting. She is an internationally recognised foresight and IT strategy consultant, experienced CEO and author. She wrote Scenario Planning (used on the Harvard MBA course) based on her experience in the IT industry. She was a member of the EC’s High Level Expert Group on Foresight and served on the UK Economic and Social Research Council. Her most recent book is Resilience of Services: reducing the impact of IT failures, with Ed Steinmueller.
Steve Sands, CITP FBCS MCIIS, Chair of the Information Security Specialist Group (ISSG) of BCS is a risk and compliance professional with a background in information security, IT management and data protection. He is a qualified ISO27001 Lead Auditor and Data Protection Practitioner (PC.dp) and represents BCS on the BSI committee for developing information security, cybersecurity, and privacy standards. He was formerly the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Synectics Solutions Ltd, where he was responsible to the Board for all aspects of cyber security. He remains as an internal security consultant and their Data Protection Officer (DPO).
Dr Sam De Silva is an award-winning solicitor and Partner and Global Co-Head of the Commercial Practice Group at the leading international law firm, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP (CMS). Renowned for his legal expertise in navigating complex and strategic technology projects, he provides strategic advice on all contractual matters and regularly advises on cyber security, data protection, AI legal issues and risk management. His clients include FTSE 100 companies and cutting-edge scale-ups, representing both technology users and suppliers. Sam is the Chair of the Legal Specialist Group at The Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) and is a former Trustee of the BCS having held that role for 8 years. Sam is recognised as both a Global Leader and Thought Leader in the Who’s Who of Information Technology 2025, the Who’s Who of Data Privacy and Protection 2025, and the Who’s Who of Data Security 2025. Sam was the winner of Lexology’s Client Choice Awards 2021, 2024 and 2025 for Data Privacy & Protection in the UK.
Ed Steinmueller, PhD, FBCS, co-chair of the BCS ITLF Availability/Service Resilience Working Group is Professor Emeritus of Information and Communications Technology Policy, and of the Economics of Innovation, at SPRU (Science Policy Research Unit) in the University of Sussex Business School. He has published four books and more than eighty peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, mostly on the ICT industries as well as on science and technology policy and economic history. His books include Mobilizing the Information Society: Strategies for Growth and Opportunity; Advanced Introduction to Platform Economics, (both with R.E. Mansell); and most recently Resilience of Services: Reducing the Impact of IT Failures, (with Gill Ringland).
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This event is brought to you by: BCS IT Leaders Forum
