Public Sector Cyber Security West 2025

Cyber Threats and Security: Managing Digital Resilience

Holyrood Connect’s cyber security event is making its debut in Glasgow on 5 February 2025.

This half-day briefing event is an opportunity to exchange ideas, explore strategies, and network with public and third sector professionals in person.

Through panel discussions and a masterclass, this half-day event will help you gain insights into protecting your organisation in the age of growing cyber threats, including:

  • Evaluating existing public sector challenges in cyber security
  • How specific challenges can be addressed and dealt with effectively
  • Enhancing digital resilience through training
  • Exploring the tools and services available to support public and third sector organisations

There will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions and engage with our panellists and industry leaders during the event.

Holyrood Connect

Holyrood Connect publishes leading Public Sector ICT news in Scotland and hosts renowned Public Sector Tech events and conferences. You can view all of Holyrood Connect’s upcoming events here.

This event is free to attend for those working in the public and third sectors. Limited spaces are available for private sector attendees. If you wish to be added to the waiting list, please email eventsadmin@holyrood.com and we will notify you if a place becomes available.

 

Event Details

What are the key cyber security challenges currently faced by Scotland's public sector?

Panellists will discuss the tools available to help us tackle these challenges, how we equip our people with the right skills, and how to effectively respond to cyber threats.

Cybersecurity is a people problem dressed up as a technology problem. What practical action can you and your team take today?

Join Tanium’s Senior Security Advisor, Dan Jones, as he shares knowledge, skills and experience from a long and distinguished career in the UK Armed Forces to help you fight back.

With an ever-growing reliance on digital technology, cyber security is more crucial than ever.

This discussion will explore how technology can be used effectively and safely, the key risks to be to be aware of, and how to protect our organisations from emerging threats.

Aisling Goodey
Information Security Manager
Perth & Kinross Council
Dan Jones
Senior Security Advisor, EMEA
Dr Sanaz Kavianpour
Lecturer in Cybersecurity
Abertay University
Dr Sanaz Kavianpour is a Lecturer in Cybersecurity within the Department of Cybersecurity and Computing, in the Faculty of Design, Informatics, and Business at Abertay University. Since 2023, she has been the Programme Leader for the BSc (Hons) Computer Science with Cybersecurity at Abertay University. Sanaz received a BSc degree in Computer Engineering Software from Allameh Mohaddes Nouri University, Iran (2007), an MSc in Computer Science (Information Security) from the University of Technology Malaysia (2011), and a PhD in Computer Science (specialisation in Cybersecurity) from the University of Technology Malaysia (2017). From 2018 to 2019, she worked as an Application Developer at SOHA Company in Cyberjaya, Malaysia before securing a permanent lecturer position in Cybersecurity at Abertay. Sanaz's teaching portfolio includes Cybersecurity, Programming, and the Application of Machine Learning in Cybersecurity. Her research focuses on Information, Application, and System Security; Threat Modelling; Cyber-Physical Systems, and the Internet of Things (IoT) Security.
Prof. Dimitrios Pezaros
Professor of Computer Networks and RAEng Research Chair (Computer Science)
University of Glasgow
Prof. Bill Buchanan
Professor of Applied Cryptography
Edinburgh Napier University
David McKeand
Sales Manager, Public Sector Scotland and Wales
Fortinet
David is a seasoned IT security professional with over 20 years of cybersecurity experience. He has been working at Fortinet, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, for over ten years, and is currently the Head of Scottish and Welsh Public Sector. In this role, he oversees and supports the sales team in supporting Fortinet’s customers and helping mitigate business risks. He is also responsible for developing and maintaining strong relationships with key customers and partners in both regions.
Rob Anderson
Principal Incident Response Investigator
WithSecure
Karen Meechan
Chief Executive
ScotlandIS
Paul Chapman
Paul Chapman
Head of Public Sector Cyber Resilience
Scottish Government
Paul has worked in the civil service for almost 15 years, predominately in the areas of critical infrastructure resilience, emergency planning, and finance with a particular focus on energy resilience.

For speaking enquiries, please contact: pippa.rothbiester@holyrood.com

For sponsorship and partnership enquiries, please contact: steven.perrie-clyde@holyrood.com

For all other enquiries, please contact: eventsadmin@holyrood.com

Event Details
Sponsors
Headline Partner

Supporting Organisation