David is an experienced IT leader with over 25 years’ experience in the higher education sector, with a strong track record in operational optimisation and the delivery of secure, resilient, and high quality IT systems and services. He brings deep expertise in digital and data strategy, cyber aware programme and project delivery, and large scale change management, including complex digital transformation initiatives.

David has extensive experience in IT governance, risk, and compliance, with a particular focus on cyber security, operational resilience, and executive accountability. He has led the responsible adoption of AI, ensuring that emerging technologies are implemented with appropriate security, ethical, and governance controls, and aligned with organisational risk appetite and strategic goals.

A core strength of David’s leadership is translating cyber and technology risk into clear, meaningful insight for senior leadership and boards. An enthusiastic and trusted leader, he places strong emphasis on effective communication, recognising its critical role in building organisational resilience, enabling informed decision making, and supporting confident incident preparedness and response.

Sabahat Khan is a senior executive with leadership experience across global financial services and Ireland’s public sector. As Assistant Chief Executive, Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at the Local Government Management Agency, he leads sector-wide digital transformation and cybersecurity initiatives, including the Local Government Digital and ICT Strategy, which supports the digital transformation of Ireland’s 31 local authorities, and a centralized Cybersecurity Operations Centre, which was recognized as Best Cybersecurity Project and Best Overall Project at the 2025 Ireland eGovernment Digital Transformation Awards.

Previously, he held senior roles at DTCC, a New York based fintech, where he delivered multi-year transformation and modernization programs, and led IT governance, service management, and product management. He has also held leadership positions at Moody’s and TESM Americas, with a focus on IT strategy and governance, infrastructure service delivery, and product management. He is recognized for building high-performing global teams, strengthening governance and risk management, and championing inclusion, mentoring, and talent development.

Dr. John McCarthy is Director of Innovation & Technical Services at Dublin Bus, where he leads the organisation’s IT, PMO and technology delivery functions, alongside enterprise innovation and digital transformation. His remit spans core IT services, data and digital platforms, large scale technology programmes, and the integration of emerging technologies into live public transport operations. He oversees digital platforms, data and large scale technology programmes that support service reliability, electrification and sustainable urban mobility.
As Ireland’s largest public transport operator, Dublin Bus delivers over 500,000 customer journeys every day. John’s role focuses on ensuring that technology, data and infrastructure investments directly support service reliability, operational efficiency and decarbonisation, including the large scale rollout of electric buses and supporting systems.
With more than 25 years’ experience across the public, private and academic sectors, John has led complex technology and change programmes at the intersection of IT, engineering, policy and operations. He is a Fellow of the CIHT and a member of the OECD’s AI Working Group on Risks and Ethics, contributing to international thinking on the responsible deployment of digital and AI technologies in critical infrastructure.

John is responsible for Global Product Engineering at Jaguar Land Rover. John oversees JLR Global Product Engineering footprint transformation, working in partnership with current global sites and respective location leads across USA, Ireland, Hungary, India and China. John also has teams based in the UK responsible for Central Business Office and Product Engineering Resource Planning, as well as Export Control and Sanctions. John was previously General Manager of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Vehicle Engineering locations in both Ireland and the United States. John originally helped JLR setup its world class software engineering operation in Shannon back in 2017. The teams play an important role in realising JLR’s vision around Electric Vehicles and Automated Driving via Connected Services, Data and Software. John began his career as a software engineer at technology start-up Piercom and then moved to US communications multi-national Tellabs. He then spent 15 years at Intel in a variety of technical and business roles, the most recent being Director of Automotive Business Development. John is a graduate of the University of Limerick and obtained a BSc in Applied Mathematics and Computer Engineering.

Mark Cliffe is a senior engineering leader with over 25 years of experience delivering scalable, high-performance software in regulated, data-sensitive industries. As Chief Engineer at Fintua, he leads the modernisation of enterprise platforms to enable international growth. Mark has a proven track record in building systems that support high-volume transactions with near-limitless scalability. He combines deep technical expertise with a strategic mindset, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to deliver secure, reliable, and future-ready solutions. Known for developing high-performing global teams, Mark ensures strong governance, continuous innovation, and alignment between technology and business success.

Liz Conroy is a seasoned technology and transformation leader with extensive experience at Vodafone Ireland, where they have played a key role in shaping large scale digital, data, and operational initiatives.

Experienced telecommunications and digital transformation professional with a proven track record at Vodafone Ireland, where I have led high impact initiatives across technology, operations, and customer focused programmes. Throughout her career, she has been recognised for driving innovation, improving operational efficiency, and delivering measurable business value in a fast paced, highly regulated industry.

At Vodafone Ireland, Liz have contributed to major transformation efforts spanning IT & Billing modernisation, data and analytics strategy, and enterprise level process optimisation. Known for her ability to translate complex technical challenges into clear business outcomes, build strong cross functional relationships, and lead teams through change with clarity and purpose.

Liz’s work has consistently focused on enhancing customer experience, enabling data driven decision making, and supporting Vodafone’s commitment to digital leadership in the Irish market. I bring a collaborative mindset, a passion for continuous improvement, and a strong commitment to delivering results that align with strategic priorities.

I thrive in environments where technology, people, and business strategy intersect — and I am motivated by opportunities to shape meaningful, scalable, and future ready solutions.

Nessa Kavanagh is a highly experienced technology leader with over 25 years working in IT, including more than 19 years in financial services. She has led major transformation programmes and enterprise architecture initiatives across complex, multinational organisations, consistently delivering strategic outcomes in highly regulated environments. Her cross-functional leadership spans business and technology domains, and she has successfully managed geographically dispersed teams in countries outside Ireland, bringing a global perspective and inclusive approach to collaboration.

In addition to her extensive professional experience, Nessa holds multiple industry certifications in information security, information risk management, and IT architecture, reflecting her commitment to continuous learning and professional excellence. Nessa’s blend of deep sector knowledge, international leadership experience, and technical expertise positions her as a trusted advisor and change leader in the evolving world of enterprise technology.

Julie is a Partner in the Data & Technology Team in Mason, Hayes and Curran. In addition to advising on digital regulation, she leads the firm’s Cyber Security Team, advising clients across the entire suite of cyber security laws including NIS2, GDPR, the Cyber Resilience Act, the ePrivacy Directive, and the Telecoms Framework. She supports clients on both domestic and pan European compliance programmes across these existing and emerging legal frameworks. She also works with clients on all issues around national and cross-border security incidents and personal data breaches including Data Breach Readiness, Incident Response Management, Regulatory Investigations and Inquiries, and Litigation and Dispute Resolution. The team provides a 24/7 one-stop-shop that coordinates technical forensics, ransom negotiations, regulatory reporting, communication strategies, investigations and post-incident measures to help organisations manage the legal and factual implications of cyber incidents and personal data breaches. As a founding member of the European Cyber Law Network, which constitutes lawyers across the EU and the UK, she co-ordinates and provides support on pan European compliance and cross-border incidents.

Cybersecurity executive with over 20 years of international experience in implementing security programs focused on resilience and compliance. Experienced in aligning cybersecurity strategy with business growth, regulatory standards (ISO27001, IEC 62443), and digital transformation for IT, OT, and cloud environments. Regular industry speaker, adept at leading cross-functional teams to establish comprehensive security measures and promote continuous improvement. Passionate about innovation, Zero Trust architecture, and equipping organisations to face AI-driven threats and future-ready cyber resilience.

Niamh is an award-winning Information security thought leader and Guinness World Record Holder for Cybersecurity Awareness. Niamh’s career journey is featured in the Amazon Prime documentary titled – “The Women in Security Documentary”. Over her 25 years of experience and dedication to the industry she has become globally recognised as a well established and experienced Chief Trust & Security Officer.

Niamh has been both CISO and DPO and leading all things Cyber, Privacy and Compliance related for fast-paced growing global organizations which has set her up for her current role today as AI Risk Director for one of the largest globally recognised US investment banks in the world.

Working to support the fight against cybercrime and seeing the impacts cyber security attacks, incidents and breaches have on individuals, organizations and businesses, Niamh qualified as a professional coach in 2023. Niamh wants to continue to collaborate with individuals, teams, and businesses – coaching them to make informed risk-based decisions to support their businesses moving forward and becoming a trust brand differentiator.

Holding true to her value that people are at the core to leading any successful program in the Trust and Security industry she started her own company titled ‘Security Stronger”.

Niamh continues to mentor and coach security professionals in her spare time as well as giving back to the industry locally in Ireland and around the globe. She continues to work with (ISC)2 on their Scholarship review panels. Niamh’s recent interview on Ireland AM for International Women’s Day was classified as viewers as “powerful appearance that highlighted an exceptional role model”. The industry is lucky to have niamh an advocate and ambassador for cybersecurity and cybersecurity within Ireland.

With over 25 years of experience on the front lines of Cybersecurity, I currently serve as the Director of Cyber Security at Virgin Media Ireland, where I orchestrate the strategic resilience of critical telecommunications infrastructure. My career is defined by a successful transition from deep, hands-on technical mastery to high-complexity executive leadership.

Throughout more than two decades, I have designed and managed high-availability environments across vital sectors, including Oil & Gas, Energy, Telecommunications, Aviation, and Consultancy. Today, my focus lies in strengthening corporate governance, aligning security with business objectives, and ensuring compliance with rigorous frameworks such as NIS 2, the ISO 27000 family, and GDPR.

Today I am providing end-to-end strategic leadership for the cybersecurity posture of one of Ireland’s largest telecommunications organizations:
• Governance & Compliance: Orchestrating the strategic roadmap for NIS 2 directive readiness and maturing risk management frameworks in full alignment with ISO 27001 and global best practices.
• Cyber Resilience & Operations: Commanding high-performance teams in mitigating real-world security threats and spearheading the large-scale modernization of data protection and critical infrastructure.
• Executive Stakeholder Management: Serving as the primary interface with the Board of Directors to report on risk posture, securing strategic buy-in, and ensuring security investments are synchronized with the company’s commercial growth and long-term objectives.

My core areas of expertise include:
• Strategic Leadership: Managing large-scale security operations, developing robust policies, and leading multidisciplinary teams across multicultural environments (Europe, Africa and Bra).
• Risk Management & Governance: Deep expertise in risk frameworks, auditing, and the implementation of controls that ensure business continuity under high-pressure scenarios.
• Technical Authority (SME): A solid track record in network architecture, penetration testing, infrastructure security, Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) management (Palo Alto, Fortinet, Checkpoint, Cisco) and Security Frameworks.

I believe that security is not merely a technical barrier, but a fundamental pillar of business trust and a competitive advantage for any organization. I am committed to operational excellence and the constant evolution of cyber defences within a rapidly shifting threat landscape.

Rocia Fernandes is Vice President of Cloud Security Engineering at State Street, where she leads initiatives to strengthen cloud security through a strong foundation in Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance (GRC). With a Master’s degree from National College of Ireland, she combines academic expertise with practical leadership to ensure regulatory alignment and robust security frameworks across cloud environments.
Rocia brings extensive experience in cyber security, cloud technologies, and security engineering, previously holding roles at Unum and JPMorgan Chase. Throughout her career, she has focused on protecting critical data infrastructure and enhancing organizational resilience against emerging cyber threats. She is known for her strategic leadership and commitment to safeguarding client assets, driving teams to build secure, compliant, and resilient cloud ecosystems in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

Michael McNamara is a senior cybersecurity leader with over 15 years of experience shaping enterprise-wide security, compliance, and risk management strategies across the telecoms, software, and shared‑services sectors. He is a trusted advisor to executive leadership and government stakeholders, contributing actively to national and European cybersecurity initiatives.

Michael previously served as Chair of the National Cyber Security Centre’s DigiCore Working Group and Co‑Lead of the CyberIreland CISO Forum, helping influence policy, industry collaboration, and best‑practice adoption across Ireland’s cybersecurity ecosystem.

He currently serves as Group Head of Security & Compliance at Speed Fibre Group, where he leads the organisation’s cybersecurity, risk, and regulatory compliance strategy across a multi‑entity digital infrastructure portfolio.

With a background in Chemical Engineering and a doctorate in Physical Chemistry, I have over 25 years’ experience in the Financial Services industry, working as a senior Programme Manager, passionate about cross functional Processes, Transformation and Risk Management.

After a couple of years working as an ISO within State Street Global Technology Services, my role in the past year or so has been focused on helping stand up our information protection and information security governance programme.

This initiative represents an evolution of the Cyber Fusion practice by providing greater end to end visibility of cyber security risk posture to the CISO organisation.

When I finally leave work and get home to Dublin, you’ll either find me on a sailing boat in Dublin bay or hiking up the Wicklow hills… back indoors, I would naturally be busy in the kitchen, practicing my early scientific training to mix culinary ingredients.

Eoin Wickens is the Director of Threat Intelligence at HiddenLayer, where he leads research into how adversaries target AI systems and produces intelligence on emerging threats, attacks, defenses, and mitigations.

He has authored more than 20 publications and co-authored Finding Beacons in the Dark: A Guide to Cyber Threat Intelligence. His work has been referenced in Forbes, Dark Reading, Technology Magazine, SecurityBoulevard.

Eoin is an internationally recognized speaker, delivering keynotes at ACM SCORED ’24 and HackTheBay ’25, and presenting at major venues including the United Nations AI and Counter-Terrorism Forum, INTERPOL’s 5th Global Meeting on AI and Law Enforcement, SANS AI Cybersecurity Summit, DEFCON, LABSCON, Google AI x Cybersecurity Summit, CANTO, and BSidesSF (three times).

He also serves as Co-Chair of the OpenSSF Model Signing Project and as Technical Steering Committee member of the Coalition for Secure AI, helping to establish security as a foundation – not an afterthought – in the development and deployment of AI systems.

John White is the Field CISO for EMEA at Torq. A respected security executive with more than 20 years of leadership experience, John previously served as CISO at Virgin Atlantic, where he led a multi-year transformation deploying the Torq AI SOC Platform to modernize cyber operations. Prior to that, he built and transformed security functions for global organizations, including ASOS, Liberty Global, AEG Europe, and KPMG.

Eoin Wickens is the Director of Threat Intelligence at HiddenLayer, where he leads research into how adversaries target AI systems and produces intelligence on emerging threats, attacks, defenses, and mitigations.

He has authored more than 20 publications and co-authored Finding Beacons in the Dark: A Guide to Cyber Threat Intelligence. His work has been referenced in Forbes, Dark Reading, Technology Magazine, SecurityBoulevard.

Eoin is an internationally recognized speaker, delivering keynotes at ACM SCORED ’24 and HackTheBay ’25, and presenting at major venues including the United Nations AI and Counter-Terrorism Forum, INTERPOL’s 5th Global Meeting on AI and Law Enforcement, SANS AI Cybersecurity Summit, DEFCON, LABSCON, Google AI x Cybersecurity Summit, CANTO, and BSidesSF (three times).

He also serves as Co-Chair of the OpenSSF Model Signing Project and as Technical Steering Committee member of the Coalition for Secure AI, helping to establish security as a foundation – not an afterthought – in the development and deployment of AI systems.

Kev Breen is the Senior Director of Cyber Threats at Immersive where he researches new and emerging cyber threats. Prior to his civilian life Kev, spent 15 years in the military serving as a Radio Technician and Trunk Comms Specialist before transitioning to a Cyber Security Analyst, specializing in Malware Analysis. After leaving the military, he continued to work in Cyber Security running a CIRT team for a defense contractor before joining Immersive. Outside of his work life, Kev can be found publishing or contributing to Open Source tools and projects or reading a Sci-Fi book.