The 20 winners of the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards were announced at a ceremony held at the iconic BT Tower in London on the 26th February 2025. The awards celebrated the achievements of women working in cybersecurity around the globe – whether recognising personal achievements, efforts to close the gender divide in the industry or those mentoring the next generation of women in cyber. The award ceremony was organised by Eskenzi PR and sponsored by KnowBe4, BT, Bridewell, Mimecast, Varonis, Certes, Pentest-Tools and AI Dionic.
In 2025, the awards received the highest number of submissions since it began in 2020. The increase in nominations was largely in part due to expanded community partnerships with WiCyS UK&I, WiTCH, InClusive InCyber and CyBlack. Each of these organisations are at the forefront of spearheading change in cybersecurity and are devoted to making cyber a more inclusive industry.
Due to the international nature of the awards, the event was also live streamed for those who were unable to attend in person. You can rewatch here: Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards 2025
Alongside the top 20, six exceptional ‘Ones to Watch’ were crowned at the ceremony, including special recognition for two volunteers at The Cyber Helpline.
This year’s winners were selected by an esteemed panel of judges, who had a difficult task whittling down a list of over 250 accomplished women down to just 20.
The judges were:
- Yasemin Mustafa, Security Portfolio Director at BT
- Anne Dolinschek, Senior Manager of Public Relations (EMEA) at KnowBe4
- Dr. Kiri Addison, Senior Manager of Product Management at Mimecast
- Dr. Iretioluwa Akerele, Co-Founder of CyBlack
- Rachel Downs, Principal Consultant at Bridewell
- Julie Osborne, Director, Global Security Control Frameworks at Barclays and Vice President of WiCyS UK and Ireland Affiliate
- Holly Foxcroft
- Aymun Lashari, Community Manager at LT Harper
- Illyana Mullins, Founder of WiTCH (Women in Tech and Cybersecurity Hub)
- Yvonne Eskenzi, Co-Founder of Eskenzi PR
The evening also included an informal panel discussion, covering everything from how the panellists entered the cybersecurity industry to how leaders can champion and encourage allyship within their organisations. Chaired by Yvonne Eskenzi, panellists included: Dr. Iretioluwa Akerele, Founder of CyBlack; Aymun Lashari, Community Manager at LT Harper; Illyana Mullins, Founder of WiTCH; Danu Sivapalan, Senior Product Manager, Identity and Access Management at Sainsbury’s, and Head of Partnerships at WiCyS UK&I Affiliate; and Dr. Runli Guo, Founder and CEO of AI Dionic.
Additionally, at the event, £345 was raised for the NSPCC. The NSPCC Childline is the cybersecurity industry’s chosen charity and helps to support children in need across the country.
Didar Gelici, Former Head of Risk Compliance and Data Security at Just Eat, who was named among the top 20 this year, said: “It was a night of awe and emotions. The calibre and impact of all the nominees and winners, the venue (and the fact that this is the last time we will enjoy its views before it gets transformed), I frequently found myself tearing up. It is one of the most prestigious events of the cyber year and I am so glad to see it come to life every year, may it continue for decades to come.”
Also named as one of the Top 20, Michelle Corrigan, Director at the Digital Care Hub, said: “Leading a cybersecurity programme in Adult Social Care is not the most traditional cyber role. Receiving the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber award is both an honour and a call to action for continued innovation and leadership in this space. Last night’s event celebrated the remarkable achievements of women across the cybersecurity landscape and reaffirmed the power of diversity in the sector. I am deeply grateful for this recognition and the opportunity to share my experiences with a dynamic and electric community of women. I remain committed to advancing cybersecurity, mentoring future talent, and fostering a culture where every voice is valued. Together, we are shaping a safer digital world. I am more inspired than ever to continue my contribution to it.”
Danu Sivapalan, Senior Product Manager, Identity & Access Management, at Sainsbury’s, and Head of Partnerships at WiCyS UK&I Affiliate, named among the top 20, but was also on the panel on the evening representing WiCyS UK&I, said: “The 2025 Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards was such an incredible event. It was amazing to hear so many inspirational stories about the challenges women face and how they remain resilient and continue to make strides in the Industry whilst giving back to the community. As an advocate for women in cyber, I feel truly honoured to be the recipient of this Award and be recognised for the contributions I have made in developing the Women In Cyber Security (WiCyS UK&I) Partnerships Framework. This offers opportunities in the form of learning & development and support & guidance to our members and supports our mission to recruit, retain & advance women in cybersecurity.”
Also named among the top 20, Sophia McCall, Strategic Threat Intelligence Lead at NCC Group, said: “It was an honour to be part of such an amazing event that celebrates the remarkable talent within our industry. Attending the MIWIC Awards was truly an incredible experience, and I am deeply humbled to have been part of this year’s event. Hearing the inspiring stories and journeys of the attendees, as well as their visions for the future, has left me feeling excited about the direction of the cybersecurity workforce and the waves we are making in the industry.”
Full list of winners:
TOP 20
- Dr. Eirini Anthi, Senior Cybersecurity Security Leader at Cardiff University
- Jennifer Odogwu, Global Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Social Impact at Mimecast
- Marine Ruhamanya, Consulting Cyber Security Senior Manager at Accenture
- Michelle Corrigan, Director at Digital Care Hub
- Vladlena Benson, Professor, Aston Centre, Aston University
- Annabel Turner, Founder of CyberSafe Scotland
- Jess Matthews, Compliance Governance Officer at Acacium Group Ltd.
- Lisa Landau, CEO of ThreatLight
- Rafah Knight, CEO and Founder of SecureAI
- Katie Beecroft, Associate Director of Risk and Security, Cyber and Infosec at Fidelity International
- Helen Oluyemi, Information Security Manager at Pollinate International Limited
- Eva Benn, Chief of Staff, Strategy – Microsoft Red Team
- Danu Sivapalan, Senior Product Manager, Identity & Access Management, at Sainsbury’s
- Anastasiia Ostravska, Co-Founder & CEO Women’s Leadership and Strategic Initiatives Foundation (WLSIF), Co-Founder Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum, Communications Advisor National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (NCSCC) under The National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine
- Esther Edonkumoh, Senior Special Risk Analyst at Bank of England
- Didar Gelici, Security Leader at SHe CISO Exec
- Tammi Robson, Director of Information Security and Technology at The Labour Party
- Dr. Mamoona Asghar, Lecturer at the University of Galway
- Sophia McCall, Strategic Threat Intelligence Lead at NCC Group
- Stephanie Itimi, Chair of Seidea
ONES TO WATCH
- The Cyber Helpline volunteers (Katie McGuire and Kirsti Price)
- Kiranjit Kaur Shergill, Graduate Technology Developer at Barclays
- Sochima Okoye, Cyber Security Consultant at CSA Cyber
- Caroline Kamper, Strategic Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst at SecAlliance
