Organised by Eskenzi PR in media partnership with the IT Security Guru, the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards aim to shed light on the remarkable women in our industry. The following is a feature on one of 2024’s Top 20 women selected by an esteemed panel of judges. Presented in a Q&A format, the nominee’s answers are written in their own words.
In 2025, the awards were sponsored by BT, KnowBe4, Mimecast, Varonis, Bridewell, Certes, Pentest Tools and AI Dionic. Community partners included WiCyS UK & Ireland Affiliate, Women in Tech and Cybersecurity Hub (WiTCH), CyBlack and Inclusive InCyber (LT Harper).
What does your job role entail?
I lead the Human Security Risk team, which concentrates on the human aspects of cyber and information security. Our mission is to foster a well-informed security conscious workforce who consider security risk as part of their every-day responsibilities. We achieve this by identifying key human risks and implementing organisation-wide security initiatives to educate and engage our employees and embed security best practices throughout the company.
How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?
After the birth of my first child, I was looking for the flexibility to work part time, Fidelity supported me with a career change to move into the information security team. The organisation provided the opportunity for me to retrain in an entirely different field, which presented a significant learning curve but ultimately proved to be both enjoyable and immensely rewarding.
What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges has been juggling work and family life, especially since I changed careers when my children were young. My company helped by allowing me to work part-time while still providing opportunities to grow my career and expand my education. However, it still required a lot of determination on my part – setting realistic expectations for myself and creating a strong support network both professionally and personally were crucial in managing this balance.
What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?
Fidelity International has an incredible Women in Cyber community that holds regular events and enables individuals to learn from each other, the team works with schools to promote cybersecurity and has established links with university mentoring programmes to offer career guidance to graduates. The organisation actively supports recruitment from returner programs into the cyber department, additionally we have a fully supported Early Careers program designed to provide opportunities for those at the beginning of their professional journeys. My team has directly benefitted from these initiatives bringing diversity, fresh perspectives, and skills. There are also various mentoring opportunities, including a mentoring circle program dedicated to Women in Technology roles.
Who has inspired you in your life/career?
In my career, I have had the privilege of working with two very strong female line managers who significantly impacted my professional development. The first was in my very first role out of school, which provided me with a solid foundation to learn, enhance my communication skills, and understand how to operate in a corporate environment. The second was my line manager a couple of years ago, who offered equal measures of encouragement, challenge, and support. She was a fantastic role model, an inspirational leader, and someone I aspire to emulate. I must also recognise my current line manager, who is incredibly supportive and aware of the value of diversity within the cybersecurity industry.
