Unrecognised Heroes

Recorded live at this year’s National Cyber Awards, the Unrecognised Heroes in Tech podcast episode, hosted by Gordon Corera, brought together some of the UK’s leading cybersecurity experts for a dynamic and thought-provoking discussion.  Featuring: AVM Tim Neal-Hopes OBE, Commander of the National Cyber Force Eleanor Fairford – Director of Cyber Defence, Ministry of Defence Lieutenant General Sir...

In this insightful episode, Elle sits down with Tom Hewitson, CEO and Chief AI Officer of General Purpose: AI Training, to unpack the realities of AI adoption - from its challenges in the workplace to its broader impact on society. Tom shares the story behind the evolution of his company and why a human-centric approach is essential for organisations embracing AI. Together, they explore the import...

In this insightful episode, Elle sits down with Tom Hewitson, CEO and Chief AI Officer of General Purpose: AI Training, to unpack the realities of AI adoption - from its challenges in the workplace to its broader impact on society. Tom shares the story behind the evolution of his company and why a human-centric approach is essential for organisations embracing AI. Together, they explore the import...

In this thought-provoking episode, Elle is joined by Dr. Genevieve Bartuski, PsyD, MBA, for a powerful discussion that bridges the worlds of psychology, ethics, and technology. With a career spanning forensic psychology, crisis intervention, and AI ethics consulting, Genevieve shares her unique perspective on why mental health, privacy, and trust must sit at the heart of technological innovation....

In this thought-provoking episode, Elle is joined by Dr. Genevieve Bartuski, PsyD, MBA, for a powerful discussion that bridges the worlds of psychology, ethics, and technology. With a career spanning forensic psychology, crisis intervention, and AI ethics consulting, Genevieve shares her unique perspective on why mental health, privacy, and trust must sit at the heart of technological innovation....

In this week’s episode, Elle is joined by Sophie Powell, co-founder of Cyberwoman Group CIC, for an uplifting and empowering conversation about community, mentorship, and authenticity in cybersecurity. With an unexpected start in chemistry, Sophie shares how she found her calling in cyber -  and how mentorship and community support helped her navigate the challenges of breaking into the industry....

In this week’s episode, Elle is joined by Sophie Powell, co-founder of Cyberwoman Group CIC, for an uplifting and empowering conversation about community, mentorship, and authenticity in cybersecurity.   With an unexpected start in chemistry, Sophie shares how she found her calling in cyber -  and how mentorship and community support helped her navigate the challenges of breaking into the industry...

In this captivating episode, Elle sits down with Racheal Muldoon, Partner at Charles Russell Speechlys, to explore her unconventional path into cyber law — a journey shaped by mentorship, resilience, and a passion for technology’s legal frontier. Beginning her career in criminal law, Racheal shares how her curiosity for emerging technologies led her to specialise in digital assets, cybersecurity,...

In this captivating episode, Elle sits down with Racheal Muldoon, Partner at Charles Russell Speechlys, to explore her unconventional path into cyber law — a journey shaped by mentorship, resilience, and a passion for technology’s legal frontier. Beginning her career in criminal law, Racheal shares how her curiosity for emerging technologies led her to specialise in digital assets, cybersecurity,...

In this inspiring episode, Elle is joined by Rob Black for an open and insightful conversation about leadership, confidence, and the human side of cybersecurity. With a career that’s anything but traditional, Rob shares his journey from national security to becoming a respected leader in cyber - proving that there’s no single path into the industry. His story highlights how diverse backgrounds and...

In this inspiring episode, Elle is joined by Rob Black for an open and insightful conversation about leadership, confidence, and the human side of cybersecurity. With a career that’s anything but traditional, Rob shares his journey from national security to becoming a respected leader in cyber - proving that there’s no single path into the industry. His story highlights how diverse backgrounds and...

In this thought-provoking episode, Elle is joined by Alastair Irons, a leading voice in cyber education and former academic at Abertay University. Together, they explore the intersection between academia and industry, and what it really takes to prepare the next generation for the rapidly evolving world of technology. From AI in classrooms to algorithms in hiring, Alastair offers deep insight into...

In this thought-provoking episode, Elle is joined by Alastair Irons, a leading voice in cyber education and former academic at Abertay University. Together, they explore the intersection between academia and industry, and what it really takes to prepare the next generation for the rapidly evolving world of technology. From AI in classrooms to algorithms in hiring, Alastair offers deep insight into...

In this week’s episode, Elle sits down with Will Jackson, CEO of C2 RISK, for an inspiring conversation about the power of networking, bold career moves, and what it really takes to build success in the fast-paced world of cyber security.   From his beginnings in the HR and payroll industry to becoming a rising force in cyber, Will shares how strategic connections and a willingness to learn helped...

In this week’s episode, Elle sits down with Will Jackson, CEO of C2 RISK, for an inspiring conversation about the power of networking, bold career moves, and what it really takes to build success in the fast-paced world of cyber security.   From his beginnings in the HR and payroll industry to becoming a rising force in cyber, Will shares how strategic connections and a willingness to learn helped...

In this powerful episode, Elle sits down with Rory Innes, Founder of The Cyber Helpline, to uncover the human side of cyber crime - and the growing crisis that too often goes unseen. With over 2,000 cases handled every month, The Cyber Helpline provides vital support to victims of digital attacks — from hacked accounts to online stalking. Yet, as Rory reveals, despite a waiting list of volunteers...

In this powerful episode, Elle sits down with Rory Innes, Founder of The Cyber Helpline, to uncover the human side of cyber crime - and the growing crisis that too often goes unseen. With over 2,000 cases handled every month, The Cyber Helpline provides vital support to victims of digital attacks — from hacked accounts to online stalking. Yet, as Rory reveals, despite a waiting list of volunteers...

In this episode of Unrecognised Heroes, we sit down with Rich Merrett, AI Innovation Lead at The Citation Group, to uncover a career journey that’s been anything but linear. From his early days in teaching to exploring the world of voice biometrics, and ultimately leading AI innovation in a private equity-backed business — Rich’s story is a testament to curiosity, adaptability, and the power of em...

In this episode of Unrecognised Heroes, we sit down with Rich Merrett, AI Innovation Lead at The Citation Group, to uncover a career journey that’s been anything but linear. From his early days in teaching to exploring the world of voice biometrics, and ultimately leading AI innovation in a private equity-backed business — Rich’s story is a testament to curiosity, adaptability, and the power of em...

In this episode we sit down with Rebecca Taylor to explore the fascinating intersection between human behaviour and cybersecurity, and why understanding people is just as important as understanding systems. With a lifelong curiosity about how people think, act, and react, Rebecca shares how “people-watching” became an unexpected cornerstone of her cyber career. From mentoring the next generation o...

In this episode we sit down with Rebecca Taylor to explore the fascinating intersection between human behaviour and cybersecurity, and why understanding people is just as important as understanding systems. With a lifelong curiosity about how people think, act, and react, Rebecca shares how “people-watching” became an unexpected cornerstone of her cyber career. From mentoring the next generation o...

From early curiosity to national recognition, Dr Clare Johnson’s journey into cybersecurity is nothing short of inspiring. An award-winning leader, Clare has not only made her mark in the industry but continues to champion inclusion and representation across the tech landscape. As the driving force behind initiatives such as the CyberUK Women’s Breakfast and CyberFirst, Clare is passionate about o...

From early curiosity to national recognition, Dr Clare Johnson’s journey into cybersecurity is nothing short of inspiring. An award-winning leader, Clare has not only made her mark in the industry but continues to champion inclusion and representation across the tech landscape. As the driving force behind initiatives such as the CyberUK Women’s Breakfast and CyberFirst, Clare is passionate about o...

In this episode of Unrecognised Heroes, we sit down with Patrick Smith, Founder of zally®, to explore what it really takes to build a start-up from the ground up. From tackling some of cybersecurity’s biggest challenges to leading a fast-growing team, Patrick shares the mindset, mistakes, and moments that have shaped his journey. Discover how zally® is changing the game in cybersecurity and AI dev...

In this episode of Unrecognised Heroes, we sit down with Patrick Smith, Founder of zally®, to explore what it really takes to build a start-up from the ground up. From tackling some of cybersecurity’s biggest challenges to leading a fast-growing team, Patrick shares the mindset, mistakes, and moments that have shaped his journey. Discover how zally® is changing the game in cybersecurity and AI dev...