Templar Executives and Lancaster University celebrate successful flagship Cyber Leadership Symposium

Over 150 delegates and prominent industry figures gathered at the prestigious Cyber Leadership Symposium hosted by Templar Executives and Lancaster University on 6th and 7th July 2023, shining a spotlight on the critical role of Cyber Security leadership within organisations. The event, held under the Chatham House rule, brought together leading figures from industry, UK Government and national security agencies, including: the National Cyber Security Centre, Ministry of Defence, National Crime Agency, National Cyber Force and business leaders from the Maritime, Health, Nuclear, Manufacturing and Commercial sectors.

The Maritime sector was one of the key topics of discussion at the forum and the panellists included Tom Chant MBE, SMI; Captain Naoki Saito, Class NK; Professor Basil Germond, Lancaster University. They addressed some of the unique challenges and evolving Cyber risks faced by the sector, emphasising the importance of Board-level oversight and accountability.

Tom Chant MBE, representing SMI, shared his perspective: “For me, the Symposium drove home the need for regular training of all staff and the need for leadership from Board-level.  The risk to your brand, reputation and revenue is just too great to ignore.”

The regulatory landscape was also discussed, with panellists agreeing that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) guidelines serve as a global umbrella and starting point, but compliance is really driven through regulations such as GDPR and the ISM Code. In the meantime, it was said that Maritime organisations should be keen to upskill for competitive advantage and do more in providing awareness training for employees.

The Symposium also emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships, extending these collaborations to the academic. A ground-breaking programme highlighted at the event was the Cyber Executive MBA (CEMBA), a blended, part-time postgraduate programme designed to equip middle and senior leaders with the expertise they need to skilfully manage Cyber Security as part of their business agenda. The CEMBA has been accredited by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) as an industry first and is delivered by Lancaster University in partnership with Cyber experts Templar Executives. The university currently offers a range of scholarships and a special promotion for qualifying organisations – please contact enquiries(at)templarexecs.com for more information.

The Symposium also emphasised the importance of proactive leadership and “staying ahead of the curve”. It is important for the Board to recognise digital as a strategic asset, and the panel advised that “a loss of revenue is minimised by investing in holistic Cyber Security solutions”. It is important, therefore, that Boards understand their accountability and ensure that Cyber Security is an integral part of their organisational resilience and risk management.

In support of the Maritime industry and leadership teams, Templar Executives have partnered with SMI on a special offer for NCSC-Assured Board Briefing sessions to its members. The industry-recognised Board Briefing training has been developed through the Templar Cyber Academy and is delivered by experienced NCSC-Assured Board-level executive trainers. For more information, please contact enquiries(at)templarexecs.com.