ISfL Annual Conference 2025

Date: Thursday 6th March 2025
Time: 10:00am – 4:00pm
Venue: Queen Elizabeth II Centre, Broad Sanctuary, London

AI, Governance & Cybersecurity: navigating the challenges of AI in the public sector

As artificial intelligence continues to transform the public sector, ensuring the security and integrity of these systems has become a critical priority. This conference explores the challenges and opportunities AI presents to cybersecurity in local government and the wider public sector. From defending against AI-driven threats to leveraging AI for enhanced security, experts will share insights on best practices, compliance and governance strategies that safeguard public trust.

This conference includes a supplier exhibition giving attendees the chance to talk about the various solutions on offer from the private sector.

This conference is open to all public sector WARP members and attendance is free. If you are a supplier and are potentially interested in being involved in the conference, please contact ISfL using the contact form.

Register

About the venue:

The Queen Elizabeth II Centre is conveniently located in Westminster on Broad Sanctuary just opposite Westminster Abbey. It is the largest dedicated conference space in central London. See https://qeiicentre.london/ for more information.

Agenda

09:30	Registration
10:00	Welcome & Chair’s Keynote – Colin Williams, Chair
10:25	Partner Keynote I: Defend as one – David Batho & Richard Jackson, JISC
10:45	Heather Toomey, ICO
11:15	Break & networking
11:45	AI & procurement – Victoria Blyth, LOTI & Jenny McEneaney, LGA
12:05	Partner keynote II: AI in Business: Opportunities, Risks & Security Challenges Josh Neame – CTO, BlueFort Security Anthony Robinson – Sales Engineering Lead, iBoss
12:25	Fireside chat with MHCLG – Phil James & Katie Owen, MHCLG
12:45	Lunch & networking
13:45	Welcome back – Colin Williams
13:50	CTAG update – Geoff Connell, Chair – CTAG
14:10	ISfL update – Peter Douglas & Ranisha Dhamu, ISfL
14:30	AI workstream – Mark Brett, Socitm
14:50	Break & networking
15:10	AI subject matter expert – NCSC (tbc)
15:30	Panel session: Navigating the challenges of AI in the public sector
15:55	Closing remarks – Colin Williams
16:00	Close

Speakers

Colin Williams – Chair
After 25 years (almost successfully) pretending to have a clue about anything technical, Colin has (mostly) departed from the commercial realm for a short sojourn in full time academia and embarked on a temporary new existence as a PhD student researching the history of British Cybernetics at the University of Oxford. He continues to be an Honorary Fellow at the University of Warwick and a Visiting Professor at De Montfort University.

David Batho – Jisc
David is responsible for protecting the education sector from cyber-attacks. Involved in a substantial number of major cyber incidents in the sector over recent years, David is passionate about educating and improving the sector at all levels. With experience as a penetration tester and head of IT for several years in the education sector, David believes that cyber security is everyone’s responsibility and all have a role to play in protecting their organisations.

Richard Jackson – Jisc
Richard, as the Head of Cloud Security at Jisc, exemplifies thought leadership with a deep-seated expertise in public cloud security architecture and compliance.

Involved in delivering architecture, operations and incident response across the public sector and education, Richard has vast experience in securely managing and assisting local government, charities as well as research and education. Richard is passionate about utilising the power of public cloud to secure environments, regardless of their physical location by utilsing platforms such as Azure, AWS, GCP, and 365. His proficiency spans Web Application Firewalls, DDOS protection, EDR and infrastructure based solutions via delivering a range of MSSP services to the sectors.

Heather Toomey – ICO
Heather is Principal Cyber Specialist for the ICO and has over 25 years’ experience in IT, Cyber Security and Information Governance. She is passionate about
highlighting the importance of cyber security in safeguarding our communities. She believes security should be user focussed, incorporated by design, and communicated clearly to stakeholders at every level.

Prior to her current role, Heather was Cyber Policy Lead for the DfE, where she spearheaded work on digital and technology standards in schools and colleges. She has previously developed and led award winning Local Authority data, online safety and cyber services, led national projects for the NCSC and managed government Cyber Security programmes. She is part of a number of national and international regulatory forums, steering groups, and advisory boards, including the EMCRC and iCSS.

Victoria Blyth – LOTI
Victoria works at LOTI as the Pan-London Information Governance Lead. An award winning information governance specialist, she supports data sharing across London’s public sector and often works on national projects with organisations like the Local Government Association (LGA) and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).

Spending her career in the public sector, she has most recently worked on projects to facilitate research to reduce rough sleeping; protect vulnerable customers during the digital switchover of telephony; and pilot damp and mould sensors in social landlord properties.

A member of the Steering Group for Information Governance for London (IGfL), Victoria supports good information governance across London, providing specialist advice to public sector projects, delivering training, and drafting guidance on a wide variety of information governance-related subjects.

Phil James – MHCLG
Phil is the Defend as One Collaboration and Engagement Manager in the Local Digital Cyber team, MHCLG. As a Civil Servant for over 30 years, he has worked for DWP, DfE, Cabinet Office and MHCLG. He previously worked in the Resilience and Emergencies Division (RED) and has been a Government Liaison Officer (GLO) and Recovery Liaison Officer (RLO) for the Grenfell fire, London terror attacks in 2017, the Salisbury Novichok poisonings, Redcar & Cleveland cyber attack and multiple severe weather events. From October 2018 to March 2020, Phil was the lead programme manager for the National Cyber Security Pathfinder Programme that delivered cyber awareness, training and exercising to local councils and Local Resilience Forum (LRF) organisations around the country. There were over 60 events that saw 3,600 attendees join the Cyber Pathfinders.

Phil returned to MHCLG in April 2022 to work on local digital and cyber security after being at Cabinet Office for two years to work on the Government’s Covid-19 response.

Katie Owen – MHCLG
Katie is a Service Owner working in MHCLG’s Local Digital team. Katie has worked with councils to improve local government cyber security for the last 5 years, originally working for the Local Government Association. The team recently rolled out the CAF for Local Government to support councils to assess their cyber resilience and identify areas for improvement.

Geoff Connell – CTAG
Geoff is a highly experienced local public sector manager who is responsible for technology and digital service delivery at Norfolk County Council. He has previously led teams in multiple London Boroughs to modernise and optimise ICT infrastructures, as well as delivering digitally and data enabled transformation programmes to implement new organisational delivery models. This work has led to Geoff and his teams being awarded with various top CIO and Digital Leadership awards from numerous prestigious organisations. Most recently 3 awards for Digital Infrastructure innovation and local authority of the year from Connected Britain as well as Digital Inclusion at Smarter Working Live.

Geoff is active in Local Government programme management, knowledge sharing and policy development through his roles with various county, regional and national groups. These include Socitm and the LGA and the Cyber Technical Advisory Group (chair).

Peter Douglas – Chair, ISfL
As Peter became more and more involved with security at the London Borough of Haringey, he started attending ISfL and gradually ended up doing most of the security role. He is now the Security and Compliance Manager at the London Borough of Haringey and is responsible for Information Security and ISO27001:13 certification. He was elected as Chair of Information Security for London and has been in this role for the past five years.

A Keen Allotment Holder, volunteer-barman and Vice President (honorary title) at his local National 1 Rugby Club, owner of two dogs who drag him around local footpaths on occasion up to fifteen miles from home.

Ranisha Dhamu – ISfL
For the past 25 years, Ranisha has dedicated her career to the local authority sector. Her journey into Information Governance and security began roughly 15 years ago, leading her to her current role as the Cyber & Compliance Manager at Shared Services, overseeing Brent, Lewisham, and Southwark. Her expertise in this field extends beyond her immediate responsibilities, as she chairs the Pan London Information Governance Forum (IGfL), participates in the ISfL steering group, and contributes actively to the National Strategic Information Governance Network (SIGN). Additionally, Ranisha has lent her expertise to numerous working groups, collaborating on large-scale projects spanning the Public Sector, including the NHS. She is also a valued member of SASIG and ISACA.

Beyond her professional commitments, Ranisha is involved in her community. She serves as the chair of governors at her children’s former primary school and holds a directorship within a federation of 10 academy primary schools across Buckinghamshire, Hillingdon, and Slough, where she focuses on Information Governance, Data Protection, Information Security, and Safeguarding.

Dr Mark Brett
Mark holds a portfolio of part time and pro-bono roles, which includes Director of Policy, Programme and Research for CTAG, the UK Cyber Technical Advisory Group for Local
Public Services and Socitm. Mark also runs several Cyber Security Community of practice WARP groups, (Warning, Advice & Reporting Points). Mark has a number of published papers covering Open Source Intelligence, Information Governance, Resilience and Artificial Intelligence. Previously Mark has worked part-time in the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Justice, MHCLG and is currently P/T Cyber Advisor to the Welsh Government Local Authority Cyber Programme.

Mark is an assessor, for the UK Cyber Council, Chartered Cyber Security Professional (Information Governance and Audit Specialism).

Mark is a Fellow and honorary Life member of Socitm, and is a visiting Fellow in Cyber Security at London Metropolitan University, where he recently completed his PhD in Cyber
Security Policy & Governance. Mark has recently bee appointed as an Honorary Associate Professor in Cyber Secuirty at De Montfort University.

Headline Sponsors

Exhibiting Sponsors