The Women Shaping Cyber event at Aston University, held during International Women’s Day, highlighted the importance of diversity in the West Midlands cyber sector. Keynote speaker Sevgi Aksoy emphasised the human factor in cybersecurity, while roundtable discussions explored barriers facing women, how to attract and retain talent, and how to leverage regional strengths. With contributions from leaders across academia, industry, and government, the event underscored that growth in cyber must also be measured in inclusivity and representation, not just economics.
This last week, as part of International Women’s Day, Aston University hosted Women Shaping Cyber: Breakfast & Roundtable – a gathering that brought together leaders, researchers, practitioners, and advocates to discuss the future of women in cybersecurity.
The event opened with a keynote from Sevgi Aksoy, co-founder of Psyber Inc., whose talk on cyber psychology, resilience, and the human factor in security proved to be a highlight. Sevgi reminded us that cyber threats do not simply exploit systems; they exploit people. Her reflections on behavioural security, crisis response, and resilience set the tone for the day, while also raising the question: why aren’t there more female founders in cyber?
Key Questions Discussed
The roundtable tackled pressing challenges head-on, with discussion centring around three core questions:
- How do we attract, retain, and support more women in cybersecurity?
- What barriers still exist, and how do we break them?
- How do we leverage local strengths in the West Midlands to create more opportunities?
The conversation was frank and practical, drawing on both lived experience and strategic thinking.
Contributors and Audience
The event benefited from the contributions of an impressive mix of leaders and professionals, including:
- Pam Waddell OBE (Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands)
- Gosia Dzierdzikowska (Aston Business School, conference organiser)
- Professor Vladlina Benson MBE
- Valentina Barker
- Corinna Fletcher
- Rosvaldas Povilionis
- The Lord Mayor, Ken Wood
And a diverse and engaged audience, including Anitha Chinnaswamy, Dr Gabriela Ahmadi-Assalemi, Belinda Louch, Amandip Kaur Jheeta, Asma Patel, Bogdan Adamyk, Laura Di Chiacchio (PhD, MSc, FHEA), Manimuthu Arunmozhi, Fariba Moslehi, and many others.
A Shared Message
Two clear calls to action emerged from the day:
- To those navigating this path: Keep going.
- To those in leadership: Make space.
These simple but powerful takeaways underline the responsibility of organisations and leaders to create environments where women in cyber can thrive.
Why This Matters for the West Midlands
Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the region, and the West Midlands has an opportunity to lead by example. Events like Women Shaping Cyber demonstrate that growth cannot be measured only in economic terms; it must also be measured in inclusivity, representation, and resilience.
By empowering women and underrepresented groups, the region strengthens its talent pipeline, widens the pool of founders and innovators, and ensures that cybersecurity reflects the society it serves. The West Midlands Cyber Working Group (WM CWG), Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands, and our universities all have a role to play in turning these conversations into sustained action.
Personal Note
On a personal level, I confess to being “high as a kite” on painkillers after recently breaking a rib, but the energy, commitment, and warmth in the room made the discomfort more than worthwhile.
Further Reading
For those interested in exploring pioneering contributions of women to technology and computing, I’ve recently published profiles on:
- Radia Perlman: The Innovation of STP and OSPF
- Hedy Lamarr: Star of Screen and Science
- Ada Lovelace: Her Pioneering Contributions to Computing