From boardrooms to government panels, women in cybersecurity are now shaping the UK’s strategic direction, not just participating in it. For years, the conversation about women in cybersecurity focused on “getting a foot in the door.” Today, it’s about who’s in the room when national decisions are made, and increasingly, women are leading those conversations. Inclusion is no longer a side project. In the UK, it’s becoming a strategic imperative, with policy, funding, and procurement now reflecting gender equity, diverse leadership, and lived experience as core components of resilience, innovation, and national capability. This article maps how women in cyber leadership are influencing strategy at every level, from community hubs and boardrooms to national working groups and international policy circles.

Contents

1. The Rise of Women in Strategic Cyber Roles

Across the UK’s cyber ecosystem, women are now:

• Chairing national bodies (e.g. UK Cyber Security Council, CIISec)
• Leading regional clusters (e.g. CyberWomen@Birmingham, Women in Cyber Wales)
• Directing public sector initiatives (e.g. DSIT, MoD, DCMS-led cyber programmes)
• Sitting on boards of high-growth cybersecurity firms

This shift brings new perspectives to policy, especially around inclusion, skills, child online safety, and human-centric cyber risk.

2. Where Women Are Leading Strategy

UK Cyber Security Council (UKCSC)

• Women hold senior positions on the board and professional standards committees
• The Council actively promotes inclusive standards and chartership pathways

CIISec & IET

• Key women leaders have shaped skills frameworks and professional development pathways now used across the public sector
• Inclusion-focused events now influence how training and certifications are funded

DSIT, NCSC, and Home Office Advisory Panels

• Female leaders increasingly appear on working groups shaping cyber skills, resilience, and innovation funding
• Cyber Runway: Ignite was specifically designed to support diverse and underrepresented founders

3. Community-Led Leadership with National Influence

CyberWomen@Birmingham

• Not just a support network, they influence regional cyber funding, programme design, and event strategy
• Members speak at UK-wide events, participate in DSIT pilots, and co-design innovation initiatives

Women in Cyber Wales

• Embedded in cluster leadership, international partnerships, and cyber export strategy
• Runs speaker programmes, mentorship, and industry outreach with national visibility

WiCyS UK (Women in CyberSecurity UK Affiliate)

• Tied to academia and international networks
• Influences university course design, research inclusion, and early-career retention for women in cyber

4. Policy Areas Where Inclusion Is Changing the Game

• Cyber Skills Strategy – Inclusive training programmes, apprenticeships, and bootcamps are now designed with gender diversity metrics in mind
• Public Sector Procurement – Frameworks increasingly include requirements around inclusive practices, supplier diversity, and ethical hiring
• Innovation Funding – UKRI, DSIT, and Innovate UK now monitor and prioritise diverse-led bids in many grant programmes
• Cyber Violence Against Women and Girls (CVAWG) – Policy development now includes survivor-informed cyber strategy, thanks to women in advisory and policy roles

5. Beyond Representation: Women as Convenors, Assessors, and Gatekeepers

Influence isn’t just about visibility, it’s about decision-making. Across the UK:

• Women serve as programme assessors for CyberASAP, Cyber Runway, and Innovate UK
• They chair regional working groups (e.g. West Midlands CWG, IAWM-led initiatives)
• They shape curriculum, mentor founders, and set hiring practices in both public and private sectors

6. How to Engage and Support the Shift

• Partner with women-led groups for events, skills outreach, or R&D pilots
• Invite diverse speakers to shape working groups and community panels
• Sponsor or nominate women for fellowships and awards (CIISec, RAEng, TechWomen100)
• Fund inclusion-focused roles and pilots, especially in SME and regional settings

Final Thoughts

In the UK cyber ecosystem, women are no longer just joining the conversation, they’re setting the agenda.

From shaping procurement and funding criteria to reimagining what secure and inclusive systems look like, women in cyber leadership are proving that inclusion isn’t a checkbox; it’s a competitive advantage.

The future of cyber strategy in the UK is diverse, and it’s already here.

References

1. Inside the UK Cyber Ecosystem: A Strategic Guide in 26 Parts
2. The Insider’s Guide to Influencing Senior Tech and Cybersecurity Leaders in the UK
3. Women in Cyber Leadership: How Inclusion is Shaping UK Strategy
4. UK Cyber Skills Landscape: The Real Gatekeepers of Talent and Training
5. The Quiet Power Players of UK Cybersecurity: Who Really Shapes the Agenda?