What I bring to a stage

I speak on subjects I have lived. Every recommendation I give from a platform has been tested in my own laboratory or formed through direct regulatory experience reviewing real firms in real difficulty. I do not speak from slides — I speak from evidence.

I aim for clarity: if I cannot explain a concept in 60 seconds, I have not understood it well enough. My sessions are structured for maximum Q&A — I typically finish my prepared remarks in under half the allotted time and use the rest for conversation. Audiences consistently find this more useful than a polished deck.

Speaking topics

Operational & Cyber Resilience

Resilience after PS7/26 — what boards should ask next

The 31 March 2025 milestone is behind us. This session explores what the PRA's ongoing expectations mean for governance, third-party management and testing — drawing on 150+ firm reviews.

Operational & Cyber Resilience

What we have learned from 150+ operational resilience reviews

A candid account of recurring failures, common misconceptions and what genuinely resilient firms do differently. Practical, specific and grounded in direct regulatory experience.

Operational & Cyber Resilience

Crisis management in cyber — from incident to board communication

How to manage a major cyber incident from detection to regulatory notification to board briefing, based on direct experience across hundreds of live incidents.

Operational & Cyber Resilience

DORA and beyond — navigating the UK–EU digital resilience landscape

A comparative view of the UK's SS1/21 framework and the EU's Digital Operational Resilience Act, for firms operating — or wishing to operate — across both jurisdictions.

Post-Quantum Transition

Don't ignore, don't panic — the realistic post-quantum journey

A plain-language assessment of the quantum threat, when it actually matters, and what a regulated firm should do in the next 12 months. Based on hands-on implementation experience.

Post-Quantum Transition

Cryptoagility — turning a compliance deadline into a programme

How to build an organisation-wide capability to swap cryptographic algorithms, rather than treating post-quantum as a one-time upgrade. Includes the technology stack assessment framework.

Post-Quantum Transition

Are you quantum ready? A practical assessment

A structured walkthrough of the quantum readiness of a typical financial-services technology stack — from TLS and SSH to email, DNS and backup encryption — with honest risk ratings.

AI in Financial Services

Five pillars for agentic AI success in regulated firms

Why Gartner predicts 40%+ of agentic AI projects will be cancelled, and the five disciplines — vision, grounded ambition, leadership, customer focus, transparency — that separate those that succeed.

AI in Financial Services

AI you can govern — accountability, oversight and the limits of automation

A board-level framework for AI risk: what to demand of AI systems, how to maintain human accountability, and when to say no. Illustrated with specific failure cases.

Technology Risk & Strategy

The next decade of technology risk — from DORA to quantum to AI agents

A strategic view of how technology risk will evolve to 2035, and what it means for boards, risk functions and regulators. Draws on the forthcoming book Cyber Landscape in 2035.

Formats

I am comfortable in any format: keynote (30–60 minutes), fireside chat (20–40 minutes with a host), panel (as panellist or moderator), roundtable (for up to 20 senior participants), masterclass (half-day, hands-on), and in-house board briefing (a private session for a firm's board or executive committee).

In-house board briefings are the format I find most valuable — a candid conversation with your board, under Chatham House Rules, focused on your firm's specific questions. Typically two hours.

Selected recent engagements

Practical information

Geography: Global. In-person anywhere for the right engagement; virtual for shorter formats or preliminary conversations.

Lead time: For keynotes and panels at public conferences, a minimum of six weeks is appreciated. For in-house board briefings, two weeks is usually sufficient once the topic is agreed.

Fees: Available on request. Arrangements vary by format, audience and geography.

Chatham House Rule: I am comfortable operating under Chatham House Rule for sensitive board or roundtable discussions.

To discuss a speaking engagement, please get in touch with the topic, format and date in mind.

Enquire about speaking →