24th June 2025
Hilton London Canary Wharf
11th November 2025
Hilton London Canary Wharf
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Dr Elisabeth Carter
Associate Professor of Criminology and Forensic Linguistics

“Language for criminal gain”

This presentation exposes the language in fraudulent communications; exploring how legitimacy and credibility are maintained while the interaction movesto requests for money. It reveals the techniques that normalize and mitigate intimate and financial requests that would otherwise cause the victim concernand shows how this can be used to protect the public from future frauds.

  • Language used in fraudulent communications is similar to language of domestic abuse and coercive control
  • Red flags and alarm bells are disguised and are not obvious to the person experiencing the fraud
  • We need to address the way we protect the public from fraud, making it more effective.

BIO

Dr Elisabeth Carter is a criminologist and forensic linguist who conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of language and the law. She is bestknown for her work in examining fraudulent interactions, particularly romance and investment fraud. Elisabeth writes research papers, journal articles, cross-sector briefings and books, and regularly features in national TV and radio series, podcasts and print media, talking about fraud, deception, grooming andcompliance. She uses her research to support law enforcement campaigns, drive police operations, deliver training in practical strategies to disrupt thepower of fraudulent communications across the public, private and third sector, and safeguard people in positions of vulnerability.

Paul Colwell
Chief Information Security Officer | Wavenet CyberGuard

Negotiating with cyber criminals

Step into the CISO’s shoes during a ransomware attack and explore the real-time decisions, intelligence, and dilemmas faced in the first 24 hours of a livecyber crisis.

  • Live role-play scenario: Acting as a CISO during a ransomware attack
  • Key decisions in the first 24 hours of an incident
  • Impact of threat intelligence on response strategy
  • “To pay or not to pay?” – navigating ransom demands
  • Practical takeaways to inform your own incident response plan

BIO

Paul Colwell is Chief Information Security Officer at Wavenet, bringing over two decades of deep technical and leadership experience across cyber security, cloud and enterprise IT. Paul has held senior roles including Chief Technology Officer at Wavenet, and Technical Director at both CyberGuard Technologies and OGL Computer Group. Known for his hands-on innovation and strategic foresight, Paul has built a reputation for developing cutting-edge cloud solutions and forming impactful technology partnerships. He is a cyber security visionary, with a passion for helping businesses navigate the constant evolution of the threat and cyber-attack landscape.

Amy Stokes-Waters
CEO | The Cyber Escape Room Co.

Interactive Cyber Escape Room – The Breach

Your company’s been hit with some serious ransomware, which you’ve traced back to a single set of leaked credentials. The Breach tasks you with uncovering the source and identifying how the data got out in the first place. Was it a malicious insider or just bad luck? Find out in this interactive escape room game.

BIO

With over a decade in tech, I’ve built a career spanning sales, marketing, and project management. Now CEO of The Cyber Escape Room Co., I’m passionate about making cybersecurity training engaging, creative, and effective.

As a single mum and natural multitasker, I bring energy, enthusiasm, and focus to everything I do. Whether it’s landing a business on three continents in six months or designing standout events, I throw my whole self into the challenge.

A “force of nature,” I inspire others to think differently and make things happen.

Eliot Heilpern
CEO | Pantheon Communications

“The Future of the Payments Landscape – Key Challenges 2005-2008”

The presentation will discuss these developments and illustrate crypto, regulation, greater customer demands, and risk awareness will alter the industry landscape in the next three years.

  • Fraud, Financial Crime & Regulation
  • Crypto Currencies & Open Banking
  • Cross-Border Payments (Nostro Consolidation) & Smart Cites”
  • Greater operational resilience & safeguarding
  • Regulation v. Innovation…or Transformation for Innovation…?

BIO:

Eliot Heilpern is currently CEO and founder of the Banking and Payments Advisory Group entitled Parthenon Communications. The Company provides advice and solutions on International Payments to the Corporate, FI, and Fintech sectors.

Eliot is a seasoned executive and multi-disciplinary business leader; well experienced at the intersection of payments, relationship banking, risk, partnerships, supporting technologies, and industry regulation.

His professional background is: Senior Banker with regards to Client Relationships and Revenue Generation. Currently, he is an International Payments Consultant to the Payments and Fintech Industry. He maintains a strong understanding of the Financial Eco-System, having spent more than 25 years in the industry in the UK and overseas. His core areas of expertise are: Corporate and FI Banking, Correspondent Banking, Relationship Management, Global Transaction Services, and Cash Management; including supporting KYC and Due Diligence.

Eliot was former UK CEO of a UN/UNICEF affiliated international organisation, and has held various senior positions with several key international banks, and financial entities in the UK, and abroad overseeing; international retail, wholesale and corporate banking, and cards.

Gurps Khaira
Cybersecurity Programme Manager | HSBC

“The Art of Project Management”

How to manage enterprise level projects and deploying cybersecurity technologies to very complicated infrastructures and environments. How to manage risks, issues and stakeholders with effective governance structures.

  • Project Management lifecycle
  • What are the key Project Phases?
  • How to create a project plan
  • How to manage a enterprise level portfolio
  • How to create a low level plan.

BIO

As a Cybersecurity Programme Manager at HSBC I have extensive experience delivering high-value projects and programmes exceeding $200,000,000. In addition to my cybersecurity expertise, I am also a bodybuilder, offering unique insights at the intersection of security, leadership, transformation, and wellbeing. I believe my perspective can bring a fresh and engaging dimension to your audience, and I’d be delighted to discuss potential opportunities further.

Ben Owen
Speaker, Co-Founder and Head of Intelligence | The OSINT Group

“The Data Dilemma: Balancing Online Sharing with Security”

In an age where every click leaves a trace, navigating the balance between sharing and security is crucial. Discover how to protect your digital identity and exactly how hackers exploit your personal information.

  • Understanding digital footprints
  • Common social engineering tactics
  • Assessing your online presence
  • Think you haven’t got a digital footprint? Think again.

BIO:

Ben is an internationally recognised expert in covert operations, surveillance and digital intelligence with over 23 years’ experience working at the very height of national security, military operations and now the private sector. Ben also stars in the global hit TV show, Hunted. He now films the Australian version which was the most popular TV show in Australia since 2015 with Season 1. Ben is also known as the ‘Digital Spy’, giving talks across the world to keep clients and businesses safe from the bad guys.

Tony Willis MSc MBA FCMI MSyI
Situational Awareness Expert | BeAwareTakeCare

“How the potential for abuse of artificial intelligence and machine learning by terrorists or extremists could impact your organisation”
  • AI/hacking/fraud/inside actors may be used by extremists to radicalise individuals and disseminate information.
  • How that may affect people’s views of organisations/events/policies/politics
  • How they may utilise fraud and scams to help with funding

BIO

Tony provides advice and training on situational awareness and counter terrorism.

He has previously worked in the corporate sector responsible for fraud and revenue assurance systems at several large multinationals along with running large project management departments.

Tony gained an MBA in 1995 and decided to return to university in 2016 to study for his Masters In Counter Terrorism at UCLAN.

Tony is a Fellow at the Chartered Institute of management and the Institute of Strategic Risk Management and a member of the Security Institute.

Martin Byford-Rew
Head of Digital Systems – King Edward VI Foundation Birmingham

“2S2C: Standardising and Simplifying for Consistency and Compliance in integrating Technology”

In this seminar, Martin Byford-Rew will introduce the concept of 2S2C, which stands for Standardising, Simplifying, Consistency, and Compliance. This approach advocates for the standardisation and simplification of digital and technology provisions in educational & other settings to achieve consistency and compliance with statutory and advisory obligations. Martin will discuss the common pitfalls of adopting new technologies without considering their integration with existing systems, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs. By adhering to the 2S2C framework, institutions can ensure their technology systems are more predictable, easier to support, and compliant with relevant obligations, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness and financial sustainability of their digital and technology initiatives. 

BIO:

With 27 years’ experience of working in ICT within Education, culminating as the Head of Digital Systems at the King Edward VI Foundation, I am currently leading a project to on-board multiple schools onto a single Microsoft 365 tenant. I strive to standardise and simplify systems and solutions to bring about consistency and compliance for all users and the organisation. I believe that ICT should be transparent to the user. IT should just work. It should enable users to access the services they need when they need them using resilient secure systems that are easy to support, minimise repetition using automation where appropriate to do so and are sustainable in the current era.

I have a demonstrable track record of working in the primary/secondary education including project managing the onboarding of seven schools into the trust using a common digital strategy and approach, maximising available resources to deliver a centralised ICT department capable of supporting the needs of a growing trust now and into the future. I believe that the key to success of any organisation lays in the strength of its staff and the way in which they are developed and given opportunities to grow to positions where they enjoy a fulfilled and productive experience.

I am skilled in Educational Technology, People Management, Business Development and IT Operations and maintain an awareness of current trends and developments within areas which may present as candidates for use within the Education sector.With 27 years’ experience of working in ICT within Education, culminating as the Head of Digital Systems at the King Edward VI Foundation, I am currently leading a project to on-board multiple schools onto a single Microsoft 365 tenant. I strive to standardise and simplify systems and solutions to bring about consistency and compliance for all users and the organisation. I believe that ICT should be transparent to the user. IT should just work. It should enable users to access the services they need when they need them using resilient secure systems that are easy to support, minimise repetition using automation where appropriate to do so and are sustainable in the current era. I have a demonstrable track record of working in the primary/secondary education including project managing the onboarding of seven schools into the trust using a common digital strategy and approach, maximising available resources to deliver a centralised ICT department capable of supporting the needs of a growing trust now and into the future. I believe that the key to success of any organisation lays in the strength of its staff and the way in which they are developed and given opportunities to grow to positions where they enjoy a fulfilled and productive experience. I am skilled in Educational Technology, People Management, Business Development and IT Operations and maintain an awareness of current trends and developments within areas which may present as candidates for use within the Education sector.