Empowering Women to Lead Cyber Security Forum 11th March 2026
March 2026
Supporting Organisations
Overview
This unique event, specifically designed for female InfoSec professionals, is an extension of Empowering You's award winning "Empowering Women to Lead Cyber Security" leadership development initiative. Launched in 2021 as a cross-sector partnership with government and industry to try and address the lack of gender diversity in leadership within the sector, our alumni network now includes over 600 empowered and empowering female InfoSec professionals across the UK.
Empowering Women to Lead Cyber Security - Forum 2026 fuses agenda setting discussions on some of the key technological developments and challenges in the sector, presented by some of the leading InfoSec experts from across Scotland and the UK, alongside inspiring and immersive leadership development workshops, led by our expert facilitators. These leadership masterclasses will be built around some of the most pressing challenges facing leaders as they develop and grow into the role, as well as the most common themes for development that we hear from our work with hundreds of female technology professionals across the country every year.
Most importantly, Forum 2026 provides an invaluable, supportive and empowering environment to deepen your industry knowledge, develop your leadership capabilities, create valuable new connections and, ultimately, realise your potential.
Delegate Experience
The Empowering Women to Lead Digital Cyber Security Forum is not just another conference.
The entire day has been specifically designed to blend agenda setting technical discussions, presented by some of the leading female voices in the InfoSec profession from across Scotland and beyond, with interactive leadership development workshops, led by our expert facilitators and themed around some of the most pressing challenges that we hear from our work with hundreds of female technology professionals every year.
Throughout the day, delegates will be informed, challenged, inspired and strengthen their networks with likeminded peers from across the cyber eco-system.
Attendees will:
- Hear from some of the leading InfoSec professionals on the issues shaping the sector
- Develop your leadership capabilities in a supportive and immersive environment
- Take part in interactive discussion forums
- Listen as established InfoSec leaders share their journey
- Build your network with an established community of empowered and empowering peers
- Engage with some of the leading InfoSec employers in Scotland
- Connect with potential mentors
Sponsor Experience
If you're tired of just being the exhibition backdrop to yet another cyber security conference, the "Empowering Women to Lead Cyber Security Forum" could be the answer.
Building on the success of our established "Empowering Women to Lead Cyber Security" programs across the UK, Forum 2026 provides a vital opportunity for female InfoSec professionals to gather, advance their industry knowledge, stretch their development as leaders and deepen their connections with a growing community.
Your support makes something special and valuable possible.
Sponsors Will:
- Connect with emerging and aspiring InfoSec leaders from across the public and private sectors
- Align your brand with an award-winning gender diversity in tech initiative
- Support the personal and professional development of tomorrow's industry leaders
- Showcase your organisation as an employer which recognises, celebrates and supports diversity
Pricing & Registration
Tickets are priced at £100+VAT for the full day and includes access to all main stage presentations, 2 x leadership workshops, 1 x panel discussion and drinks reception.
Please Note:
Public Sector Places: Through the support of The Scottish Government, there are a limited number of free places available to Scottish public sector employees. Please only use the free registration option if you are a public sector employee based in Scotland and use your work email address for registration so we can validate your free place.
Group Bookings: If your organisation is booking a number of places on the Forum, please email events@empowering-you.co.uk referencing "Empowering Women to Lead Cyber Forum - Group Booking" in the subject title and a group booking order form will be issued.
This event is specifically designed for women working within the InfoSec professions. Whilst Empowering You completely understands and believes in the valuable role which male allies play in creating a more diverse and inclusive cyber eco-system, the immersive nature of our workshops means that we respectfully request that men do not register to attend.
For any queries regarding the Empowering Women to Lead Cyber Security Forum, please email events@empowering-you.co.uk
Leadership Stream Workshop Information:
Leadership Workshop A:
Cyber Resilience: The Performance Impact of Stress in Cybersecurity
with Annabel Berry
As cybersecurity professionals, we operate in a high-stakes environment where evolving threats and the responsibility of protecting critical systems demand constant vigilance. This relentless pressure, coupled with the weight of potential consequences, significantly erodes performance and compromises cyber resilience.
This workshop will address these critical challenges, emphasising why managing mental wellbeing is fundamental to our overall cyber resilience - at individual, team, and organisational levels.
Key Objectives:
Highlight the scale of mental health challenges in the industry and the psychosocial hazards which commonly cause stress at work.
Equip participants with practical self-care strategies to enhance individual mental well-being and, by extension, performance.
Provide leaders with strategies to support team wellbeing, strengthening collective resilience.
Foster safe spaces for open discussion on mental health to reduce the stigma surrounding seeking help.
Join us to transform how you can ensure you and your team can remain effective, focused, and resilient.
Leadership Workshop B:
Unshakeable: Practical Strategies for Stronger Self-Belief
with Charley Gavigan
OVERVIEW
In this workshop we’ll focus on building leadership confidence in real time.
Through guided reflection, paired discussion and embodied pratices, participants will explore how self-doubt is shaped by conditioning rather than capability.
The session introduces practical strategies to interrupt unhelpful internal narratives, regulate state and presence before high-stakes moments, and translate external validation into internal self-trust.
This workshop normalises self-doubt while offering credible tools for action.
Participants will leave with a personalised self- belief strategy they can apply immediately in their leadership role.
Leadership Workshop C:
From Expertise to Influence
How to translate your knowledge into impact.
with Kate Lloyd
Full outline to follow
PLEASE NOTE: Delegates will be contacted in advance of the Forum for you to select your workshop preferences.
Speakers
