Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland has announced the return of its See It Be It conference, aimed at encouraging more women to consider careers in cyber security.

The conference will be held in Edinburgh with support from Royal Bank of Scotland and Fortinet. It will bring together female high school pupils, university and college students, educators, cyber professionals and technology industry leaders for panel discussions, practical activities and mentoring sessions.

The event is part of the Centre’s wider See It Be It programme, which focuses on improving visibility, access and support for women interested in entering the sector. It comes as the UK cyber security market continues to expand while female representation remains low.

According to the latest UK Government Cyber Security Sectoral Analysis, the number of cyber security firms active in the UK increased by 20% over the last year. Separate government figures show women account for 17.5% of cyber roles in the UK.

Those figures have sharpened attention on the industry’s recruitment pipeline, particularly as employers seek to widen the range of backgrounds entering technical and non-technical roles. One of the main barriers, according to the Centre, is a limited understanding among young women of what work in cyber security can involve.

Jude McCorry addressed that concern in comments accompanying the announcement.

“Across Scotland, there is no shortage of talented young women interested in cyber security, but many still struggle to see a clear pathway into the industry, in part because of the narrow view they have of what a career in cyber security looks like.

“The reality is that the sector offers a huge variety of roles, from technical and analytical positions to careers in communications, policy, education, law and project management. See It Be It is designed to challenge those misconceptions, create real opportunities for connection, and show young people that a future in cyber security is both achievable and rewarding.

“The impact of this is far-reaching. A more diverse cyber workforce strengthens the sector by bringing different perspectives and approaches to problem-solving. At a time when the cyber security landscape is more challenging than ever, that diversity is desperately needed to achieve successful outcomes. By making cyber security careers more visible and accessible, we can help Scotland close the cyber gender gap and shore up its defences,” said Jude McCorry, Chief Executive Officer, Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland.

Growing programme

The conference follows a year of related activity under the same banner. The programme has engaged more than 20 schools and over 200 schoolgirls across Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Perth and Stirling.

Previous sessions included the Cyber Ladies Afternoon Tea, held with Check Point and Accenture, where pupils met cyber professionals and industry leaders to discuss barriers facing women in the field. The programme also added an online webinar format to connect students and role models from across Scotland.

One student who attended the afternoon tea described the effect of hearing directly from women already working in the sector.

“Listening to the stories of women who have made an impact in cyber has shown me that the industry is full of incredible opportunities. There are so many paths I can take, and I now feel more confident about pursuing a career in cyber,” said one student attendee.

Supporters of the conference say direct contact with employers and practitioners matters because cyber security is often presented too narrowly in schools and careers advice. Organisers want the event to show that the sector includes jobs in analysis, communications, policy, education, law and project management, as well as technical positions.

For Royal Bank of Scotland, the issue is especially relevant to financial services, where cyber security has become a central operational concern. Judith Cruickshank, Scotland Board Chair at the bank, linked the event to the need for clearer routes into the profession.

“Cyber security is absolutely vital to a wide range of sectors, not least financial services. Yet for many young people it can be difficult to understand what career opportunities there are, and this is especially true for women, who are underrepresented in cyber security roles.

“That is why Royal Bank of Scotland is proud to support this year’s See It Be It conference. Events like these are essential in showcasing pathways into cyber security and inspiring talented young women to pursue a career in a diverse and evolving specialism that is only going to grow in importance to our entire economy in the years ahead,” said Judith Cruickshank.

Fortinet also backed the initiative as employers across the industry compete for staff. Representation remains uneven even as demand for cyber professionals rises internationally.

“As global demand for cybersecurity professionals grows, representation remains uneven. At Fortinet, we believe that building a stronger, more diverse cyber workforce starts with making the industry more visible, accessible and inclusive for the next generation. We are partnering with several organisations and initiatives, such as See It Be It, to help break down barriers and create opportunities for women and other underrepresented groups to thrive in cybersecurity,” said Richard Woolfrey, Regional Director UK and Ireland, Fortinet.

The latest conference announcement adds to a broader effort in Scotland to widen participation in digital and cyber careers at school and college level. More than 200 schoolgirls have already taken part in See It Be It activities across the country.

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Gresham has appointed Spiros Giannaros as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Mark Hepsworth, who will move to the board.

The change follows Gresham’s acquisition of S&P Global’s Enterprise Data Management business, which expanded the company’s presence among financial institutions.

Giannaros brings more than 25 years of experience in capital markets technology and enterprise software. Most recently, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Charles River Development and also led platform strategy for State Street Alpha.

At Charles River, he oversaw an investment management platform serving more than USD 59 trillion in assets under management and a global workforce of 2,400. Earlier in his career, he was Partner and Senior Vice President at Markit, now part of S&P Global, where he ran the Markit EDM business.

That background gives him direct experience with the enterprise data management products Gresham acquired earlier this year. Since February, he has also worked with Gresham and its owner, STG, as an Operating Advisor, contributing to product strategy and operational planning.

The appointment comes as Gresham integrates the former S&P Global unit into its wider business. The deal broadened Gresham’s reach in data management, reconciliation, control, and regulatory reporting software used by large financial firms.

STG, Gresham’s private equity owner, said Giannaros was selected for his experience in both capital markets software and the specific data management business now within Gresham. The firm has backed more than 50 companies across data, software, and analytics.

Marc Bala, Managing Director at STG, said: “We are thrilled to introduce Spiros as the new Chief Executive Officer of Gresham. Spiros is an exceptional leader with an outstanding track record of driving growth and innovation in capital markets technology businesses.

“His prior leadership of the Markit EDM business gives him exceptional familiarity with Gresham’s products, customers, and competitive position. Spiros is the right leader to drive Gresham’s next chapter of growth and product innovation.

“We would also like to thank Mark for his partnership in building Gresham into the business it is today and are pleased he will continue to support the company going forward.”

Leadership shift

Hepsworth’s move to the board provides continuity as Gresham integrates a major acquisition and reshapes its management structure. The company focuses on software and managed services for financial institutions handling large volumes of operational and regulatory data.

Gresham has built its business around enterprise data management and automation tools for the financial services sector. Customers use these systems across investment operations, controls, reconciliation, and compliance.

Giannaros said Gresham’s position in the market and STG’s backing would support its next phase under new leadership.

He said: “Gresham is extremely well positioned to leverage the power of AI within its products and services to provide greater value and expanded benefits to customers. The company occupies a crucially important position in the financial services ecosystem, delivering intelligent business processes and data automation capabilities that global institutions depend on for their critical investment and regulatory operations.

“Having delivered for customers across these segments for over 25 years and gained a deep understanding of the financial platform ecosystem, I have conviction and belief in the quality of this platform and the strength of its customer relationships.

“STG’s significant investment in accelerating our product strategy will allow us to continue to build on our market-leading position and deliver the next generation of AI-driven capabilities and products. I am excited to work with this talented team and with STG to realize that potential and deliver increased value and innovation for our customers.”

Giannaros takes charge as Gresham combines its existing product set with the acquired enterprise data management business. His earlier role running Markit EDM gives him prior knowledge of the software line, its client base, and its market position.

That familiarity may prove important as financial institutions continue reviewing the systems they use to manage data quality, reporting, and operational controls. Gresham is now placing a long-time capital markets software executive at the center of its next stage.

When people ask how I built a successful tech start up, they expect me to talk about, investors, funding and headhunting. What I actually talk about is a business model based on freelance expertise – a PHP developer I found on Upwork, a designer who showed up at a freelancer meetup, and a sole trader web developer.

I started Echo3 a decade ago with £1,500 and the aim of building a business that gave me the flexibility to travel to the US several times a year to visit my daughter. That constraint forced me to think differently about how to build. 

What I found was Edinburgh’s freelance tech community – a group of people with a solution focused mindset, and a way of looking at highly effective modular collaboration.

The standard startup process is typically formulaic – you raise money, you employ staff and build a team. The freelance model inverts this. Instead of building capacity and hoping the work fills it, you bring in expertise precisely when you need it, at the level you need it.

This allows quality to be prioritised, without a cost overhead in the crucial early days.

Over the past decade, Echo3 has been built by a lean network of Edinburgh-based specialists; a backend developer, a UX designer, a growth strategist, a subject matter expert in ergonomics and workplace safety. None of them are on the payroll. All of them have been instrumental.

Edinburgh’s freelance tech scene has been the key to our growth. This is a professional community of people who know each other, refer each other and crucially, are selective with those referrals – as they want to work with people they like and respect. 

One introduction led to another. The developer knew the designer. The designer had worked with the strategist. It’s almost like have a team with chemistry built in, before the work even starts.

There’s a broader point here about how we think about startup ecosystems. Scotland has invested meaningfully in the infrastructure around tech founders. The are a number of programmes and funding routes – Techscaler, the RBS Accelerator and university spin-out programmes. 

But the informal layer underneath them, where expertise and knowledge are shared, often as people are still learning and growing, rarely gets discussed as a startup resource.

For an early-stage founder, access to a trusted freelance network has the potential to be incredibly valuable. Especially when that network has ideas and expertise that directly impacts growth. Good freelancers push back on bad ideas and are open to putting forward alternative solutions. The relationship is more like a collaboration between professionals than an employer-employee dynamic, and that changes the quality of the work.

Echo3 has now sold over 80,000 health and safety courses. Our clients include NHS Trusts, the Scottish Parliament and Rolls Royce. Seventy percent of our customers are individuals – freelancers, sole traders, people running small businesses who need affordable, accredited training.

It’s not lost on me that the business is, in a sense, a product of the same economy it serves. A business built by freelancers, for freelancers.