Sarah Armstrong Smith to deliver keynotes on cyber resilience

Sarah Armstrong Smith, recognised for her expertise in cybersecurity and crisis leadership, has signed an exclusive agreement with Champions Speakers to deliver keynotes across the UK and internationally.

Armstrong Smith has held prominent positions throughout her career, including serving as Chief Security Advisor at Microsoft, Group Head of Business Resilience & Crisis Management at the London Stock Exchange Group, and Head of Continuity & Resilience at Fujitsu.

When appointed as Microsoft's Chief Security Advisor for Europe in 2020, Armstrong Smith contributed to strategies for digital transformation and cloud adoption with major enterprises across the continent. Her practical experience in the field has been acknowledged through several accolades, such as inclusion in SC Media's Top 30 Female Cybersecurity Leaders and ComputerWeekly's listing of the UK's Most Influential Tech Leaders.

Through her new collaboration with Champions Speakers, Armstrong Smith will now share the lessons and insights gained through years of responding to significant incidents and advising major organisations on crisis and security management.

"I'm looking forward to bringing real-world insights and hard-earned lessons that goes beyond theory, to help audiences understand what is truly at stake, with compelling stories and practical insights.

"My goal is to ignite a sense of urgency and possibility in every audience, inspiring them to see cybersecurity not just as a technical challenge, but as a shared business responsibility and opportunity for innovation and growth."

Armstrong Smith aims to make her presentations accessible and impactful. She explained how she seeks to help others understand the complexity of cyber threats and motivate them towards meaningful change:

"Dynamic, engaging and tailored presentations which will demystify cybersecurity and empower audiences. I hope they listen and then take steps towards building effective resilience, providing a catalyst for proactive change."

She has observed that the expression "wake up calls" is frequently used in relation to cyber-attacks, a viewpoint she is determined to challenge in her public addresses. Regarding this, Armstrong Smith stated:

"One of the key questions I will be asking in my talks is how many wake-up calls will it take to finally break the cycle? It's vital to remember that lasting change only happens when we challenge misconceptions, take deliberate and decisive action and commit to deliver top-down change."

With practical knowledge of leading responses to critical disruptions such as the Millennium Bug and the global pandemic, Armstrong Smith's expertise is built on first-hand experience in crisis scenarios. This has established her reputation within the security and business resilience sectors.

Armstrong Smith's published works include her first book, 'Effective Crisis Management', released in 2022. The book draws on real-world situations to illustrate factors influencing successful crisis response. In 2024, she released 'Understand the Cyber Attacker Mindset', which achieved Amazon's No. 1 bestseller status and explores the psychology of cyberwarfare and organisational defence strategies.

Her contributions to the cybersecurity sector have resulted in her being recognised as a 'Distinguished Speaker' by Microsoft and being counted among the Most Influential and Inspiring Women in UK Tech and Cyber Security.

In 2025, Armstrong Smith was appointed to the UK Government Cyber Advisory Board. In this role, she brings a wealth of experience aimed at enhancing policy making, increasing accountability, and improving national resilience to cyber events.

Jack Hayes, Director of Champions Speakers, commented on Armstrong Smith joining the agency:

"I'm delighted to welcome Sarah to Champions Speakers. Sarah is already rightly regarded as one of the most authoritative voices in the world on cybersecurity, and in 2025 was voted the official No.1 Cyber Security Speaker in the UK, so her keynotes will be hugely influential and help to drive change and educate businesses. In 2025, having the very best advice to deal with cybersecurity is vital - and no one is better placed in the world than Sarah to provide it."

Armstrong Smith will also be represented by The Cyber Security Agency, an organisation focused on expertise and leadership in cyber security, privacy, and data sovereignty.