Gemma Ungoed-Thomas

Gemma is a remarkable woman who joined the UK Civil Service at the bottom and worked her way to the top - currently Cabinet Office Director for State Threats, Cyber & Technology - after 15 years in pivotal cyber and national security roles, sadly their sensitivity kept her away from public view. As she leaves Government to become a senior fellow with Kings College and the Atlantic Council we can finally recognise her impact.

Her influence is etched into key UK security frameworks; architecting the £2bn National Cyber Strategy, developing the UK’s inaugural Counter State Threats Strategy and co-chairing the National Cyber Advisory Board to bring government, industry, and civil society leaders together to strengthen systemic resilience. Gemma's skills aren't theory - she provided exceptional operational leadership in crisis, under extreme pressure and in that rare way that brings others up with her including: - coordinating immediate response to wannacry and using lessons learned to drive a step-change in cyber crisis arrangements - establishing the UK’s cyber incident response capability at the NCSC, overseeing operations for the most significant national cyberattacks. - as Private Secretary to the Prime Minister leading cross-government responses to major crises, including the Afghanistan evacuation. - advancing resilience frameworks with Five Eyes partners and the EU, ensuring the UK leads in responsible AI governance. Gemma is a trailblazer and role model: peers in cybersecurity and intelligence —from FTSE 100 to NATO leaders —describe Gemma as a "pathfinder" who rose to the top of a male-dominated profession through sheer talent and determination. She didn't just manage security; she evolved it by integrating behavioural insights and adaptive governance into national power. Her transition to Senior Fellowships at King’s College London and The Atlantic Council ensures her legacy of thought leadership will continue to shape the global cybersecurity landscape.