Heather Lowrie Profile Picture

Keynote SpeakerHeather Lowrie

Cybersecurity, Technology, Risk and Resilience Leader, Chief Information Security Officer, Board Member and Strategic Advisor

Heather Lowrie is a seasoned cybersecurity, technology, risk, and resilience leader with a distinguished career spanning public and private sectors. Recognised as “CISO of the Year 2024” at the SC Awards Europe, she is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Information Security, reflecting her standing as a respected... Read more

Biography

Heather Lowrie is a seasoned cybersecurity, technology, risk, and resilience leader with a distinguished career spanning public and private sectors. Recognised as “CISO of the Year 2024” at the SC Awards Europe, she is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Information Security, reflecting her standing as a respected authority in the field.

With experience ranging from in-depth engineering to board-level leadership, Heather is known for setting strategic direction and delivering results in large, complex organisations. She has led through high-pressure crises, including major cyber incidents, and has driven transformative change across digital, AI, and cybersecurity programmes.

Heather Lowrie served as the inaugural Chief Information Security Officer at The University of Manchester, where she built enterprise-wide security capabilities and led through a significant cyber attack. Prior to this, she spearheaded cybersecurity efforts for Scotland’s first digital-first Census and held a range of technical and leadership roles in the financial services sector.

In addition to her leadership roles, Heather provides strategic counsel to boards and leadership teams. She currently sits on several influential advisory boards, including:
– Privacy and Security Advisory Board, Flo Health Inc
– UK Advisory Council, ISC2
– Advisory Council, Infosecurity Europe

“CISO of the Year was awarded to Heather Lowrie from the University of Manchester, described as a ‘a great beacon’ for others and ‘the sort of person I would like to be when I grow up’ by her peers. She was also praised for her work in dealing with the June 2023 cyber-attack which was done with minimal fuss, focusing their priorities in the right areas and making the tough decisions - but all with a focus on people and how they were affected and impacted”

Popular Talks by Heather Lowrie

  • Cybersecurity, Innovation and Leadership
  • Cyber Resilience
  • Proactive Risk Management
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Trustworthy Innovation
  • Governance in the digital age