Rory Stewart and Paul Chichester to Headline at Infosecurity Europe

National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Director of Operations Paul Chichester and former UK government minister Rory Stewart have been announced as keynote speakers at Infosecurity Europe 2025.

The pair will give keynote talks on the first two days, with the event aiming to shine a light on the growing link between geopolitics and cybersecurity.

Aiming for Destruction: Evolving Nation-State Tactics

Chichester will deliver the presentation ‘The Cyber Cold War? Geopolitics Driving Cyber Threat’ on Tuesday June 3 on the Keynote Stage at 12.20.

He will share government intelligence on the evolving cyber-attack tactics employed by hostile nation states, including the strategic targeting of UK infrastructure for destructive purposes.

Chichester will set out how tactics are evolving across different state actors, including the emergence of new international actors.

This follows insights from the UK government’s CYBERUK conference in May, in which NCSC revealed it had observed “nationally significant” cyber incidents double from September 2024 to May 2025 compared with the same period in the previous year.

Additionally, UK security services have observed a “direct connection” between Russian cyber-attacks and physical threats in the country.

In his Infosecurity Europe talk, Chichester will also reveal how the UK government is working to strengthen national resilience, and offer advice on where organizations should focus their defenses amid rising international tensions.

Rory Stewart on the Changing World Order

Stewart, who also co-hosts the popular podcast The Rest is Politics, will deliver a keynote address on Wednesday, June 4, at 10.05 BST, titled ‘Shifting Sands: Geopolitics, Threat and the Future.’

This will explore how the rapidly changing geopolitical order, and resulting instability and tensions, is spilling over into the cyber realm.

Cyber-attacks are viewed as a strategic weapon in the ‘grey zone’ between peace and war by hostile states, providing them with plausible deniability for such activities.

Nations are shifting alliances, with some forging closer ties, while others drift into increasing isolation. Stewart will discuss how this realignment has direct consequences for cybersecurity, with the nature and origin of threats more difficult to predict.

He will also offer a perspective on how such cyber threats may evolve in the future.

Brad Maule-ffinch, Event Director at Infosecurity Europe, commented: “The relationship between geopolitics and cybersecurity is a growing concern and should be a topic for discussion in every boardroom. These sessions will provide our attendees with vital knowledge on the threats shaping our industry. Both keynotes will be essential to grasping the reality of these threats and the future of cybersecurity.”

Read now: Brian Cox to Discuss Quantum Computing’s Impact at Infosecurity Europe 2025

Hall of Fame Alumni Welcomed to the Stage

Infosecurity Europe has also announced it will be welcoming back several of its Hall of Fame alumni, who will chair the Keynote Stage throughout the week.

On Tuesday June 3, the stage will be chaired by renowned independent security expert and podcast host Graham Cluley.

On Wednesday June 4, social engineering expert Jenny Radcliffe, AKA The People Hacker, will chair proceedings.

Finally, on Thursday June 5, Barclays MD of Global Cyber Operations, Becky Pinkard, will host the day’s keynotes.

Pinkard will also announce the induction of former NCSC founder and CEO, Ciaran Martin, into the Infosecurity Europe Hall of Fame on June 5.

Hall of Fame recipients are chosen for having a real impact on cybersecurity industry. Martin led a fundamental shift in the UK’s approach to cybersecurity in the second half of the last decade and remains a globally respected authority on cyber policy and strategy.

The Hall of Fame ceremony will be followed by an open mic session with Hall of Fame alumni, offering the audience the chance to ask pressing questions of some of the industry’s biggest names.

The 2025 event will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Infosecurity Europe, taking place from June 3-5 at the ExCel London.

Register here to book your place and discover the latest developments and research in cybersecurity.