ScotlandIS, the membership and cluster management organisation for the digital technologies industry in Scotland, has appointed Ciara Mitchell as Head of Cyber. The appointment reinforces the organisation’s continued commitment to strengthening services for members and providing support to the wider industry by helping to unlock the potential of the growing specialist cyber community in Scotland.
Mitchell joins ScotlandIS from BT Security, where she led a team of product managers within BT’s cyber security division and successfully implemented strategies for several global cyber security products.
In her new role, Mitchell will be responsible for the growth and development of the cyber security cluster at ScotlandIS in line with the Scottish Government’s cyber security strategy. By bringing this community together, she will highlight the capabilities across the industry, connecting people and identifying opportunities. Ciara will work alongside a unique team of dedicated coordinators in academia and the public sector to ensure that cyber businesses in Scotland are best placed to fully exploit the economic growth opportunities available with the increasing demand for cyber security goods and services.
On her appointment to lead the formation of the new ScotlandIS Cyber Cluster, Ciara Mitchell said:
“It’s great to be joining ScotlandIS at what is an incredibly exciting time for the sector. The formation of the Cyber Cluster will be invaluable for our members and the wider community, in turn fuelling Scotland’s international position in data, cyber security goods and services.”
Polly Purvis, chief executive of ScotlandIS, added:
“Ciara has an impressive track record in the cyber security industry and with a background in electronic engineering and telecoms, she brings great experience and expertise to the team. I’m delighted she’s taking on the new role of Head of Cyber and I know she will work closely with our members specialising in cyber, to grow and promote Scotland’s burgeoning cyber cluster.
“Almost a third of ScotlandIS members (29%) surveyed in our recent Scottish Technology Industry Survey identified cyber security as being the greatest opportunity for their business over the next 18 months. The dedicated cluster, which is part of our wider cluster development strategy, will reinforce our position within the sector and nurture economic growth, enabling our members and Scottish businesses to collaborate and develop new innovative services and products.
We’ve worked closely with Scottish Enterprise, who are supporting our cluster strategy, enabling us to strengthen the services we provide”
She has recently been freelancing with Scottish security startup Zortex, who specialize in data protection through tokenisation. She has also recently completed an MBA at Heriot Watt Edinburgh Business School to further her knowledge in strategic planning and risk management.
The digital technologies industry is a key pillar of the Scottish economy, generating £6bn in GVA and £3bn in exports and growing. ScotlandIS acts as the voice of the industry and supports internationally competitive tech clusters in smart transport, cyber security and data designed to promote economic growth through innovation.