Liam Fox appoints security expert to champion British cyber firms overseas

The Department for International Trade has recently appointed a new Cyber Security Ambassador.

The Department for International Trade recently (25 April) announced the appointment of Dr Henry Pearson as the UK’s new Cyber Security Ambassador.

The role brings together a dedicated person in government with subject matter expertise and cyber security experience, responsible for promoting the cyber capability of leading British firms in international markets.

In this role, Dr. Pearson will work closely with UK businesses seeking to secure major international contracts with overseas governments and central banks that are looking to bolster their cyber defences against potential cyber threats. It is expected he will focus substantially on the Gulf and South East Asian markets.

His appointment marks the UK’s ambition to increase its cyber security exports and the footprint of British cyber firms overseas, to capitalise on the growing demand among government’s around the world to safeguard their critical national infrastructure.

Welcoming Dr. Pearson to DIT, International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox said:

I am delighted to welcome Henry Pearson as the Department’s new Cyber Ambassador. The UK’s reputation for cyber expertise is recognised worldwide and my department is committed to ensuring the UK fulfils its global potential, with cyber exports projected to be worth £2.6bn by 2021.

Henry’s appointment will be instrumental in ensuring our world leading firms are able to compete on the global stage and our cutting-edge technology is the first port of call for overseas government’s looking to secure their critical national infrastructure.

He joins with substantial experience in the sector, having previously worked for the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) as a cyber adviser, for the Ministry of Defence as an independent adviser and as a senior figure in Detica Ltd, now BAE Applied Intelligence. Pearson holds a PHD in Applied Mathematics from Cambridge.

The UK is one of the leading players in cyber security internationally, following shortly behind the US and Israel. Pearson’s appointment is the latest step in a major capability-building programme underway at DIT, across exports and investment promotion and trade policy.