Sarah Armstrong-Smith has forged a respectable career in STEM, currently working as the Chief Security Advisor for Microsoft. Appointed to the role in 2020, Sarah has already stamped her mark on the practices of the company, putting to use her previous experience of working on cases such as the Millennium Bug to influence her strategies for Microsoft’s cyber security. Passionate about pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo, Sarah has been on the front-line of major cyber incidents and helps businesses to navigate their tech journeys.
Sarah first found her interest in all things cyber security working for Thames Water as a Business Continuity Analyst. As part of the large water utility business, Sarah was given the responsibility of working on the Millennium Bug programme for the business, finding her passion for crisis management. For the next 20 years, Sarah’s passion for technology blossomed- with her expertise expanding to increase disaster recovery, data protection and privacy. After this role, Sarah also worked as the Disaster Recovery Manager for AXA, the Manager of Technology Risk Services for Ernst & Young, the Head of Continuity & Resilience for Enterprise & Cyber Security for Fujitsu and the Group Head of Business Resilience & Crisis Management for the London Stock Exchange Group.
Having also worked as a Non-Executive Director for Decipher Cyber, Sarah has contributed her detailed knowledge to a variety of companies as a board advisor. She has formerly been a board advisor for Avnos, Vaultree and e2e-assure Ltd, as well as acting as the company Director of Secure Horizons. Now the Chief Security Advisor for Microsoft, Sarah channels her passion for technology to work with strategic customers and partners to help them achieve the best digital strategies. Informing the world around her on the possibilities of advancing and transforming society through technology, Sarah is revered for her holistic approach to problem solving, resilience and crisis management. In 2022, Sarah was recognised as a 'Distinguished Speaker' by Microsoft, which is the highest accolade provided by the Executive Briefing Center, and an individual can only win this award once. In addition to being a Distinguished Speaker, Sarah has among the highest average evaluation scores from visiting customers among all global speakers. In 2023, Sarah was also a finalist for the Cyber Citizen of the Year at The National Cyber Awards.
With a distinguished career to her name, Sarah is now booked as an experienced PR spokesperson and keynote speaker for a variety of events. In her speeches, Sarah shares the human aspects of technology, as well as explaining to audiences why being resilient in the face of adversity can differentiate your company in a competitive environment. Her commitment to the tech industry has earned Sarah recognition as one of the Most Influential Women in UK Tech and as one of the Most Influential Women in Cybersecurity. Whether she is booked for intimate events or large corporate conferences, Sarah Armstrong-Smith is the perfect speaker to hire when looking for an expert in everything STEM, cyber security, crisis management and disaster recovery.
Our Senior Content Executive, Megan Lupton, conducted an exclusive interview with Sarah Armstrong-Smith. Check it out!
