On behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Plexal and Protection Group International (PGI) deliver the UK-Gulf Women in Cybersecurity Fellowship. Designed to bring women working in the cyber sector across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region together, our aim through this collaboration is empowering them to make an impact in their organisations, within the cyber ecosystem and on the world stage.
As part of our most recent cohort, 13 fellows received mentorship and heard from speakers in expert-led sessions covering the latest trends in cyber – from the impact of quantum to enabling AI-driven innovation securely.
Our fellows have taken insights from these discussions and their interactions with startups back into their organisations to drive conversations about risk, change and new technology. They’ve also participated in workshops, events and networking, including a visit to the National Cyber Security Centre’s flagship CYBERUK conference – a showcase of collaboration across our ecosystem – where fellows met Anne Keast-Butler, Director GCHQ (as seen in our header image).
Embracing collaboration, our fellows formed three project groups to explore the following:
Research into critical national infrastructure and the changing cyber landscape
The research group delivered a report synthesising the research and interviews they conducted into the impact of technology on critical national infrastructure (CNI) and the renewable energy sector, including the cyber risks created by integrating new and legacy technology.
Through interviews with leaders across the GCC, the fellows have produced a set of recommendations for how organisations can harness the potential of technology while protecting themselves. They have emphasised the need for greater training, awareness and skills development amongst teams responsible for operating and securing this technology. You can explore the report here.
Cyber diplomacy and international partnerships
Throughout the Fellowship, the participating cohort heard from guest speakers to help them understand the role women in the cyber sector can play on the international stage. The Fellowship has helped them:
- Develop strong arguments
- Engage in international negotiations on issues relating to cyber diplomacy
- Understand the global framework for responsible state behaviour in cyber
They then had the opportunity to put this into practice when they participated in the UN Open Ended Working Group. They also delivered a presentation on why Arab women should be better represented at a UN OEWG roundtable event in May 2024.
Raising awareness about cyber scams during Ramadan
The fellows designed a social media campaign designed to raise awareness about cyber scams amongst the elderly to help them detect fraud and protect themselves. The campaign was launched in the lead up to Ramadan, when scammers make a particular effort to catch people out. Building on this, they reached out to NGOs to encourage greater cross-border cooperation and collaboration when it comes to raising awareness of cyber security threats and presented their campaign to members of the South East Asia Women in Cyber (SEA WIC) Fellowship. The campaign can be viewed at https://ewaei.org
Through our work in the GCC and beyond, we understand the benefit of “cooperation on innovation” through international ties. At Plexal, we’re committed to enhancing our footprint in overseas markets, as demonstrated with the launch of CyberBoost: Catalyse in Singapore – just one part of how we’re harnessing innovative collaboration to solve global challenges.