Like it or not, our reliance on technology and the internet underpins both business operations and personal lives. However, this dependency comes with risks we can no longer afford to overlook. We expect technology to be seamless and resilient—able to withstand mistakes, disruptions, and malicious threats—but ensuring this resilience demands active oversight.
For many business leaders, the responsibility of overseeing cyber risks is unfamiliar and may feel daunting. Yet, these risks are no longer optional to address; they are inseparable from your organisation’s long-term success. The question is: Should cyber risks be treated as a strategic priority rather than just an operational issue?
As senior business leaders, you have the power to set the tone. How can you enable a culture that prioritises cyber awareness? Are you prepared to respond if your organisation faces a data breach? Yesterday’s practices may not be enough to tackle tomorrow’s threats. Now is the time to evaluate how to best empower your organisation to actively manage cyber risks, ensuring its resilience in an increasingly connected world.
Join us in this in-person, roundtable, event on the 20th March 2025 to share in the thoughts from two people, Susanne and Chris, about what we need to do.
Cost: £20 for members, £30 for non-members.
Venue: El Vino’s Fleet Street London EC4Y 1BJ https://www.davy.co.uk/wine-bar/el-vino-masons-avenue/ from 5:30pm.
• 5:30 – 6pm: pre-event networking with drinks, nibbles and tapas
• 6pm – 7pm: in an inter-active conversation with Susanne and Chris.
• 7pm – 7:30pm: post event networking.
• 7:30 – 9:30: optional, self-funded dinner.
The Experts
Susanne Alfs is a seasoned economist with 25 years in technology and governance, holding an MBA from the University of Chicago and pursuing Cyber Policy at King’s College London. She specializes in IT Strategy, Digital Transformation, and Cybersecurity, with a career spanning CIO and IT Strategy roles. With over 20 years of experience as a non-executive board member across not-for-profit and listed companies in the US, Europe, and Mauritius, Susanne drives value creation by aligning technology with strategy. She innovated technology oversight by establishing and chairing the Technology Committee of a Financial Services Group, leveraging her combined technology and governance expertise to lead strategic board discussions.
Chris Potter is an experienced non-executive director and audit committee chair, whose current roles include Buckinghamshire Building Society, the Royal Institution of Great Britain and Inflo. Previously, he was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers where he led audits of technology and internal control at some of the UK’s largest financial services providers. He also ran PwC’s cyber security business for four years, led the UK government survey on information security breaches for 14 years, and lectured on the Royal Holloway information security management MSc course for 22 years.
The Moderator
Sue Milton is XTEND’s deputy chairwoman and the NED SIG coordinator. Sue has had more than 30 years’ experience in technology and assists the UK’s government and regulators on cyber- and AI-related policies. The remainder of Sue’s day-job covers enhancing good governance in organisations of all sizes either as and adviser or a board member.
XTEND
Upcoming Networking Events
I’ve seen the organisation develop considerably from the days of TEN and I must commend you all for what you have achieved developing the network to what it is today. I would also like to thank you, I met a number of people through the network and went on to have several mutually beneficial follow-up conversations. There were some very good networking events and presentations too which I enjoyed.
Karen