Government announces that cyber will be a target for growth in the upcoming Industrial Strategy

The first one, delivered by Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is the welcome news that the cyber sector will be a ‘prime target for economic growth’ in the upcoming Industrial Strategy as government secures Britain’s future and delivers the Plan for Change.

Following the recent high-profile attacks on the UK’s retail sector, Pat McFadden highlighted the role cyber security plays in protecting other sectors and in unlocking the broader economic potential across the country. Indeed, his speech notes that the digital world presents a huge opportunity for the whole of the UK and that ‘turbo charging’ the cyber sector in the imminent Industrial Strategy will be ‘a blueprint for kick-starting economic growth’.

As part of the government’s commitment to growth, an independent cyber growth report has been commissioned to be produced in partnership with experts from Imperial College and Bristol University. The report will explore how the UK can maximise the economic opportunity presented by cyber security and deliver recommendations by the end of the summer.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster also took the opportunity to recognise the importance of public and private sector cooperation in delivering growth, pointing to the progress made by the Laboratory for AI Security Research (LASR) which has funded PhDs and researchers at Universities and think tanks, as well as pioneering research through 8 UK universities. An additional £7m of government funding for LASR as well as a new collaborative partnership with Cisco.

Pat McFadden also reinforced the UK’s international cyber commitment. The government will invest £1.1 million to the Moldovan Government to protect the country’s upcoming Parliamentary Election, as well as £8 million in the Ukraine Cyber Programme over the next year to counter the Kremlin’s cyber aggression.

Government launches a suite of measures to bolster cyber protection for individuals and businesses across the UK

Alongside the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster’s commitment to targeting the cyber sector for growth in the Industrial Strategy, the government also announced a series of initiatives to give businesses and individuals stronger online defences including:

techUK's members contributed to the development of the Software Security Code of Practice and the AI Security Code of Practice and we continue to support the government’s efforts to strengthen the UK's cyber security landscape and drive economic growth through innovation, resilience, and international cooperation.

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Meet the team

Jill Broom

Head of Cyber Resilience, techUK

Jill leads the techUK Cyber Resilience programme, having originally joined techUK in October 2020 as a Programme Manager for the Cyber and Central Government programmes. She is responsible for managing techUK's work across the cyber security ecosystem, bringing industry together with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors. Jill also provides the industry secretariat for the Cyber Growth Partnership, the industry and government conduit for supporting the growth of the sector. A key focus of her work is to strengthen the public–private partnership across cyber to support further development of UK cyber security and resilience policy.

Before joining techUK, Jill worked as a Senior Caseworker for an MP, advocating for local communities, businesses and individuals, so she is particularly committed to techUK’s vision of harnessing the power of technology to improve people’s lives. Jill is also an experienced editorial professional and has delivered copyediting and writing services for public-body and SME clients as well as publishers.

Email:: [email protected]
Website:: www.techuk.org/
LinkedIn:: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-broom-19aa824

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Annie Collings

Programme Manager, Cyber Resilience, techUK

Annie is the Programme Manager for Cyber Resilience at techUK. She first joined as the Programme Manager for Cyber Security and Central Government in September 2023.

In her role, Annie supports the Cyber Security SME Forum, engaging regularly with key government and industry stakeholders to advance the growth and development of SMEs in the cyber sector. Annie also coordinates events, engages with policy makers and represents techUK at a number of cyber security events.

Before joining techUK, Annie was an Account Manager at a specialist healthcare agency, where she provided public affairs support to a wide range of medical technology clients. She also gained experience as an intern in both an MP’s constituency office and with the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed. Annie holds a degree in International Relations from Nottingham Trent University.

Email:: [email protected]
Twitter:: anniecollings24
LinkedIn:: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-collings-270150158/

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Francesca Richiusa

Programme Team Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK

Fran serves as the Programme Team Assistant within techUK’s Public Sector Market Programmes, where she is responsible for delivering comprehensive team support, managing administrative functions, and fostering strong relationships with members.

Prior to joining techUK in May 2025, Fran built a meaningful career in the charitable and local government sectors. She worked extensively with both victims and perpetrators of crime, and notably led the coordination of Domestic Homicide Reviews across Surrey—an initiative aimed at identifying lessons and preventing future incidents of domestic abuse.

Outside of work, Fran is an avid traveller and a proud cat mum who enjoys unwinding with her feline companions.

Email:: [email protected]
Website:: www.techuk.org/
LinkedIn:: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesca-richiusa/

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Olivia Staples

Junior Programme Manager - Cyber Resilience, techUK

Olivia Staples joined techUK in May 2025 as a Junior Programme Manager in the Cyber Resilience team.

She supports the programs mission to promote cyber resilience by engaging key commercial and government stakeholders to shape the cyber resilience policy towards increased security and industry growth. Olivia assists in member engagement, event facilitation and communications support.

Before joining techUK, Olivia gained experience in research, advocacy, and strategic communications across several international organisations. At the Munich Security Conference, she supported stakeholder engagement and contributed to strategic communications. She also worked closely with local and national government stakeholders in Spain and Italy, where she was involved in policy monitoring and advocacy for both public and private sector clients.

Olivia holds an MSc in Political Science (Comparative Politics and Conflict Studies) from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a BA in Spanish and Latin American Studies from University College London (UCL).

Outside of tech, Olivia enjoys volunteering with local charities and learning Norwegian.

Email:: [email protected]
Website:: www.techuk.org/
LinkedIn:: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-staples-85119117a/

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Tracy Modha

Programme Marketing Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK

Tracy supports the marketing of several areas at techUK, including Cyber Exchange, Central Government, Cyber Resilience, Defence, Education, Health and Social Care, Justice and Emergency Services, Local Public Services, Nations and Regions and National Security.

Tracy joined techUK in March 2022, having worked in the education sector for 19 years, covering administration, research project support, IT support and event/training support. My most outstanding achievement has been running three very successful international conferences and over 300 training courses booked all over the globe!

Tracy has a great interest in tech. Gaming and computing have been a big part of her life, and now electric cars are an exciting look at the future. She has warmed to Alexa, even though it can sometimes be sassy!

Email:: [email protected]
Phone:: 02073312000
Website:: www.techuk.org
LinkedIn:: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracymodha83

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Government announces that cyber will be a target for growth in the upcoming Industrial Strategy

Government launches a suite of measures to bolster cyber protection for individuals and businesses across the UK

Jill Broom

Annie Collings

Francesca Richiusa

Olivia Staples

Tracy Modha