From Cloud First to UK Sovereign by Design- Reimagining Public Sector Digital Resilience
9.30am – 1pm24 September 2026
Central London
Join techUK and Exponential-e for an expert-led roundtable on Thursday 24 September, to explore the next phase of government cloud strategy.
For more than a decade, the UK public sector’s Cloud First approach has accelerated modernisation, reduced technical debt, and unlocked the scalability and efficiency of public cloud services. But as geopolitical uncertainty, evolving regulation, cyber risk, and AI adoption reshape the digital landscape, a new question is emerging: is cloud adoption alone enough to protect critical public services and citizen data?
This roundtable will explore how data sovereignty is evolving beyond data location to encompass governance, jurisdictional control, resilience, and trusted access. Participants will examine the impact of complex supply chains, cross-border data flows, and changing legal requirements, while considering how hybrid and multi-cloud approaches can balance innovation with control.
Through public sector examples, the discussion will highlight how secure, interoperable environments can enable data sharing, AI adoption, and improved service delivery without compromising governance.
Key topics/ themes:
The changing risk landscape driving demand for sovereign cloud models
Jurisdiction, governance, and what sovereignty means in practice
Building resilient architectures across production, backup, and recovery environments
Enabling innovation, interoperability, and AI while maintaining control
Moving from Cloud First policy to a sovereign-by-design operating model
Rebecca joined techUK in April 2026 as Head of Events and Sponsorship, leading the organisation's flagship events portfolio and sponsorship programme.
With over a decade of experience in event management, she is responsible for delivering a diverse range of events that bring together members, policymakers and industry leaders from across the technology sector, from flagship conferences and annual dinners to webinars, roundtables and networking events. She also leads techUK's sponsorship offering, creating opportunities that deliver value for members, partners and the wider technology ecosystem.
Before joining techUK, Rebecca established and led the events function at Perspectum, a University of Oxford spin-out and global medical technology company. She oversaw a global events programme that supported the organisation's international growth, building strong relationships with stakeholders across healthcare, industry and academia.
Outside of work, Rebecca can often be found at a gig or festival, or spending time with friends and her dog.
Dora joined techUK in October 2019 as an Events Assistant, coordinating and delivering our flagship events.
Prior to joining the team, Dora worked as a Senior Events Coordinator at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors at Parliament Square managing conferences and high profile ministerial events.
Patricia joined techUK in February 2026 as a Junior Events Manager, where she supports the delivery of our flagship events.
Prior to joining techUK, she worked at the International Tennis Federation as a Senior Development Coordinator (Performance & Events). Patricia supported the delivery of major international junior events - including Junior Grand Slams and the 14&U European Tour - and helped expand opportunities for players from developing countries to compete internationally. She has also gained experience working in an MP's Parliamentary and Constituency Office.
Patricia holds a BA (Hons) in Politics and Hispanic Studies from Queen Mary University of London and has a strong interest in international development, politics and current affairs.
Outside of work, she enjoys travelling, socialising with friends, and staying active at the gym.