CSO Awards UK

Recognising security project leaders in the UK

The annual CSO30 Awards UK are an acknowledgment and celebration of the initiatives developed by Security and IT professionals.

The CSO30 Awards recognises UK security professionals – including CSOs, CISOs, Heads of Security, anyone involved in security projects or equivalent – within the UK for demonstrating outstanding business value, innovation and thought leadership within their organisation.

START YOUR CSO30 ENTRY HERE

ENTRY DEADLINE – THURSDAY, 4 SEPTEMER 2025

CSO30: Honouring the Future of Security Leadership in the UK

CSO30 celebrates outstanding individuals shaping the future of cybersecurity – regardless of title.

In today’s climate, the responsibilities once held by a traditional Chief Security Officer are now shared across a wide array of roles. Whether you’re a Head of InfoSec, a DevSecOps lead, a CISO, or an architect driving zero-trust transformation, the CSO30 acknowledges that impactful leadership comes in many forms.

This refreshed recognition reflects a new era – one where the challenges of resilience, privacy, compliance, third-party risk, and incident response are distributed across teams, and leadership can come from anywhere in the organisation.

1. Describe your role and how it contributes to the organisation’s cybersecurity posture.
   (This includes roles outside of the “CSO” title – be specific about your sphere of influence.)

2. What’s one major initiative or transformation you’ve led or significantly contributed to in the last 12–18 months?
   (Describe the problem, what you did, and the outcome – technical, cultural, or strategic.)

3. How have you helped bridge the gap between cybersecurity and the wider business?
   (E.g., board engagement, training programs, product security integration, risk comms.)

4. In what ways have you responded to the evolving nature of cyber threats or regulatory demands?
   (What changed in your approach, and why?)

5. How do you define modern security leadership – and how have you embodied it?
   (We want to see your philosophy and how it’s put into practice.)

Eligibility

1. Open to anyone in the UK working in or adjacent to cybersecurity: technical, strategic, operational, or governance roles.
2. Self-nominations or third-party nominations accepted.
3. Applicants must have been in their current or relevant role for at least 12 months.