BRIM's focus for International Women's Day 2023 is the recently awarded Honorary Doctorate of Technology to Executive Chair, Mandy Haeburn-Little.

International Women's Day is observed in a variety of ways around the world to celebrate and promote women's social, economic, and political achievements. Business Resilience International Management (BRIM), a female-founded management consultancy, advises UK law enforcement and the Home Office on cyber-crime resilience in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). With 50% of the consulting team being female, it also has a clear focus on wider diversity and inclusion within the talent pipeline it is cultivating for the nation's cyber-crime prevention strategy.

Feedback received from clients and contacts across the business and law enforcement communities, is frequent and includes how inspirational stories and examples assist others in navigating paths towards greater equality for themselves, colleagues and contacts in their own communities.

Many people are inspired by Dr. Haeburn-Little’s story of visionary ambition and determination to make a positive impact in business and early stage careers.

"I am extremely humbled to be receiving this recognition," she said after being asked to address the audience at the prestigious awards event at Abertay University. "Abertay University, in my opinion, raised the bar early on, recognising the potential for developing ethical hacking skills and much broader software skills, as well as gaming. It is precisely because of that foresight, that dynamic innovative thinking, and that commitment to student future skills that the Abertay CyberQuarter has become a reality, and Dundee's reputation as a global tech leader has been cemented across the UK and internationally."

Dr. Haeburn-Little is the founder and current Executive Chair of BRIM, which designed and delivered England and Wales' first national network of Cyber Resilience Centres for Policing and the Home Office. Her team is working to expand the original student model into Cyber PATH, a new direct pathway for policing in England and Wales.

Mandy is the Vice Chair of the first National CRC Group company's Steering Group, where she collaborates with private sector leaders and the Chiefs of Police in England and Wales.

She is also the host of National CRC Group's CyberVersed, an in-depth podcast series featuring interviews with some of the industry's most prominent leaders. The Cyber Security Industry Awards named her Cyber Woman of the Year for 2021. In 2020, she received the Editor's Choice Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Cyber Industry at the SC Europe Awards, as well as a Commendation from the National Police Chiefs' Council for her efforts.

Mandy was the Chief Executive of the Scottish Business Resilience Centre for over nine years before founding BRIM in 2019, working in direct partnership with the single Police force, Police Scotland, and the Scottish Government. Based on a similar model, Mandy founded the London Digital Security Centre in 2014. Mandy has led numerous Cyber initiatives and campaigns and is a strong advocate for young talent.

Do you have a cyber or tech success story to share in celebration of International Women's Day 2023? #IWD23. Please tag BRIM if you do, we welcome hearing more.