Speakers

With over 25 years in technology and a decade specialising in Identity and Access Management (IAM), Barbara Roberts is a global cybersecurity leader known for driving transformation through innovation, inclusion, and collaboration.

Most recently, Barbara led the development and execution of a global IAM strategy at scale—delivering a multi-year digital identity programme that introduced MFA, passwordless authentication, cloud-native access controls, and big data automation. 

Beyond this, Barbara has held leadership roles in financial institutions, consistently bridging technical depth with business impact. An award-winning advocate for diversity and inclusion—recognised with the Women in Tech D&I Award (2022) and a finalist for Conduct Leader of the Year (2023)—she brings a powerful lens of cultural change to every conversation.

She is a Fellow of the BCS Chartered Institute for IT, a public speaker, and a contributor to Finextra, where she has written on topics such as “The Future of Digital Identity 2022: Governing digital identity wallets” and “How can behavioural authentication enhance a bank’s customer experience?” Barbara also serves as an accredited leadership coach and active school governor, mentoring the next generation and championing inclusive digital futures.

Currently authoring a book on IAM, Barbara remains a passionate and authoritative voice for progress in cybersecurity.