Continuing with our recent theme of ‘Security in Challenging Times’, IBC, in collaboration with the Embassy of Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, is excited to host an exclusive seminar on Cybersecurity, focusing on corporate challenges, responsibility, and activity.

The event will begin with expert opening remarks to set the stage. This will be followed by a one-hour panel discussion and Q&A session featuring a selection of the best Finnish and Irish cybersecurity expertise.

The panel will explore today’s cybersecurity landscape particularly from the corporate perspective, highlighting the challenges, opportunities, and safeguards necessary in an increasingly sophisticated digital world.

Panel includes (BIOs below):

Dr. Valerie Lyons

Executive Director & COO, BH Consulting

Head of Unit National Cyber Security Centre, CERT-FI, Traficom

Saara Hasu-Varttila

Director Information Security, Wärtsilä Ltd

Pertti Jalasvirta

Associate Fellow – Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP)

Teemu Mäkelä

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Elisa Corporation

Moderated by

Toby White CTO at F-Secure Corp

Dr. Valerie Lyons Executive Director & COO, BH Consulting Included in the ‘Top 100 Women in Cybersecurity in Europe’, Dr. Valerie Lyons is executive director and COO at BH Consulting, where she leads data protection, cybersecurity, and AI governance consulting initiatives. Prior to BH Consulting, Valerie spent 13 years leading the cybersecurity risk management team in KBC Bank. She is a recognised expert in building cybersecurity and data protection governance into corporate strategies, and in 2024 published The Privacy Leader Compass: A Comprehensive Business-Oriented Roadmap for Building and Leading Practical Privacy Programs. This book has been adapted into a sold-out workshop at several IAPP conferences. Valerie holds an award-winning PhD researching the influence of Privacy as a CSR on consumer trust and privacy concerns and is currently undertaking a Post Grad in Corporate Governance. She is a Certified Data Protection Systems Engineer (CDPSE), a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/E), and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). She is a member of the Institute of Directors, honorary fellow of the Irish Information Security Forum, a member of the EDPB pool of experts, a member of the Privacy as a CSR Stakeholder Group (Maastricht University), and a committee member of the Irish Internet Governance Forum.

Janne Allonen Head of Unit National Cyber Security Centre, CERT-FI Janne Allonen has spent his entire career working in government roles. He previously served as a police officer and worked, among other roles, in public order policing in Helsinki and as a security officer for the Finnish Government's security unit, responsible for ministerial protection. Additionally, he has participated in two crisis management operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan. Since 2016, he has held various roles at the Cyber Security Centre; current duties involve serving as the head of the Situation Centre unit, which, in international terms, means he is the head of Finland's CERT (CERT-FI).

Saara Hasu-Varttila Director Information Security, Wärtsilä Ltd Saara Hasu-Varttila is currently serving as a Director of Information Security at Wärtsilä, overseeing a team of experienced technical cyber security specialists. With over a decade of experience in the field, she has developed and implemented robust security strategies for various organizations. Before joining Wärtsilä, Saara has provided cyber security consulting and held the position of the Head of Information Security & Compliance at a fast-growing software company. Saara's deep understanding of cyber security risk management, compliance, and the latest cybersecurity trends is hoped to bring valuable insight to the upcoming discussion on cyber security from a corporate perspective.

Pertti Jalasvirta Associate Fellow – Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) Pertti is the founder and investor of Qatalis, a company revolutionizing cybersecurity with a human-centric approach. He emphasizes the importance of understanding human behavior and organizational dynamics in addressing digital vulnerabilities. With extensive experience in Nordic-Asian business relations, Pertti combines strategic foresight with actionable insights, advocating for solutions that focus on addressing root causes, enhancing organizational resilience, and leveraging continuous monitoring and tailored training to meet evolving cybersecurity challenges.

Toby White Chief Technology Officer Toby White is Chief Technology Officer at F-Secure Oyj, Finland's largest cybersecurity company, where he leads all R&D activities. Born in Scotland, but living in Finland for the past 7 years, Toby has over two decades of professional experience across academia, startups, and executive roles in public companies in Finland and the UK. He has degrees from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and has extensive expertise across the cybersecurity domain. When not battling cybercrime, Toby enjoys playing the banjo and the bagpipes (not at the same time).

Teemu Mäkelä Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Teemu Mäkelä, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of Elisa Corporation, is a business-savvy cyber security leader with over 25 years of practical experience. Teemu is an advocate of human-centric security who believes that cyber security is an opportunity, not a blocker and should always be based on appropriate risk management by enabling business. His outstanding contributions to the field were recognized when he was named CISO of the Year in 2020 by Finnish Information Security Association, Finland's largest network of cyber security professionals.