Sir Edmund Burton

Sir Edmund retired from a 38-year military career in 2000. His final years of service included appointments of Military Attaché, British Embassy, Washington, during the first Gulf War; Commandant of the Royal Military College of Science, and latterly, as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Systems), with responsibility for the UK's defence equipment capabilities and applied research programme.

On retirement from the Army, he was tasked by the Cabinet Secretary and Director GCHQ to undertake a review of GCHQ's New Accommodation Programme, followed by a review of the UK's Information Security capability, leading to the establishment of the Central Sponsor for Information Assurance, subsequently renamed Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance.

He was appointed by the Home Secretary as Executive Chairman of the UK Police IT Organisation in 2001, with responsibility for reforming the approach of the Police Service in defining, procuring and supporting ICT capabilities. In 2008 he undertook a review of MOD data losses. He was appointed as Visiting Professor of Cranfield University in 2000 and awarded a DSc (honoris causa) in 2009. He has recently been awarded a DSc, honoris causa, by the University of Chester.

Sir Edmund has held Non-Executive Director appointments in the public and private sectors. In 2004 he established the Telecommunications Industry Security Advisory Council (TISAC). He completed a 10-year pro bono role as Chairman of the Information Assurance Advisory Council (IAAC) in 2017; a not-for-profit community of academics and cyber security experts in government and private sector.

IAAC has played a leading role in engaging the wider academic community in pooling expertise in research and teaching cyber security and in developing career opportunities in the whole area of information. Prior to the Covid pandemic IAAC established a cohort of young cyber professionals (IAAC Access) and a regional chapter in the Northwest, working with the Youth Federation on a programme to enable young people to use the internet safely, with enhanced employment opportunities. He chaired the Steering Committee of the Cyber Security Body of Knowledge (CyBOK) programme to October 2023.