As UK startups and scale-ups move faster into regulated, AI-driven, and globally distributed environments, the role of the CISO has evolved well beyond risk management. The leaders featured below are either currently serving as CISOs within the UK startup and scale-up ecosystem or are closely tied to emerging cybersecurity leadership roles shaping how young, high-growth companies build trust, resilience, and security from the ground up.
Chris Hodson — Cybersecurity Advisor, Crane Venture Partners
A four-time CISO with deep product DNA, Chris Hodson has spent the past decade operating at the intersection of cybersecurity, venture capital, and startup growth. He has helped startups raise more than $400 million in funding, several of which went on to achieve multi-billion-dollar valuations. Before entering the startup world, Hodson spent 12 years in senior cybersecurity roles across financial services and retail, giving him rare insight into security buying decisions from the customer side of the table. Today, as an advisor on the Crane Cyber Advisory Council, he brings a pragmatic, investor-aware perspective to helping startups build security programs and products that scale and resonate.
Leo C. — Chief Information Security Officer, Owkin
Leo C. leads security, AI safety, and IT at Owkin, a Forbes Top 50 AI unicorn operating across Europe and the U.S. Since joining, he has built the company’s security function from the ground up, securing complex multi-cloud environments, federated data networks, and advanced AI and ML platforms. His remit spans security engineering, GenAI security, compliance, and IPO readiness, with achievements including ISO 27001, NIS2, and NHS DSPT certifications. Known for translating deeply technical security challenges into cultural and business-aligned initiatives, Leo is a defining example of the modern, product-embedded CISO in AI-first organizations.
Daniel Hooper — Chief Information Security Officer, Mesh
With more than 25 years of experience across IBM, Deloitte, PIMCO, Varo Bank, and Robinhood, Daniel Hooper brings enterprise-grade rigor into the startup world. As CISO of Mesh, a crypto payments platform, he is responsible for defining global cybersecurity and corporate IT strategy in a highly interconnected and regulated ecosystem. Hooper’s background working closely with regulators, boards, and executive teams informs a strategic, execution-focused approach to managing security and technology risk while enabling innovation in emerging financial infrastructure.
Ali Zeb — Group Chief Information Security Officer, Planet (Former)
Ali Zeb is a seasoned CISO with over 25 years of experience leading security transformations across global enterprises, private equity portfolios, and highly regulated environments. During his tenure as Group CISO at Planet, he built a greenfield, group-wide cybersecurity transformation following private equity acquisition, implementing frameworks, SOC capabilities, IAM, vulnerability management, and global compliance programs. Beyond operational leadership, Zeb is a recognized industry advisor, serving on boards including the FCA Cyber Security Board, Lloyd’s Market Cyber Risk Board, and as a strategic advisor to the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, bringing a policy-level lens to startup and scale-up security challenges.
Aman S. — Executive Committee Member, ClubCISO & CyberEdBoard
Aman S. plays a highly influential role in shaping the next generation of cybersecurity leadership through his work with ClubCISO and the CyberEdBoard Community. While not tied to a single startup, his position at the heart of global CISO forums places him at the forefront of emerging security practices, peer collaboration, and executive-level discourse. His involvement in shaping industry thinking makes him a key figure for founders and security leaders navigating how cybersecurity supports business growth and societal impact.
Jim Newman — Chief Information Security Officer, Capco
Jim Newman is a pragmatic, growth-oriented security leader with over 16 years of experience embedding security into fast-moving technology environments. At Capco, he focuses on integrating security into agile development, supporting M&A activity, and building security operations that scale alongside business expansion. Known for his ability to communicate cyber risk in commercial terms, Newman consistently positions security as an enabler of growth rather than a blocker, an essential mindset for startups and consultative tech firms alike.
Marius Poskus — Global Vice President of Cyber Security & CISO, Glow Financial Services
Marius Poskus is a global CISO with a strong track record of scaling security programs across financial services and tech-driven organizations. At Glow Financial Services, he leads enterprise-wide initiatives spanning cloud security, DevSecOps, AppSec, threat hunting, and 24/7 SOC operations. His additional role as a non-executive director for cybersecurity vendors gives him a dual vantage point of aligning vendor innovation with real-world CISO priorities make him particularly relevant in fast-evolving fintech and scale-up environments.
Ashish Rajan — Chief Information Security Officer, Kaizenteq
Ashish Rajan brings a CISO-informed lens to the convergence of cloud, AI, and enterprise security. With more than 15 years of experience, his work focuses on building resilient, well-governed AI systems that balance innovation with risk management. As CISO at Kaizenteq, he advises boards and executive teams on securing large-scale, regulated environments while shaping governance models for responsible AI adoption. His emphasis on trust, resilience, and AI-ready security architectures reflects the next evolution of cybersecurity leadership in the UK.
Why These CISOs Matter Now
What connects these leaders is not just title or tenure, but relevance. Each operates where security, scale, regulation, and innovation collide, whether inside AI unicorns, fintech platforms, crypto ecosystems, or the advisory circles shaping tomorrow’s standards. As UK startups continue to globalize faster than ever, these CISOs are defining what “secure by design” looks like in practice, not theory.