Awards

🏆 Awards & Recognitions

🛡️ 2023 — Highly Commended — Computing Awards, DevSecOps Implementation

Awarding Body: Computing Awards UK After two years leading and scaling the security engineering function at ClearBank—from a one-person initiative to a team of nine—our efforts in embedding secure practices across the SDLC were recognised. We significantly improved security maturity, reduced critical risk exposure, and decreased security friction. These efforts earned us a Highly Commended distinction at the 2023 Computing Awards.


🎓 2014 — Class Prize for Highest Academic Achievement — BSc Computer Science

Awarding Body: Robert Gordon University (RGU) Received the class prize for attaining the highest academic marks in my Computer Science cohort. A reflection of strong dedication and consistent top-tier performance throughout the programme.


🐧 2014 — 1st Place — SOPHOS Linux Forensics Challenge

Awarding Body: SOPHOS / UK Cyber Security Challenge Placed 1st nationally in a forensic competition requiring the identification and analysis of multiple attack vectors on a compromised Linux VM. This challenge demanded real-world investigative skills and deep system knowledge.


🧠 2013 — 3rd Place — Cyber Security Challenge UK Masterclass

Awarding Body: Cyber Security Challenge UK Ranked 3rd out of 10,000+ competitors across the UK. Finalist in the Bristol 2013 Masterclass, tackling an intense mix of forensics, incident response, threat modelling, penetration testing, and governance challenges. This prestigious final brought together the UK’s top future cyber professionals.


🛡️ 2013 — 2nd Place — GCHQ “Balancing the Defence”

Awarding Body: GCHQ / Cyber Security Challenge UK Secured 2nd place nationally in a competition focused on designing a secure architecture for a simulated military facility. Required holistic thinking across information security, physical controls, and organisational design, simulating real-world constraints in national security operations.

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