Stu Hirst

Chief Information Security Officer for Trustpilot, Co-Founder of Cyber Scotland Connect, Former Information Technology Security Manager at Skyscanner & Former Head of Security Systems for Capital One

Stu Hirst’s Biography:

Stu Hirst is a leading authority on cyber security, cloud security and information security, renowned for helping organisations strengthen their digital resilience in an increasingly complex threat landscape. As the Chief Information Security Officer of Trustpilot, Stu has built a reputation as one of the UK’s foremost cybersecurity leaders, combining deep technical expertise with strategic leadership. Having worked with globally recognised brands including Capital One, Trainline, Skyscanner, Photobox and Just Eat, he is a sought-after speaker who shares practical insights on cyber threats, cloud security, digital transformation and protecting valuable business assets from malicious actors.

Stu’s career began in 1998 as a Mainframe Analyst and Programmer for the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, where he developed a strong technical foundation in information technology. In 2011, he joined Trainline as a PCI Compliance and Security Technical Analyst before progressing to Information Technology Security Manager at Skyscanner in 2015. His expertise continued to grow through senior leadership positions, including Head of Security Systems and Infrastructure Operations at Capital One and Head of Cloud Security at Photobox, where he oversaw cloud security across five major brands. He later joined Just Eat as Principal Cloud Security Engineer before serving as Interim Director of Information Security.

Throughout his career, Stu has earned widespread recognition for his contributions to the cybersecurity industry. He was a finalist for Cyber Evangelist of the Year at the Scottish Cyber Awards in both 2016 and 2017. He was also recognised as a finalist for Outstanding Contribution at the SC Magazine Awards, while the teams he led were finalists for Security Team of the Year and Cybersecurity Team of the Year EMEA. In 2021, he was nominated as a finalist for the Next Generation Machine Learning CISO category at the Artificially Unintelligent Awards.

Beyond his corporate career, Stu is the Co-Founder of Cyber Scotland Connect, an initiative dedicated to strengthening Scotland’s cybersecurity community. He also serves as a Member of the Board of Advisors for Nova Finance. Demonstrating his diverse talents, Stu has built an international profile as a DJ, producer, engineer and radio host through his own brand, Stu Hirst Music. His unique blend of technical expertise, leadership experience and entrepreneurial success enables him to deliver engaging, informative and highly relevant keynote presentations for modern audiences.

Why Hire Stu Hirst?

Stu Hirst is hired as a speaker for his ability to translate complex cybersecurity challenges into clear, actionable insights for business leaders and technical audiences alike. Drawing on senior security leadership experience across major international brands, he delivers practical guidance on cyber resilience, cloud security, risk management and digital transformation. His presentations combine real-world case studies with strategic expertise, helping organisations understand emerging threats and strengthen their security posture. As a respected industry leader and cybersecurity community advocate, Stu offers audiences valuable perspectives on navigating today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Stu Hirst‘s Career Highlights:

Here are some of the key milestones that define Stu Hirst’s remarkable career:

• 2021 – Appointed Chief Information Security Officer of Trustpilot, leading the company’s global cybersecurity strategy.
• 2021 – Named a finalist for the Next Generation Machine Learning CISO category at the Artificially Unintelligent Awards.
• 2020 – Served as Interim Director of Information Security at Just Eat, overseeing information security operations and governance.
• 2019 – Appointed Principal Cloud Security Engineer at Just Eat, driving cloud security initiatives across the business.
• 2018 – Co-Founded Cyber Scotland Connect to support collaboration and growth within Scotland’s cybersecurity sector.
• 2018 – Became Head of Cloud Security for Photobox, leading security across Photobox, Moonpig, Poster XXL, Hofmann and Greetz.
• 2017 – Joined Capital One as Head of Security Systems and Infrastructure Operations, managing enterprise security programmes.
• 2015 – Appointed Information Technology Security Manager at Skyscanner, strengthening the company’s security capabilities.
• 2011 – Joined Trainline as a Security Technical Analyst and PCI Compliance specialist, focusing on payment and information security.