Available to book
Jonathan Shaw
Cybersecurity
National Security
Geopolitics
Transform cybersecurity strategy with Jonathan Shaw, speaker, cybersecurity and geopolitical expert. Jonathan works with organisations to strengthen cyber defence, manage security risks, and navigate global threats, delivering insights from his military leadership and pioneering UK defence cyber initiatives.
Educator
Event Hosts
Thought Leader
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Military
Author
Emcee
Intelligence Services
Major General Jonathan Shaw, CB, CBE, is a retired British Army officer and a cybersecurity expert. He was commissioned into the Parachute Regiment in 1981 and was a platoon commander during the Falklands War. His military career advanced after attending the Staff College, Camberley, from 1989 to 1990.
He became the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment in 1997 and completed the Higher Command and Staff Course at the Joint Services Command and Staff College in 2000. He was awarded a CBE in 2006, the US Legion of Merit (Degree of Officer) in 2009, and was appointed a Companion of the Bath (CB) on his retirement from the Army.
Jonathan held various command roles, including commander of the 12th (Mechanized) Brigade in 2002 and the Multi-National Brigade (Centre) in Kosovo. He was appointed Director of Special Forces in 2003 and General Officer Commanding Multi-National Division (South-East) in Iraq in January 2007.
Jonathan later served as Assistant Chief of Defence Staff for International Security Policy and Global Issues, focusing on Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Policy, Arms Control, Counterproliferation, and Cyber.
In 2011, Jonathan became the first Head of the Defence Cyber Security Programme at the Ministry of Defence, where he led a £90 million cyber initiative over three years, marking a pivotal shift in his career towards cyber security.
After retiring in 2012, Jonathan became a speaker and advisor, sharing his expertise in cybersecurity and geopolitics at international conferences. He has written several books, including "Britain in a Perilous World: The Strategic Defence and Security Review We Need," and discusses the importance of ethical AI in cybersecurity. Jonathan is recognised for his extensive experience in military operations and strategic development, significantly influencing the UK's approach to cyber threats.
Topics, sessions and talks
Jonathan Shaw, CB, CBE, examines the shifting dynamics of global power in the face of technological change, climate pressures, population shifts and political instability. Drawing on his background in military strategy and international security, he explores how traditional approaches are struggling to keep pace with today’s challenges. He offers a framework for thinking more clearly about global risks, and what kind of strategic mindset is needed to respond effectively in an increasingly unpredictable landscape.
Jonathan Shaw, CB, CBE, unpacks the shifting landscape of cybersecurity through the lens of strategy, resilience, and cultural change. Drawing on his experience as the UK’s first Head of the Defence Cyber Security Programme, he highlights how cyber threats exploit visibility, trust, and supply chain weaknesses. With his signature clarity and strategic insight, Jonathan reveals how organisations can reframe cybersecurity from a technical problem into a leadership priority - arming teams not with fear, but with foresight and practical resilience.
What makes people follow a leader into chaos? Jonathan Shaw, CB, CBE, distils leadership lessons from the frontlines - where trust, humility, and mission clarity mean the difference between success and failure. Drawing from his 32-year military career across elite units and strategic command roles, he challenges traditional top-down models and advocates for adaptive, decentralised leadership. With candour and dry humour, Jonathan shows how the principles of trust, autonomy and example-setting apply just as powerfully in the boardroom as on the battlefield.
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frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
Email major.general.jonathan.shaw@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Jonathan's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
Jonathan Shaw structures his sessions around a strategic framework device, translating complex geopolitical, cyber, and leadership challenges into clear analytical models drawn from direct operational and policy experience. He applies this across topics by anchoring abstract risks to concrete case examples from his military career and government roles, including his leadership of the UK's £90 million Defence Cyber Security Programme.
Jonathan Shaw speaks on geopolitical risk and global power shifts, cybersecurity strategy and organisational resilience, and adaptive leadership under pressure. He served as the UK's first Head of the Defence Cyber Security Programme at the Ministry of Defence, leading a £90 million cyber initiative, following a 32-year British Army career that included command of the Directorate of Special Forces and operational command in Iraq.
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