Deeply humbled to share that I’ve been named the recipient of the 2026 ISC2 Lifetime Achievement Award, given in memory of Harold F. Tipton (widely known as the “George Washington of information security”).
Over the past two decades, my career has taken me to leadership and advisory roles at AT&T, Bemol, Canonical, CIBC, Doodle, the European Commission, Gibraltar International Bank, INTERPOL, and the United Nations. I’ve worked with Hugo to redefine what business process outsourcing (BPO) excellence looks like when delivered by top-tier African talent. But the common thread has always been the same – building trust and resilience into the digital systems people depend on, and making sure security serves people, not just infrastructure.
I’ve had the privilege of working at the Internet Society finding opportunities for emerging talent in developing countries to work on maintaining an open, accessible, secure, and human-centric Internet. I’ve served on the ISACA and ISACA Foundation Boards of Directors and contributed to the UK Cyber Security Council’s Professional Standards Working Group; work rooted in a simple belief that our profession grows when we invest in certification, training, standards, in each other, and in the next generation of practitioners.
None of this happens alone. To every mentor who opened a door, every colleague who challenged my thinking, and every volunteer I’ve had the honor of working alongside in digital technology communities – thank you from the depths of my heart. This award belongs to all of us who believe cybersecurity is, at its core, about protecting people.
Here’s to continuing the work on advancing digital trust, strengthening resilience, and building a safer, more secure cyber world.
Congratulations to all the ISC2 Global Achievement Award winners.
Niel Harper 