Peter Howitt
2025 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences; Professor Emeritus of Economics, Brown University; Innovation, Competition & Growth Expert
Award-winning Cybersecurity Professional; Awareness and Inclusion Advocate
Speaker Confidence Staveley is Africa’s leading female cybersecurity expert, global speaker, and advocate for digital inclusion. As Founder of CyberSafe Foundation and Co-Founder of MerkleFence, she champions safer digital access and stronger cyber defenses across Africa. Recognized by Forbes and winner of the 2023 Cybersecurity Woman of the World Award, she empowers global audiences to make cybersecurity simple, accessible, and impactful.
Want to book Confidence Staveley as a speaker for your event? Please provide the info below and we’ll get in touch within 24h:
Speaker Confidence Staveley stands as one of Africa’s most influential voices in cybersecurity, blockchain security, and digital inclusion. A multi-award-winning leader, global speaker, and advocate for diversity in tech, she has earned international recognition for her groundbreaking contributions to cybersecurity education and innovation.
As the Founder of CyberSafe Foundation, Confidence leads an organization dedicated to promoting safer and more inclusive digital access across Africa. She also co-founded MerkleFence, an Application-Security-as-a-Service consulting firm that helps organizations strengthen their cyber defenses. Her mission is clear: to empower individuals and companies to build a secure digital future for all.
Confidence’s expertise combines deep technical knowledge with powerful communication skills, allowing her to demystify complex cybersecurity concepts in a way that connects with every audience. This ability has earned her the nickname “The Relatable Cybersecurity Queen.” She has delivered keynotes at major international conferences, including the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council Meeting in both Europe and North America, and the World Bank Digital Development Seminar, showcasing her influence as a global thought leader.
Her achievements have been recognized by some of the world’s leading institutions. She is an official member of the Forbes Technology Council, a 2023 Cybersecurity Woman of the World Award winner, and a recipient of numerous accolades such as Cybersecurity Woman of the Year, IFSEC Global Top Influencer in Security & Fire 2021, and Top 50 Women in Cybersecurity Africa. She is also an alumna of prestigious programs like the Obama Foundation African Leaders fellowship and the U.S. International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP).
Looking ahead, speaker Confidence Staveley continues to shape the future of cybersecurity with her upcoming book, API Security for White Hat Hackers, a practical guide to mastering API protection and building safer, more resilient systems worldwide.
In this eye-opening keynote, Confidence Staveley explores a fast-approaching reality where artificial intelligence becomes both defender and attacker. She unveils how the same AI tools that strengthen cybersecurity—through faster detection, predictive analytics, and automation—can also be turned against us by cybercriminals.
With her signature storytelling style, Confidence takes audiences inside the emerging world of AI-powered cyberattacks, from machine-generated phishing campaigns that perfectly mimic real messages to adaptive malware capable of evolving on its own. She highlights the chilling potential of AI systems that could one day identify and exploit vulnerabilities autonomously, operating beyond human control.
As she reminds us, if AI itself becomes the hacker, traditional defenses will no longer be enough. This talk challenges organizations and policymakers to rethink cybersecurity strategies for a world where machines are both our greatest protectors and our most dangerous adversaries.
In a digital world where “seeing is no longer believing,” building trust has never been more vital. Confidence Staveley emphasizes that digital trust is not only about protecting data or meeting compliance—it’s about designing secure, transparent, and human-centered technologies that people can truly believe in.
Through practical insights and inspiring examples, she explores how businesses and governments can create digital ecosystems rooted in authenticity, accountability, and empathy. Confidence argues that without trust, innovation loses its purpose—and with it, technology’s power to transform lives.
In this thought-provoking keynote, Confidence Staveley champions a global dialogue on gender equality in cybersecurity. She invites audiences to examine how gender disparities affect the industry, why inclusion matters, and what actionable steps can close both the workforce and awareness gaps.
Confidence highlights successful models that are already empowering women in cybersecurity, while also addressing the unique challenges they face as professionals and digital citizens. She outlines how governments, civil society, and the private sector can work together to build a more diverse, equitable, and secure digital world—one where women play a leading role in shaping the future of cyberspace.
As digital trade accelerates globally, the need for robust data protection and cybersecurity has never been greater. In this session, Confidence Staveley examines how rising cyber threats challenge the growth of digital economies and explores strategies to build resilience through stronger cross-border collaboration.
She discusses how emerging technologies like AI and big data analytics can help developing countries secure their digital infrastructure and harness innovation for sustainable growth. With a focus on practical solutions, this talk empowers policymakers, professionals, and business leaders to view cybersecurity not as a barrier—but as the backbone of digital progress.
| Basic Data Protection Information | |
|---|---|
| Data controller | AURUM SPEAKERS BUREAU S.L. |
| Address | Parc Audiovisual de Catalunya 1, Oficina S11, 08225 Terrassa, Spain |
| Purposes | We will use your data to respond to your requests and deliver our services to you. |
| Marketing | We will only send you marketing correspondence if you have given your prior consent, which you can do by ticking the box for that purpose. |
| Lawful basis | We will only process your data if you have given your prior consent, which you can do by ticking the box for that purpose. |
| Recipients | Generally, only our members of staff who have been duly authorised may access the data that you have provided. |
| Your Rights | You have the right to know what information we hold about you, to rectify it and to erase it, as explained in the additional information available on our website. |
| Additional Information | For more information, please see “PRIVACY POLICY” on our website. |