The UK’s complex networks of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) are the veins and arteries upon which its political, social and economic well-being depend. In our increasingly just-in-time society, the UK’s reliance on its CNI has continued to grow, and our dependence is now such that even fleeting disruption is potentially disastrous.
In the coming years, the protection of critical infrastructure will be shaped by a growing understanding and practical experience of the threat posed by climate change and growing energy insecurity. These new drivers run in parallel with the global financial crisis.
The economic downtown has the potential to constrict security spending and further reduce levels of redundancy within critical networks and services. As a result, the challenges for those protecting critical infrastructures seem destined to multiply.
European Directive on Critical Infrastructure Protection
In Europe, in the midst of these changing contexts, the new European Directive on Critical Infrastructure Protection has been created. Meanwhile, in the US the incoming administration has committed itself to massive investment in infrastructure. All of these factors combine to ensure that RUSI’s third annual critical infrastructure conference will be a timely gathering not to be missed by security managers and directors.
RUSI’s CNI conferences have now firmly established themselves as the forum for networking and discussion between senior policy makers and practitioners concerned with the UK’s CNI across the public and private sectors.
Recent conferences have featured outstanding line-ups of decision-makers and thought leaders from the UK, the EU and beyond. Building further on RUSI’s unrivalled reputation in the field of CNI, the 2009 event on 29-30 April at RUSI’s Whitehall hq will feature arguably the most impressive collection of contributors to-date.
Confirmed speakers include:
- Lord West (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Security and Counter-Terrorism)
- Dick Heimans (head of sector, counter-terrorism, European Commission)
- Andrew Scott (deputy Government chief information officer, transformational Government, Cabinet Office)
- Nick Raynsford MP
- Peter Mather (vice-president, BP Europe)
- Michael Rutter (the Department of Energy and Climate Change)
- Dr Steve Marsh (Cabinet Office)
- Steve Cummings (special advisor, Deloitte LLP)
- Professor Dieter Helm (Oxford University)
- Alan Stilwell (Institute of Chartered Engineers)
The major topics up for discussion
- Changing infrastructure, changing threats
- Shifting international contexts and the implications for critical infrastructure
- Reducing vulnerability to The Insider Threat: three perspectives
- New and growing infrastructure dependencies
- Resilient national infrastructure in a climate changed world
- Developing appropriate frameworks for future infrastructure protection
- Energy infrastructure, security of supply and the challenges they pose for the UK
Take advantage of a 20% booking discount
Readers of SMT Online and info4security can take advantage of a 20% discount on the delegate registration fee. All you need do is complete the registration form (see the dedicated link on the right hand panel of this page) using the reference code CNII4S and return using one of the methods detailed in the form.
For further details please contact event manager Aimee Braginton on (telephone) 44 (0)20 7747 2648 or via e-mail at: Aimeeb@rusi.org