Scottish Continuity, the membership body covering organisational, community and national resilience across Scotland, has announced that Alison Stone will be appointed Chair at the Resilient Scotland Annual Conference 2026, due to run on Tuesday, February 24, at Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh. The conference will bring together people from across the resilience profession to examine emerging risks, evolving threats and practical strategies.
Alison Stone brings more than 20 years of experience in risk management, business continuity, cyber security, information security and data protection. She serves as Senior Consultant at cyber and resilience firm Beyond Blue. She said: “Organisations today are navigating increasingly complex risks, from cyber threats and supply chain disruption to climate events and geopolitical instability. Scottish Continuity has spent over 30 years supporting professionals at the forefront of these challenges. My focus will be on strengthening collaboration across sectors, championing professional standards and ensuring our members have the practical insight and networks they need to build resilience that truly stands up to real-world pressure.”
The conference will cover four fields: Human, Community, Business and Cyber. Speakers include:
- John Frost Hon.MBCI – A resilience professional with 24 years at Marks & Spencer, including 15 years as Head of Business Continuity and over a decade as Chair of the Retail Business Continuity Association. He led responses to major incidents including the Grenfell Tower fire, terrorist attacks, major flooding, Covid-19 and a cyber attack. He’s now an independent consultant.
- Lucy Easthope – An authority on emergency planning and disaster recovery, with experience supporting recovery from major incidents across the UK. Her work has shaped national policy and informed best practice in crisis response. She’s also an author; of the 2022 memoir When the Dust Settles and last year Come What May (Hachette).
- Gaven Smith – Former Director General for Technology and Chief Technology Officer at GCHQ. Drawing on his experience protecting the UK’s critical infrastructure, he will share insights into the role of technology and cyber resilience in national security.
The day also offers interactive workshops and networking opportunities with leaders, practitioners and solution providers from across the resilience sector. For a place, visit:
