CWIC 2025 at Hinxton Hall: ‘Plan for uncertainty and bake in resilience’
The 16th annual Cambridge Wireless International Conference (CWIC) brought together leaders from across technology, business, and government to tackle one of the most pressing issues of our time – resilience in a rapidly evolving world.
Hundreds of delegates converged on Hinxton Hall to immerse themselves in a day of thought-provoking talks, expert panels, and vital conversations.
With sessions spanning from cybersecurity and AI to home tech and critical national infrastructure (CNI), CWIC challenged organisations to plan for uncertainty and bake in resilience as per the conference title: ‘Building Resilience: Future-proofing the future’.
The conference opened with a welcome from Olu Orugboh, chair of CW and CEO and co-founder of Black Talent & Leadership in STEM. She was followed by a powerful keynote from internationally-renowned cyber-security expert Chris Kubecka, who explored the ever-changing threat landscape, the urgent need for strategic cyber resilience, and the risks of digital certification being held by US companies.
It proved a timely moment to debate the resilience of CNI. The opening plenary, ‘Critical National Infrastructure’, featured insights from Dr Mike Short, former chief scientific adviser to the Department for Business and Trade, and chair of the UKTIN Advisory Board; Nihal Newman, director of security & resilience policy at Ofcom; and Deborah Petterson, of National Energy System Operator. Nihal brought the conversation close to home, referencing the recent Heathrow electricity outage and challenging the room with the sobering question: “In a contentious world, have you thought through your role in national resilience?”
A standout session on Resilience and Future Communication Technologies sparked lively discussion, with Prof Gerard Parr discussing the dangers of optimism bias with critical infrastructure, striking a chord when he declared: “AI doesn’t rule the world – networks do.”
The statement echoed throughout the day as a reminder of the foundational role that robust, intelligent infrastructure plays in enabling our digital futures.
In the networking and exhibition space, 25 companies showcased their innovations, services and technologies, while the dedicated Start-up Zone featured 12 early-stage businesses presenting breakthrough solutions in cybersecurity, AI, quantum, healthtech, robotics, and immersive technologies.
Michaela Eschbach, CEO of Cambridge Wireless, reflected on the day: “From today’s conference, it’s clear we need to ensure that we understand what we mean by resilience. It must be considered from the start. It’s not just about the technology.
“Resilience is also about the people, skills and stepping up to understand our own roles in national resilience.
“One powerful takeaway was the consideration that, while AI is based on what we know, resilience is about dealing with the unexpected. We must use these systems carefully if we are to build truly resilient futures.”
Michela also thanked the sponsors of CWIC2025, including Chronos Technology, Fujitsu Network Communications, UKTIN, ARU, PEM, IoTAS, Alan Boswell Group, Form the Future, Conscious Communications, Broadfield Law, 42T, Sigma Connectivity, and iDash Solutions.
