Last week, Instil had the privilege of joining a standout event hosted by BT, bringing together cyber security leaders, practitioners and local government representatives to tackle one of the sector's biggest challenges: building collaborative resilience in the face of growing cyber threats.
Framed by the National Cyber Security Centre's latest guidance on cyber incident exercising, the event focused on what it really takes to be ready – not just in theory but in practice.
A particular highlight came from Rose and Michael, whose exercises brought real-world urgency into the room. Through realistic scenarios, teams were pushed to think beyond playbooks - into leadership, communication and trust under pressure.
As Lisa from NILGA put it:
Cyber Security is no longer just an IT issue, it's a whole-of-organisation challenge. Events like this help local councils understand not only the risks but the critical importance of being prepared, together.
The conversation was elevated further by insights from Dougie at NCD, who reminded us:
In today's threat landscape, proactive defence means more than just installing the right software – it's about people, training and readiness. Cyber exercising is one of the most powerful tools available to build that readiness.
BT played a vital role in convening this space for learning and reflection. As Noel Lynch shared:
At BT, we see our role as more than just providing connectivity, we're here to help create resilient, secure digital infrastructure that supports communities. Working together is the only way forward.
And it was great to hear from our own Simon Whittaker, speaking on why these exercises matter:
Cyber incident exercising gives teams the chance to step outside the day-to-day and pressure test their thinking. It builds not just technical competence but trust and coordination – which is exactly what you need when a real incident hits.
Our thanks to BT for convening this important conversation, and to all who contributed their insight, experience and leadership on the day. Cyber resilience is not a destination but an ongoing, collective effort - and it's through events like this that we build the shared understanding and trust needed to strengthen our resilience.
