Scottish Continuity, the leading membership body dedicated to strengthening organisational, community and national resilience across Scotland, has announced that Alison Stone will be appointed Chair at the Resilient Scotland Annual Conference 2026, which takes place later this month.
The conference will bring together leading voices from across the resilience profession to examine emerging risks, evolving threats and practical strategies for strengthening continuity across the public and private sectors.
Alison Stone brings more than 20 years of experience in risk management, business continuity, cyber security, information security and data protection to the role. She currently also serves as Senior Consultant at cyber and resilience specialists Beyond Blue and is an award-winning governance and data privacy professional.
As Chair, Stone will lead Scottish Continuity into its next chapter, building on more than three decades of supporting resilience professionals across Scotland.
“I am honoured to be taking on the role of Chair at such an important moment for Scotland’s resilience community,” said Alison Stone, incoming Chair of Scottish Continuity. “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 Resilient Scotland Annual Conference will take place on Tuesday 24 February 2026 at Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, and will explore resilience across four critical dimensions: Human, Community, Business and Cyber.
Speakers include:
- John Frost Hon.MBCI – A distinguished 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 significant cyber attack. Now an independent consultant, he brings first-hand insight from the front line of crisis management.
- Lucy Easthope – A recognised authority on emergency planning and disaster recovery, with extensive experience supporting recovery from major incidents across the UK. Her work has shaped national policy and informed best practice in crisis response.
- 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.
Delegates will also gain practical tools, real-world case studies and peer-to-peer insight to strengthen organisational preparedness and adapt to evolving risks. The event also offers interactive workshops and networking opportunities with leaders, practitioners and solution providers from across the resilience sector.
To secure your place at the Resilient Scotland Annual Conference, please visit: https://www.scottishcontinuity.com/events/resilient-scotland-annual-conference-2024-m4wlj
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