Week 16 of 52 — Women in Tech Series
Welcome to our Women in Tech series. Over the next 52 weeks, we’ll spotlight inspiring women shaping the technology industry — sharing their stories, achievements, and insights.
From founders and engineers to designers, researchers, and community leaders, this series celebrates the diverse voices driving innovation and building the future of tech.
Rebecca Taylor
Threat Intelligence Knowledge Manager & Researcher at Sophos
How did you first get into tech/innovation?
My journey into technology, and more specifically cybersecurity was unplanned. As an English and Creative Writing student from the University of Portsmouth, for a long time my trajectory was to be a teacher. But after being headhunted to join Sophos in 2014 as a Personal Assistant, I knew almost immediately that if I seized the moment, there was a space for me in cyber. Whilst my initial role was about office management and dealing with expenses, I knew that there was more for me in the world of cybersecurity. Through mentorship, sponsorship and on-the-job learning, I have been able to succeed in my cyber career.
One of the standout moments for me was delivering my TEDx, ‘Digital Shadows: The Perils of Premature Footprints’. After years of studying and learning about cyber threats, from my exposure to risks which pertained to children such as sexual extortion and cyber bullying, and from most importantly being a Mum who regularly had parents reaching out lost in the world of tech and online safety, I felt honoured to be able to bring all that lived experience together into an accessible piece of material.
Everyone deserves the right to be cyber conscious and cyber safe – my work has allowed me to bring both individuals and organizations one step closer to accomplishing that.
What did your career path look like before landing your current role?
My path into threat intelligence and cybersecurity was anything but traditional – in fact I would describe it as squiggly. As already suggested I started my role as a Personal Assistant. Working closely with the EMEA Managing Director exposed me to the breadth of cybersecurity and the diverse people within it. Seeing leaders from all kinds of backgrounds helped me realise that I, too, could carve out a place in this field. I began studying cyber topics, finding what truly motivated me, and seeking mentorship to guide my growth.
Since then, my career has been driven by a deep desire to understand real-world cyber threats and their impact. Becoming “cyber proficient” evolved from a professional interest into a personal mission – one I feel responsible for as both a subject matter expert and a mother. Promoting cyber awareness, especially for children and families, remains a passion that continues to guide my work.
In previous roles in Incident Response, I found myself on the frontline of security crises. These experiences underscored the real human consequences of cyber-attacks and revealed that effective defence relies on threat intelligence – understanding not just what a threat is, but who, why, and how. That realisation ultimately led me to my current role as a Threat Intelligence Knowledge Manager and Researcher, ensuring critical insights are accessible, actionable, and standardised.
What does your role involve day-to-day?
My work is centred on building a deep, end‑to‑end understanding of threat intelligence and how it can be used to support defenders, customers and community members. A large part of my role involves the ingestion and management of intelligence from a wide range of sources – everything from open‑source reporting to our own research. I’m responsible for validating, organising, and analysing this information so it can be actioned effectively by internal teams and shared externally when appropriate.
Tied into this is attribution and context: piecing together evidence to identify who is behind specific attacks or campaigns, how they operate, and what their motivations might be. This often feeds directly into the publications I contribute to, such as threat advisories, blogs, and research reports.
Alongside this, I work in Human Intelligence, where I maintain several personas used to safely observe, interact, and collect intelligence from dark‑web communities and underground marketplaces. This work helps us track emerging trends, understand criminal ecosystems, and stay ahead of new techniques and threat actors. My research focus is predominantly on data leaks, access brokers, and other emerging threats, especially ransomware‑as‑a‑service groups.
What challenges have you faced working in tech, and how did you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as a woman in tech was the identity shift that came with becoming a mother. I left work as one person and returned as someone entirely different – I was stretched in new ways, constantly worried I wasn’t doing enough, and navigating gender roles I hadn’t experienced before. The pressure was intense, and I had to learn to be kind to myself, to stop judging myself so harshly and to recognise I was still making a difference, just at a different pace. I had to learn to be more intentional in building in breaks, self-care and sharing when days were tough.
I was fortunate to have a leader I trusted who understood the challenges I was facing and created the space for me to succeed, but also to get help. He changed my life and was there for me in the way I authentically needed him to be.
That period shaped my leadership approach in profound ways. It taught me empathy: you never know what’s happening in someone else’s life, and creating safe, supportive, and collaborative spaces is essential for people to thrive. It also strengthened my resilience, showing me that personal and professional challenges can coexist, and that acknowledging them openly makes you a better leader.
My experiences inspired me to dig deeper into resiliency in careers, which has led me to conduct extensive research and ultimately write my second book (coming out in May 2026) on how professionals can build sustainable careers while staying true to themselves.
Was there a moment or opportunity that helped you break into the industry?
Through a combination of mentorship, sponsorship, and continuous on‑the‑job learning, I’ve been able not only to succeed in my cyber career but to grow in ways I never initially imagined. The guidance of experienced colleagues gave me the confidence to navigate unfamiliar territory, while sponsors actively advocated for my progression and opened doors I might never have stepped through alone. Alongside this, the day‑to‑day learning (often the most transformative part) allowed me to build practical skills, deepen my technical understanding, and develop a leadership style grounded in curiosity, empathy, and resilience. This blend of support, advocacy, and hands‑on experience has been instrumental in shaping the professional I am today.
What advice would you give to women who want to work in tech or innovation?
You can have a role in tech or innovation, even if your path looks different from others. Many successful careers in this industry begin unexpectedly, including mine. Curiosity, resilience, and willingness to learn matter far more than fitting a traditional profile, and the industry needs diverse voices to build a safer, innovative, collaborative digital future.
What do you love about working in the South West tech ecosystem?
What I love most about working in the South West tech ecosystem is the strong sense of community and collaboration. It feels genuinely supportive! People are open to sharing ideas, helping each other grow, and building meaningful connections.
Connect with Rebecca!
Follow Rebecca’s journey and connect with her on LinkedIn here
