Theresa Payton

Theresa Payton is one of the world’s most respected voices on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, privacy and secured digital transformation, with a career that spans the highest levels of government, global finance and technology innovation. She made history as the first female White House Chief Information Officer, serving under President George W. Bush, where she was responsible for overseeing information technology operations across the Executive Office of the President and safeguarding some of the most sensitive digital assets in the world.

Widely recognised as a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 boards, CEOs and senior executives, Theresa specialises in helping organisations innovate securely in an era defined by AI, data proliferation and escalating cyber risk. Her expertise lies not only in identifying emerging threats, but in translating complex technical realities into clear, practical strategies that leaders can act on with confidence.

Before her White House appointment, Theresa held senior executive roles in banking technology at two of the United States’ leading financial institutions, building deep experience in risk management, large-scale systems and critical infrastructure. Following her government service, she co-founded cybersecurity product company Dark3 and went on to establish Fortalice Solutions, where she serves as Founder and CEO. Fortalice is recognised as a leading digital security consultancy, consistently ranked among the Top 5 Most Innovative Cybersecurity Companies in the Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC region.

A patented inventor in security design, Theresa is known for her ability to anticipate how technologies such as AI, Big Data and the Internet of Things are reshaping both opportunity and risk. Organisations turn to her not only to strengthen their cyber defences, but to guide them discreetly through high-stakes data breaches, governance challenges and reputational threats.