Baroness Poppy Gustafsson CBE

Poppy Gustafsson CBE has experience across both the technology sector and within government. She was Chief Executive Officer of Darktrace, the global cybersecurity firm she helped build from start-up to international scale, including a London Stock Exchange listing and multi-billion-pound acquisition. Under her leadership, Darktrace won numerous industry accolades, she was named Tech Businesswoman of the Year and Vodafone’s Woman of the Year for Technology and Innovation, and was appointed to the Order of the British Empire for services to cyber security, later being promoted to Commander (CBE).

In October 2024, Poppy was appointed Minister of State for Investment jointly within HM Treasury and the Department for Business and Trade, bringing her deep private-sector experience to government to help strengthen the UK’s global investment appeal. She was created a life peer in the House of Lords as Baroness Gustafsson of Chesterton, where she continues to contribute to national policy discussions on innovation, digital security and economic growth.

As a RUSI trustee, Poppy brings strategic insight at the intersection of technology, national security and public policy, and a commitment to advancing constructive dialogue on the challenges and opportunities posed by emerging digital threats.