UK finalist 2021

James Hadley

CEO, Immersive Labs

Many of today’s global businesses were originally garage start-ups, but James Hadley’s fast-growing cybersecurity skills company actually began in a shipping container in 2017 in Bristol. 

Rather than focusing on the technological needs of organisations facing cyber-attacks, Immersive Labs has built a technology platform that helps companies measure and upskill their human cyber assets. James and his team work with organisations to teach their developers to build more secure software, and also help remove cybersecurity recruitment teams bias from the hiring process, thus helping to bring new and diverse talent into the sector.

I have been very inspired by young people who haven’t really pursued an interest in cybersecurity before becoming drawn into the breadth and depth of the opportunity and seeing them persevere and solving complex problems.
James Hadley
CEO, Immersive Labs

Within four years, James has led the scaling up of the business from just a few people to over 200 across the UK, US and Europe with headquarters in Bristol, UK and Boston, Massachusetts. 

James is committed to demystifying and democratizing access to security expertise and developing innovation that creates a more secure world. It’s a motivating mission, and under James’ visionary leadership, Immersive Labs’ distinct approach is making a deep impact.