Comply.Land
Speakers at Comply Land 2025:
Geoff White
Geoff White is a leading investigative journalist, author, and keynote speaker on cybercrime and the forces shaping our digital world. His work has appeared on BBC News, Sky News, Audible, and in The Sunday Times. His latest book, Rinsed (Penguin, 2024), exposes tech‑driven global money laundering; his previous bestseller, The Lazarus Heist, grew from the hit BBC podcast on North Korea’s cyber operations. A sought‑after speaker, Geoff has delivered 300+ talks worldwide for organizations including Microsoft, HSBC, Mastercard, and Atos, bringing real‑world hacking and fraud cases to life with clarity and punch. Formerly Channel 4 News’ technology correspondent, he has won multiple awards for investigations into data, hacking, and fraud.
Godwin Mifsud
Mr Godwin Mifsud joined the Malta Public Service in 2001 as an Economics Officer and served at the Economic Policy Department within the Ministry for Finance in various capacities prior to his appointment as Director (Structural Economic Research) in 2011 and subsequently Director General (Economic Policy) in 2015. The latter role provided Mr Mifsud with the opportunity to consolidate the Department’s policy advisory function with a particular focus on empirical evidence. Supporting his work on national policy, Mr Mifsud had the privilege of representing Malta in several high-level fora on an international level, most notably as Malta’s Head of Delegation to the Economic Policy Committee, one of the preparatory bodies of the ECOFIN Council. He also served as Chairman of the Ageing Populations and Sustainability Working Group of the same committee. Mr Mifsud has led delegations in meetings with international institutions, including the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and credit rating agencies. In September 2022 Mr Mifsud was appointed as Permanent Secretary within the Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects, taking on the responsibility for the Public Works Department in January 2024. Mr Mifsud was appointed as Permanent Secretary within the Ministry for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects in January 2025. Mr Mifsud also sits on several Government boards and committees. He has studied in Malta and the United Kingdom and holds post-graduate degrees in Economics and in Public Policy.
Trudy Kerr
Trudy Kerr is an award-winning interviewer, presenter, and founder of "The She Word," a groundbreaking podcast that focuses on conversations women rarely have but really should. With over 20 years of experience in the design and communications industry across 4 countries and 3 continents, Trudy has established herself as a leading voice in Maltese media. Beyond "The She Word," which launched in September 2022 and has spawned multiple successful seasons including a Young Women's Edition, Trudy hosts "The Interviewer" podcast where she speaks with local personalities from all walks of life. She has held leadership positions as Head of Strategy and Marketing at CORSA, iGen, and Head of Media and Reporting at SiGMA. An accomplished ultra-runner and motivational speaker, Trudy is recognised for empowering women through open discussions on topics including mental health, body image, fertility, menopause, and women in business. She continues to be a prominent live events MC and advocate for women's voices in Malta and beyond.
Æva Black
Æva Black is an international thought leader on open source software security, with over 25 years of experience building digital infrastructure, leading open source projects, and advising on cybersecurity policy. After leading OSS Security Programs first in the Azure Office of the CTO and then at the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Agency, Æva founded Null Point Studio, a boutique cybersecurity consulting firm in the Netherlands, to continue supporting the sustainability and security of free and open source software. A veteran of the first dot-com bubble, Æva's signature red-and-black aesthetic has darkened conference stages around the world since 2005. When not behind a computer screen, they can be found on a motorcycle or looking for new ways to support their local queer community.
Eva Puerta Perez
Eva Puerta is Field CISO EMEA at Check Point Software Technologies. She is an experienced speaker and consultant and has taken on leadership roles throughout her career. She began her journey in threat intelligence services at Telefónica, where she worked for four years. Following that, she became a Project Manager at Banco Santander in the Cyber Threats Surveillance service. Eva then joined Caceis, where she worked as Deputy CISO before assuming the role of CISO for Spain and Latin America. Over the past four years, she has also been a professor in the Cybersecurity Management degree program at the University Francisco de Vitoria.
Christian (Fukami) Horchert
Christian “fukami” Horchert leads CrabNebula’s Brussels office, bridging cybersecurity practice with EU policy and standards. He serves as Special Rapporteur at ETSI (EN 304 623 boot manager standard) and co-chairs FIRST’s AI Security SIG, focusing on LLMs for security and incident response. Previously a member of the European Commission’s CRA Expert Group on behalf of OpenSSF and an EU policy advisor to OpenSSF, he brings deep experience across critical intrastructure, and product security. With a background spanning risk management, pentesting, and compliance auditing, Christian works at the intersection of open source, regulation, and European standardization to enable secure, compliant innovation.
Dr. Ian Gauci
Dr Ian Gauci is the Managing Partner at GTG and a technology and commercial lawyer with over 25 years of experience in advising governments, authorities, and private clients in the evolving technology and cybersecurity landscape.
In addition to the legal practice, Dr Gauci actively contributes to the sector as an academic, director, author, lecturer, and international speaker. This allows him to bring both depth and perspective to the intersection of law, innovation, and digital transformation. Dr Gauci is also contributing to the MFSAC Strategy for Financial Services, where he chairs the AI in Fintech working group.
Ian Deguara
Ian Deguara has served as Malta’s Information and Data Protection Commissioner since 2020, following more than 18 years at the national data protection authority. Among its earliest team members, he helped shape Malta’s GDPR implementation as part of the national taskforce and has led extensive public outreach on the reformed data protection framework. With degrees in information technology and management from the University of Malta, Ian brings deep expertise at the intersection of privacy governance, regulatory enforcement, and freedom of information.
Prof. André Xuereb
André Xuereb is a full professor of quantum physics at the University of Malta, where he established the quantum research group, and Founder & CEO of Merqury Cybersecurity. He read for an undergraduate degree in mathematics and physics at the University of Malta, a PhD in theoretical physics at the University of Southampton in the UK, and a master’s degree in entrepreneurship at the University of Malta; he is currently reading for a master’s degree in diplomacy. Since 2021, André is Malta’s Ambassador for Digital Affairs. In addition to this, he is also Chief Scientific Officer of an artificial intelligence start-up, married to a lawyer, and the proud father of three wonderful children.
Daniel Thompson-Yvetot
Daniel Thompson-Yvetot is a cybersecurity expert and CEO of CrabNebula Ltd., specializing in software compliance and the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). Co-founder of the security-first Tauri framework, he advocates for secure-by-design principles in software development. As former Senior Architect at IOTA Foundation, he focused on hardening security postures and designing secure systems. Based in Malta, Daniel regularly speaks about CRA implementation and helps organizations navigate European compliance requirements. His expertise spans cryptography, security principles, and privacy-focused engineering, making him a leading voice in preparing software manufacturers for the evolving regulatory landscape.
Jürgen Kreuz
Jürgen Kreuz is the Founder of SECaaS.IT, specializing in cybersecurity Software and consulting and IT auditing with strong expertise in critical infrastructure. In 2024, he was appointed to the German Federal Economic Senate for his entrepreneurial achievements. As a Trusted Advisor for crisis-resilient IT and process optimization, Jürgen helps organizations strengthen their cybersecurity posture. SECaaS.IT offers comprehensive support for SMEs, providing faster, more cost-effective solutions for IT security requirements including ISO 27001, C5, and TISAX certifications. His approach focuses on the "harmony of people, technology and organization" for secure digitalization of business processes. With expertise in regulatory compliance, Jürgen guides companies through the evolving landscape of complex Compliance requirements and emerging regulations such as NIS2, DORA, AI-Act and many more.
Max Ganado
Dr. Max Ganado is a veteran Maltese lawyer renowned for his legislative drafting work over nearly 40 years. As a Former Member of Law Drafting Committees (1988-2013), he was instrumental in creating legislation that established Malta as an international financial centre, including the Merchant Shipping Act, Investment Services laws, the Set-Off and Netting on Insolvency Act, the Securitisation Act, and the Trusts and Trustees Act. He pioneered legal frameworks for emerging technologies, drafting Malta's DLT legislation and proposing innovative legal structures for blockchain platforms. His legislative work spans maritime law, financial services, aviation, and digital assets, consistently providing enabling legal frameworks that helped Malta's key industries thrive. Now a Consultant at Ganado Advocates, he continues to influence Malta's legislative landscape.
Piet de Vaere
Piet is an electrical engineer, computer scientist, and consultant specializing in product cybersecurity compliance, with a focus on the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and Radio Equipment Directive (RED DA). He contributes to EU cybersecurity standardization and helps companies translate legal and technical requirements into practical, risk-based decisions. Drawing on industry experience and PhD research, Piet bridges C‑suite, management, and engineering, assessing product posture, clarifying obligations, and guiding the implementation of security features, processes, and secure-by-design architectures.
Dean Zwarts
Dean Zwarts is a Senior Global Business Manager for Cybersecurity at UL Solutions, responsible for Consumer; IOT, Medical, Automotive and Payment Security. He has more than 20 years of experience in technology, innovation and security. He has led start-ups and held roles such as CTO and CIO and has led commercial teams in Cybersecurity. Dean has patents insecurity-based services, has contributed to standards organizations, and leads cybersecurity taskforces at UL Solutions. In his role as a Cybersecurity Business Manager in UL Solutions, and Chairman of the TIC Council Conformance Assessment (CACD) Working Group.
Bill Avery
Bill Avery is a veteran Microsoft engineer and longstanding board member of the Tauri Programme. During his tenure at Microsoft, Bill has been instrumental in championing and supporting the adoption of the Rust programming language within the company, helping to establish Microsoft's commitment to memory-safe systems programming. His advocacy for Rust at Microsoft contributed to its growing acceptance in enterprise software development and system-level programming. As a board member of Tauri, Bill continues to advance secure, performant application development through his support of the Rust-based framework. His unique perspective bridging both corporate engineering leadership and open-source governance has been invaluable in promoting modern, security-first development practices across the industry.
Gavril Flores
Gavril Flores is the Chief Strategy, Policy and Governance Officer at the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA). He brings over 15 years of expertise in regulation, strategic leadership and innovation policy. As the driving force behind Malta’s National AI Strategy and Vision, Malta’s cybersecurity certification authority and regulation of AI, data and cyber, Flores is helping shape the country’s position as a leader in ethical, trustworthy and compliant digital innovation through smart regulation and forward-looking governance. Gavril represents Malta in various international fora and is Malta’s representative on the Committee on Artificial Intelligence of the Council of Europe and alternate management board member of ENISA. He holds the position of Senior Visiting Lecturer at the University of Malta focusing on innovation management, ESG and marketing and web-science.
Sharon Xuereb
Sharon Xuereb is a Senior Associate at Camilleri Preziosi, specialising in privacy and data protection, intellectual property, and technology law. With a strong passion for IT and emerging technologies, she is particularly interested in how disruptive innovations are reshaping legal landscapes both locally and internationally. She previously served as Vice President and EU Projects Manager at the Malta IT Law Association, and has contributed to EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation projects focused on developing ethical and trustworthy AI technologies, and privacy-friendly software to counter radicalisation and crime. In these projects she provided legal guidance on GDPR and other non-personal data law, EU AI Act, and intellectual property law compliance. Sharon has co-authored several publications and is regularly invited to speak at conferences, where she helps shape discussions on digital regulation, compliance challenges, and business opportunities in the areas of intellectual property, consumer law, and data processing. Recognised as a Rising Star in intellectual property by The Legal 500 Malta Edition, she is widely acknowledged for her expertise in this field. She holds a Doctor of Laws from the University of Malta, and an LL.M. in Computer and Communications Law (with distinction) from Queen Mary University of London. Outside her legal practice, Sharon is devoted to raising her three children and enjoys discussing business ideas with her husband, a quantum physicist and professor at the University of Malta.
Matthew Yeoman
Matthew Yeomans is Director of Malta’s Critical Infrastructure Protection Directorate within the Ministry for Home Affairs, Security, and Employment. He helped transpose the EU NIS1 Directive (2016/1148) into Maltese law (L.N. 216 of 2018) and has represented Malta in European Commission multilateral meetings. A former team lead at the national CSIRT, he has supported CIIs, OESs, and CSIRTs, serves as Malta’s primary contact to the NIS Cooperation Group, and sits on the National Cyber Security Strategy Steering Committee, contributing to Malta’s 2023–2026 Cybersecurity Strategy.