The OCA Team | Oxford Cyber Academy

Dr Sepideh Chakaveh

Dr Mónika Magyar

Andrew Hart

Richard Knowlton

Prof Paul Bacsich

Surjit Uppal

Director of Technology

Laura Magyar

innovate inform inspire

Meet some of our Oxford Cyber Academy key personnel, just part of our ever growing, professional team.

The Oxford Cyber Academy personnel are dedicated to bringing their individual and wide ranging skills and experience to maintain and deliver the highest standards of research and education. Their commitment is to keep OCA at the forefront of the latest knowledge and understanding of cyber and data security, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Media Technology.

With the help and advice of independent, industry experts, OCA will create and develop an active forum for research, education, publication and the establishment of the Academy as a center of excellence, encouraging visitors from around the world with shared interests.

Senior Academic Advisor

Dr. Sepideh (Sepi) Chakaveh, is a Course Director and University Examiner in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence, at the Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford. Sepi is also the CEO & Founder of Pixsellar Technologies, a Big Data Video Analytics Start-up company. Sepi has worked both in the UK and Germany as Senior Scientist/Academic, including Imperial College London, Max Planck Institute in Heidelberg, Fraunhofer Society & the University of Southampton where she was the co-founder & the former Director of Southampton Data Science Academy, the first UK on-line Data Science academy.

Joint Managing Director

Mónika is an independent media lawyer with experience of advising and working with major international media enterprises, broadcasting companies, studios and media production companies on compliance and regulatory matters both at national and EU level. She has worked in Brussels for an association representing the interest of over 30 broadcasting companies in front of the European Institutions and has participated in many legislative proceedings on EU level media regulations, working closely together with different DGs of the Commission. Recently she has concentrated on information security and data protection issues. She is a qualified DPO, providing practical guidance for clients on GDPR related issues.

Joint Managing Director

Andrew has a wealth of experience in the commercial sector having owned and run design and networking businesses in both the UK and Hungary and he is responsible for all of OCA’s brand development. He has over 40 years of experience gained in the creative design, marketing and communications fields, growing and developing brands for national and international clients, working in product, interior, retail and graphic design disciplines. He has lived and worked in Paris and London and his work has been seen as far afield as Miami, The Middle East and Tokyo. He has completed projects for several celebrity clients and is also a qualified and experienced lecturer.

Director

Chairman of Richard Knowlton Associates, the security risk and resilience consultancy and a Fellow of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM). Richard was Group Corporate Security Director of Vodafone 2009-2015, and earlier worked in Milan as Head of Security Global Operations with the UniCredit Group, the largest bank in Central and Eastern Europe. Richard is an honorary Life Member of the International Security Management Association (ISMA), and holds a number of Board positions in companies specialising in the management of cyber risk. Richard worked in the UK Foreign Service before entering the private sector. He is based in Italy.

Paul is CEO of Dualversity, a consultancy company active in online learning, and Professor of Practice in Online Learning at the University of the West Indies. He was a Research Fellow at the Mathematical Institute Oxford, then spent many years at the Open University, finally being one of the trio that founded the Knowledge Media Institute. He then became Professor and Head of Division of Computing and Networks at Sheffield Hallam University where he taught Masters programmes online before becoming a full-time consultant. He then led many R&D projects and studies in online learning using national, corporate, EU and international funding.

Director of Online Programmes

Surjit is an independent consultant advising on developing and designing technology enhanced learning, including architectural design for technical infra-structure with various organisations and universities around the world. She has created global platforms, engaging multiple organisations to enhance teaching, learning and communities of practice that involves negotiation on policy, and data sharing agreements maintaining GDPR and international legal requirements. She has also influenced design culture in building trust and engagement in global platforms, whilst leading a global team addressing tech equity. She is currently a PhD e-Research: Technology Enhanced Learning student at Lancaster University.

Laura, based in Budapest, brings a valuable perspective to the team for social media interpretation and integration. She works closely with the OCA internal Social Media and Middle East Teams advising on the elemental content and relevant aspects of market demographics. Laura will help give OCA a dynamic and engaging profile as the academy moves towards its official launch and innovative new course releases in 2021.

Project Development