Joanna Cavan OBE appointed Managing Director of UKTL

Business developments

24 July 2025

The UK Telecoms Lab (UKTL) is delighted to announce the appointment of Joanna Cavan OBE as its new Managing Director.

Joanna brings over two decades of strategic leadership across national security, regulation and technology. Her experience spans some of the most complex technical and operational environments in the UK and internationally. Most recently, she served as Director of Strategy and Delivery at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), following senior roles at the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC) and as an independent expert witness in forensic telecoms and RF engineering.

Awarded an OBE for services to security and technology in the Queen’s Birthday Honours (2016), Joanna is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in national security and technology sectors.

UKTL is at the forefront of securing the UK’s telecoms future and welcomes Joanna’s extensive experience and strategic perspective to the leadership team.

On her appointment, Joanna said:

Secure, resilient, and future-ready telecoms are vital to the UK’s growth and security. By working in close collaboration with key partners, we will continue to deliver world-class testing and research, and build a pipeline of skilled telecoms cyber security professionals.

Peter Thompson CBE, CEO of NPL, added:

Joanna brings extensive experience from many roles across government and the technology sector. I look forward to working with her and colleagues in DSIT as we continue to deliver the crucial capabilities that provide reassurance for industry, government, academia, and consumers.

Emran Mian, Permanent Secretary of DSIT, commented:

UKTL plays a crucial role in improving the security of UK telecoms networks and catalysing the growth of advanced connectivity technologies – one of the frontier industries in the Industrial Strategy. Joanna brings valuable experience to the lab from working on the government’s national security and growth priorities.

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Get in touch with the UK Telecoms Lab (UKTL) team.