Darren Desmond in

Darren Desmond

Judge · DISC type Dc
Director of Information Security / CISO at The AA
📍 Basingstoke, England, United Kingdom

Darren Desmond is a strategic Chief Information Security Officer at The AA, with over 17 years of experience in cybersecurity and risk management. A former member of the British Armys Royal Military Police and Intelligence Corps, he studied Forensic Computing at Cranfield University and is often described by peers as a thoughtful and approachable leader.

He has a strong interest in mentoring and developing talent within the cybersecurity field, with a particular focus on improving diversity. He frequently speaks at industry events and on podcasts, sharing insights from his extensive career that spans military intelligence, telecommunications, and financial services, making him a recognized thought leader.

Unique fact: His military career included service in the Royal Military Polices Special Investigation Branch and the Intelligence Corps, providing a unique foundation for his corporate security career.

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Experience
27 Years
Current Role
Director of Information Security / CISO
Job Level
Leadership
Location
Basingstoke, England, United Kingdom
Personality Overview

How Darren shows up

Demanding
Objective Thinker
Features Driven

They respond well to strong and respectful communication. They take a lot of pride in personal achievements. They prefer to be the ones controlling the conversation or defining the terms.

Priorities

Topics Darren cares about

Military Intelligence
His career began in the British Army's Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch and Intelligence Corps, which informs his approach to corporate cybersecurity.
Cyber Resilience
He emphasizes building resilience not just for recovery, but for proactive risk mitigation, a topic he discussed as a panelist for Evo Cyber Security.
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Career

Work history

5-2019 - 2-2023
Director of Information Security / CISO
The AA
10-2018
Chief Information Security Officer
The AA
10-2018 - 5-2019
Head Of Information Security
The AA
7-2016 - 10-2018
Associate Director
EY
12-2014 - 6-2016
Operations Director, Cyber Threat Intelligence
Cyjax
In the press

Media appearances

The AA's CISO shares cyber‑security insights with The Technology Boardroom. Featured in Advania UK Blog
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#112 – CISO at the AA, Darren Desmond: Covert Ops to Cyber Security. Featured in BEDigital UK Podcast
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Education
2010 - 2010
Forensic Computing
Cranfield University
1980 - 1985
Education details unavailable
Casterton Community College
Social presence
in
Behavioral profile

DISC profile (public)

D

Dominance (D)

Dominance (D) reflects how goal and task oriented a person is, and their ability to accomplish results irrespective of how demanding the circumstances might be. Those scoring high tend to be motivated by winning, competition, and success.

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