Cybersecurity assurance with a business perspective.
Chani Simms is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Meta Defence Labs, a UK cybersecurity consultancy and certification body helping organisations strengthen their cyber resilience, meet regulatory and contractual requirements, and build security practices that work in the real world.
An NCSC-qualified Cyber Advisor, Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus Assessor, IASME Cyber Assurance Assessor and ISO 27001 Auditor, Chani specialises in cybersecurity governance, risk, assurance and certification. She works with organisations ranging from growing SMEs to large multinational enterprises, particularly those operating within complex supply chains and regulated environments.
Chani has extensive experience leading Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus programmes at enterprise scale, helping organisations navigate complex scope, technical remediation, vulnerability management, evidence requirements and ongoing compliance. She is also a Defence Cyber Certification (DCC) Level 0 and Level 1 Assessor, supporting organisations working within the UK defence supply chain.
Her approach goes beyond simply achieving certification. Chani believes good cybersecurity should create genuine resilience. She works closely with leadership and technical teams to identify risk, establish practical governance and embed sustainable security practices that remain effective long after an assessment is complete.
Alongside her work with clients, Chani is an active voice within the UK cybersecurity community. She speaks at industry events and contributes to discussions around cyber resilience, supply-chain security, Cyber Essentials and defence cybersecurity. She also publishes Cyber Essential Support, a fortnightly newsletter followed by more than 3,000 subscribers.
As a business leader, Chani has built Meta Defence Labs around three principles that shape both its culture and its work with clients: Trust, Integrity and Commitment.
For Chani, cybersecurity assurance is not about ticking boxes. It is about giving organisations, their customers and their supply chains confidence that security is being taken seriously.
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Related assurance topics
Enterprise assessment readiness, Cyber Essentials scope and evidence-led assurance.
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