Tom Sefton-Collins

Tom Sefton-Collins brings 15 years of experience in the UK’s national security community, including time with Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and the National Cyber Force, where he achieved some of the highest levels of accreditation in Offensive Cyber Operations and Influence Operations. While the details of his operational achievements remain classified, his work involved designing and deploying offensive cyber operations against national security targets. Before founding Ghost Shift, Tom built a career spanning multiple UK security and law enforcement agencies. He worked in Counter Terrorism Policing UK, focusing on domestic extremism threats, where he developed strategies to detect, disrupt, and mitigate violent extremist activity. He also served with the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and the National Crime Agency (NCA), specialising in technical intelligence operations targeting organised crime networks and cyber-enabled threats. Tom studied at the University of Leeds, specialising in Modern Russian History, Politics, and Terrorism. This academic foundation informs his deep interest in the geopolitical dimensions of cyber conflict and influence operations. Tom is passionate about demystifying the tools and tradecraft of cyber influence, making them accessible to decision-makers in government and industry. He writes and speaks regularly on the intersection of cyber operations, security policy, and geopolitical strategy, offering practical insights rooted in operational experience. His work emphasises the need for proactive, intelligence-led approaches to modern security challenges.