Month: February 2026

Northern Ireland’s business leaders have been urged to take greater responsibility for cyber security at a major new industry event hosted by Leaf IT in collaboration with Belfast Chamber.

The call to action was delivered at Belfast Cyber Expo 2026, held at the Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park and attended by over 150 delegates. Under the theme Securing the Future: AI, Risk & Resilience, the inaugural Expo brought together business leaders, IT professionals and cyber security specialists to examine the rapidly evolving threat landscape and the governance challenges emerging alongside accelerated artificial intelligence adoption.

Clare Guinness, CEO at Belfast Chamber, commented:
“Across many organisations cyber security has been treated as the sole preserve of IT departments, but safeguarding a business against digital threats is a responsibility that must be owned at leadership level.

“Events such as this provide an essential platform for collaboration, knowledge-sharing and practical guidance, ensuring that Northern Ireland businesses are equipped to operate securely and competitively in an increasingly complex digital world.”

Recent statistics highlighted at the Expo reflect the urgency of the issue. Global ransomware attacks increased by 43% year-on-year, while phishing attacks rose by 1,200% in 2025, driven largely by AI-powered social engineering tactics, according to the World Economic Forum. Closer to home, the UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025 found that 43% of businesses and 30% of charities experienced a cyber security breach or attack in the past 12 months.

At the same time, AI adoption has surged to 88% among Northern Ireland businesses, raising significant governance and risk considerations. Despite this widespread uptake, 62% of organisations have no formal AI usage policy in place, and 30% actively encourage staff to experiment with freely available AI tools, contributing to the growth of so-called “shadow AI” practices.

Alongside keynote presentations, the Expo featured hands-on product demonstrations, specialist breakout sessions and structured networking opportunities, each designed to provide practical, actionable insight to strengthen security posture and embed more robust AI governance frameworks.

Andrew Johnston, Managing Director at Leaf IT, added:
“Our objective in hosting this inaugural Expo was to bring global expertise to Northern Ireland and provide businesses with clear, practical steps they can take to manage risk effectively.

“The level of engagement on the day demonstrated that organisations recognise the urgency of this issue and are committed to strengthening their approach to cybersecurity.”

Belfast-headquartered managed IT and cyber security provider Leaf IT has announced a key leadership transition as the business prepares for its next phase of growth across the island of Ireland.

Andrew Johnston, Managing Director of Leaf-IT and Steven Goldblatt, Executive Chairman of Leaf-IT

Andrew Johnston has been appointed Managing Director, with founder Steven Goldblatt stepping into the role of Executive Chairman. The transition forms part of a carefully structured growth strategy designed to support continued expansion while ensuring continuity for customers, partners, and employees.

Johnston brings extensive leadership and financial experience to the role. He spent ten years with Deloitte in Belfast and Dublin, advising organisations on growth and investment strategies, before moving into the technology sector as Chief Financial Officer for a high-growth technology partner. During his career, he has supported rapid scaling, overseen acquisitions, and secured both debt and equity funding.

Speaking on his appointment, Andrew Johnston said:

“Leaf IT has more than twenty years of heritage, a highly capable team, and long-standing customer relationships, many of them spanning decades. My role is to scale the business without losing what has made Leaf IT trusted in the first place. That means staying grounded in service excellence, investing in people and partnerships, and helping customers turn technology from an operational burden into a strategic advantage.”

Founder Steven Goldblatt described the appointment as a significant milestone in the company’s journey:

“This transition allows us to accelerate growth while maintaining the values and relationships that Leaf IT has been built on. I will remain closely involved, guiding the growth strategy and supporting our clients to ensure stability and continuity across the business.”

Founded over twenty years ago, Leaf IT has grown from a local IT support provider into one of the leading managed technology and cyber security partners on the island of Ireland. The company delivers managed IT, cloud, productivity, and cyber security services to SMEs, with many customer relationships spanning decades.

Looking ahead, Johnston confirmed that Leaf IT will continue to invest in its people, customer support, and strategic technology partnerships, while also exploring acquisition opportunities that align with the company’s culture and client-first ethos.

“This is an incredibly exciting time to be joining Leaf IT,” Johnston added. “We have recently refreshed our brand, moved to a larger Belfast office, and continued to invest in our team – all of which positions the business strongly for future growth. Technology has never been more central to the competitiveness, resilience, and security of SMEs, and at Leaf IT, we remain firmly focused on business-led technology that enables our customers to grow with confidence.”