Techstrong Group, alongside DigiCert, has announced the winners of the first-ever Quantum Security 25 awards. This accolade highlights 25 individuals recognized for their pivotal contributions to the evolving landscape of quantum security.
As the sector braces for advancements in quantum computing and the implementation of post-quantum cryptographic standards, the roles of cryptographic strength and long-term data security are becoming increasingly significant for boardrooms across various industries.
Post-Quantum Cryptographic Standards
The honorees for the Quantum Security 25 were selected from a diverse pool of nominations submitted globally.
An independent panel of judges, consisting of notable figures such as Alan Shimel, CEO of Techstrong Group; Dr. Amit Sinha, CEO of DigiCert; Dr. Lily Chen, NIST Fellow; and others, decided the final list. The selection criteria included measurable impact, technical prowess, and enduring contributions to the readiness for quantum security.
2026 Quantum Security 25
- Dr. Ali El Kaafarani | PQShield
- Prof. Bill Buchanan | Edinburgh Napier University
- Bob Sutor | Sutor Group Intelligence
- Bruno Couillard | Crypto4A
- Dr. Colin Soutar | Deloitte
- Denis Mandich | Qrypt
- Dustin Moody | NIST
- Éric Brier | Thales Group
- Jaime Garcia | Santander
- James Howe | SandboxAQ
- Konstantinos Karagiannis | Protiviti
- Dr. Krysta Svore | NVIDIA
- Luke Ibbetson | Vodafone
- Matthew Campagna | AWS
- Michael Osborne | IBM
- Michele Mosca | Institute for Quantum Computing
- Niccolò De Masi | IonQ
- Philip Intallura | HSBC
- Rebecca Krauthamer | QuSecure
- Rob Otter | JPMorgan Chase
- Sheetal Mehta | NTT Data
- Tanja Lange | Eindhoven University of Technology / PQCRYPTO
- Tom Patterson | Accenture
- Dr. Tsuyoshi Takagi | Nomura Research Institute
- Vadim Lyubashevsky | IBM Research – Zurich
Industry Leadership Recognition
Alan Shimel, Founder and CEO of Techstrong Group, emphasized the foresight and strategy required to prepare for the quantum era, stating, "The Quantum Security 25 recognizes individuals who are helping the industry move from awareness to action. Their leadership is shaping how organizations think about resilience, trust, and long-term security in a post-quantum world."
Techstrong Group, in collaboration with DigiCert, a global provider of intelligent trust, announces the winners of the inaugural Quantum Security 25, which recognises 25 individuals whose work is shaping the future of quantum security.
The Quantum Security 25 shines a spotlight on leaders across research, standards development, product innovation, public policy, and enterprise strategy who are shaping how the industry safely prepares for the post-quantum era. As quantum computing advances and post-quantum cryptographic standards move toward adoption, cryptographic resilience and long-term data protection are becoming board-level concerns across industries.
Post-quantum cryptographic standards
Honourees were nominated by people from around the world and across industries, and then the final 25 were selected by an independent panel of judges.
That panel included Alan Shimel, Founder and CEO of Techstrong Group; Dr. Amit Sinha, CEO of DigiCert; Dr. Lily Chen, NIST Fellow; Prof. Martin R. Albrecht, Professor of Cryptography at King’s College London; and Debbie Taylor Moore, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of The Quantum Crunch. Selection was based on demonstrated impact, technical leadership, and sustained contributions to advancing quantum security readiness.
The 2026 Quantum Security 25:
- Dr. Ali El Kaafarani | Founder & CEO & Founder | PQShield
- Prof. Bill Buchanan | Professor of Applied Cryptography | Edinburgh Napier University
- Bob Sutor | Founder | Sutor Group Intelligence
- Bruno Couillard | CEO | Crypto4A
- Dr. Colin Soutar | Global Quantum Cyber Readiness Leader | Deloitte
- Denis Mandich | CTO & Co-Founder | Qrypt
- Dustin Moody | Mathematician & PQC Project Lead | NIST
- Éric Brier | VP, Chief Technology Officer Network & Infrastructure Solutions | Thales Group
- Jaime Garcia | Global Head of Quantum Threat Program | Santander
- James Howe | Head of Cryptography | SandboxAQ
- Konstantinos Karagiannis | Senior Director, Quantum Computing Services | Protiviti
- Dr. Krysta Svore | VP, Applied Research – Quantum Computing | NVIDIA
- Luke Ibbetson | Head of Research & Development | Vodafone
- Matthew Campagna | Senior Principal Engineer, Security Engineering | AWS
- Michael Osborne | CTO, IBM Quantum Safe & Security Research | IBM
- Michele Mosca | Co-Founder | Institute for Quantum Computing
- Niccolò De Masi | Chairman & CEO | IonQ
- Philip Intallura | Group Head of Quantum Technologies | HSBC
- Rebecca Krauthamer | CEO & Co-Founder | QuSecure
- Rob Otter | Head of Global Technology Applied Research | JPMorgan Chase
- Sheetal Mehta | Global Head of Cybersecurity | NTT Data
- Tanja Lange | Professor of Cryptography | Eindhoven University of Technology / PQCRYPTO
- Tom Patterson | Managing Director, Emerging Technology Security | Accenture
- Dr. Tsuyoshi Takagi | Professor | Nomura Research Institute
- Vadim Lyubashevsky | Cryptographer, Co-Creator of ML-DSA | IBM Research – Zurich
Alan Shimel, CEO and Founder of Techstrong Group, said, “Preparing for the quantum era requires foresight and disciplined execution. The Quantum Security 25 recognizes individuals who are helping the industry move from awareness to action. Their leadership is shaping how organizations think about resilience, trust, and long-term security in a post-quantum world.”
