Erika Lewis

Erika Lewis is Chief Executive at Connected Places Catapult.

Erika joined the Catapult from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) where she was Director, Cyber Security and Digital Identity.

In July 2023 Erika was appointed the CEO of the AI Safety Summit. This was a world first event and brought together international governments, leading AI companies, civil society groups and experts in research to consider the risks of AI, especially at the frontier of development, and discuss how they can be mitigated through internationally coordinated action.

Previously, Erika Lewis was a part of the set-up team for the London Development Agency (LDA) from April 2000. At the LDA she delivered regeneration programmes across London and was subsequently the Director of Strategy. In 2012, Erika became a Project Director at the Competition and Markets Authority.

Erika joined the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in 2018 to deliver the National Data Strategy. In October 2019 she moved to the role of Director, Cyber Security and Digital Identity where she leads on the economic support for the cyber sector, the development of security approaches for consumer IoT, the government work on Secure Connected Places and Digital Identity in the economy.  In 2020 she also led for DCMS on the Covid-19 response package for the Voluntary Sector and in 2023 led on the initial transition programme for the newly formed Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.