Engineer of The Year 2025

Meet the ITP’s 2025 Engineer of the Year! – Ikenna Umeh

Congratulations, Ikenna, on being named Engineer of the Year! How does it feel to have your contributions to AI and cybersecurity recognised in this way?

It’s truly humbling to receive this recognition. Engineering is a team effort, and I’m grateful to those who’ve supported and challenged me along the way. This award is a reminder that with curiosity, collaboration, and commitment, we can turn bold ideas into real impact in AI and cybersecurity.

You’ve made a real impact at BT in just a short time — from advancing Project Vortex to creating the Triton Algorithm and designing multi-agent AI systems. Which of these achievements are you personally most proud of, and why?

I’m proud of all the projects I’ve worked on, they’ve each delivered tangible solutions, contributed to patents and IP, and strengthened BT’s cybersecurity capabilities. But the one that stands out is the multi-agent AI system. It builds on the foundation of Project Vortex, our custom-built threat intelligence tool designed to transform complex threat reports into actionable insights using advanced natural language processing. What makes the multi-agent system unique is how it redefines agent-to-agent collaboration and communication. It goes beyond traditional agentic AI by enabling dynamic coordination, context sharing, and cooperative problem-solving between agents. This innovation has turned processes that once took weeks into tasks completed in minutes, creating a step-change in efficiency and resilience for the business.

Your approach to engineering is described as combining technical depth with systems thinking. How do you go about turning complex challenges into practical, scalable solutions?

For me, it starts with deep engagement with stakeholders to fully understand their challenges, not just the symptoms, but the underlying constraints and objectives. Once I have that clarity, I break the problem down into its core components and map the dependencies. From there, I apply systems thinking to design solutions that are technically sound, scalable, and adaptable. A good example is the multi-agent AI system I developed at BT. The challenge was reducing the time it took to process complex threat intelligence reports, a task that previously took weeks. By combining advanced NLP with agent-to-agent collaboration, we created a system that dynamically shares context and coordinates tasks across multiple agents. This approach transformed the process, cutting turnaround time from weeks to minutes and delivering measurable business impact.

Innovation can be as much about people as technology. What lessons have you learned about collaboration, communication and making your work accessible to non-technical audiences?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that innovation thrives on clarity and trust. It starts with active listening, understanding not just what people say, but what they need. Collaboration works best when everyone feels ownership of the outcome, so I make it a priority to create space for diverse perspectives early in the process. Communication is equally critical. Technical depth can be intimidating, so I focus on translating complexity into relatable concepts, using analogies, visuals, and real-world impact to make ideas accessible. For example, when explaining multi-agent AI systems, I frame it as ‘specialist teams working together and collaboration on the whiteboard,’ rather than diving straight into algorithms. Ultimately, technology only matters if people can understand it, trust it, and use it. That’s the mindset I bring to every project.

You’ve filed five patents in the past year and helped reduce security threat reporting times from weeks to hours. What kind of impact do you think your work will have on the future of cybersecurity?

I believe the work we’re doing will have a transformative impact on cybersecurity. This should bring about enabling proactive defense at scale. By leveraging AI-driven automation and multi-agent collaboration, we’re creating systems that adapt faster than the threats themselves. Beyond the technical gains, these innovations deliver tangible business value. Faster threat intelligence means reduced risk exposure, improved compliance, and significant operational savings. It also unlocks tax benefits through R&D credits, which strengthen BT’s ability to reinvest in future innovation. Ultimately, this work sets the foundation for a cybersecurity ecosystem that is smarter, faster, and more resilient.

Finally, you’ve inspired students and early-career engineers through talks, mentoring, and your own journey. What message would you share with the next generation about what it means to be an engineer today?

Stay curious, stay kind, and never be afraid to ask ‘why not?’ Your voice matters, even when it shakes. Build with purpose and precision, and remember: the best engineers aren’t just brilliant, they’re brave enough to create what doesn’t yet exist. I’m also passionate about giving back, so if any placement students are curious to see how this work comes to life, I’d be happy to coach and share insights next year, please feel free to reach out.