Lawrie joined the British Army in 1978 as a private soldier. Serving with the Intelligence Corps, he qualified with 1st Class Honours as an Arabic Interpreter and spent time in several Middle East countries including Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait Oman, Saudi Arabia and several of the Gulf States. After over 25 years’ service, his final post was in command of the British Army’s first cyber security unit.

After retiring from the Regular Army, Lawrie started his own cyber security consultancy but continued to serve in LIAG, the Army Reserve Cyber Security unit, as the Operations Director for another 10 years. His Army Reserve service culminated with him as a Lieutenant Colonel leading the UK national contingent, and the first ever non-US team, on Exercise CYBER GUARD, the world’s largest ever real time technical cyber defence exercise from 2013 – 2015.

In 2008, whilst serving in LIAG, Lawrie founded Arcanum Cyber Security with Jane Chappell, a fellow LIAG officer. Together they have built Arcanum into one of the top 25 specialist cyber security consultancies in the UK and Arcanum now has over 60 full time members of staff. He was one of the first people in the UK to become Chartered for Cyber Security and Risk Management; is currently one of the Lead Assessors for UK Cyber Security Council; lectures on cyber security at a Russell Group University and is a Fellow and Board Member of the Chartered Institute of Information Security.