Turning Data into Development at Darktrace

Sarah Bright is the Learning & Development Lead at Darktrace, a global AI cybersecurity company. With a career that spans public relations, charity work, data analytics, and people development, Sarah brings a rare blend of storytelling, empathy, and evidence-based strategy to every L&D initiative. She began her journey at Darktrace as a sales data analyst, where she used Excel and critical thinking to uncover insights about performance and efficiency. That data-first perspective became the foundation of her approach to Learning & Development—identifying gaps, spotting patterns, and designing systems that solve real problems. Today, Sarah leads a growing L&D team responsible for manager enablement, career frameworks, onboarding, and learning pathways for Darktrace’s 2,500+ employees worldwide. She’s known for building Darktrace Academy, designing a tiered leadership program (Energize, Excellence, Elite), and championing internal mobility and clarity in career progression. Sarah is especially passionate about applying AI in learning contexts—from coaching simulations to personalized development journeys—and believes L&D’s role is to empower people with both skills and self-belief.