MEET THE CYBER SECURITY TEAM

TOM HOLLOWAY

Tom Holloway
Head of Cyber Security

I’m currently the Head of the Cyber Security team at Redcentric. My journey here has been quite diverse. I spent 22 years in the British Army, where I started as a Tank Commander with the King’s Royal Hussars and eventually became a Squadron Leader with the Regiment on operations in Iraq. My army experience extended beyond the battlefield as I led the army’s media and communications team, where I became adept at crisis management and communications through working with the public and speaking to families as well as liaising with military leadership on communications. This resilience mindset, ensuring that backup plans are in place within the army context made me a good fit for a new role within the technology sphere at Sungard Availability Services, prior to its acquisition by Redcentric. For the past decade, I’ve been immersed in technology, with a focus on cybersecurity over the last five years, working as a risk and resilience consultant helping customers to improve their security posture.

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The increasing cyber threat landscape means that many organisations are prioritising their cybersecurity to ensure they can respond effectively when an incident occurs. It all boils down to having the right strategy in place. By identifying potential issues before they escalate into full-blown crises, we help our clients address vulnerabilities early on. This proactive approach means that when we deliver a project, it’s not only functional but also secure, protecting the organisation from financial loss and safeguarding its reputation.

We work closely with our customers to tailor their cybersecurity measures to the specific needs of their business. For example, a large bank may require extensive security protocols, whereas a smaller business might need a more streamlined approach. Our goal is to thoroughly understand the business and align our security recommendations, ensuring that our clients are protected at the appropriate level. As I often say, ‘Optimism is not a suitable defence against a cyber-attack.’ Our focus is on building a strong, realistic defence that matches each organisation’s unique requirements.

Our clients often face the challenge of having small, overstretched IT teams that struggle to manage both their business-as-usual operations and new projects. Many don’t have dedicated cyber security personnel. My team is dedicated to building cyber security awareness and providing support that goes beyond just delivering a project. For instance, we offer IT recovery tests on a rolling basis or act as an ongoing cybersecurity function for our clients. This approach helps build enduring relationships and saves them the overhead of hiring expensive cyber security experts.

Right now, we’re focusing on our virtual CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) offering and the Cyber Essentials Certification scheme.

Many businesses lack the internal resources or expertise in information security and cyber experts are expensive for smaller businesses.

We provide CISO support, which can range from a few days a month to full-time assistance for several weeks. This is especially important as businesses prepare for external audits or aim to meet international security standards. We’ve also qualified a team to deliver Cyber Essentials Certification, a government-backed scheme that’s becoming increasingly necessary, especially for businesses dealing with sectors like healthcare.

One example is our work with an IT business where we assisted with enhancing privacy technologies for a large national customer. Our team provided a comprehensive security review of their base code and AWS platform, and we supported rapid implementation of managed detection and response services.

Another example is our longstanding relationship with a major airport in the north, where our penetration testing, and security advisory services have helped them save more revenue than the project costs.

We also recently secured an incident response retainer with a large digital bank through our partner SR-M, demonstrating the trust our clients place in our services.

The increasing cyber threat landscape means it’s crucial for businesses to protect themselves proactively. The mantra I always use is, ‘Optimism is not a suitable defence against a cyber attack.’ Our consulting approach allows us to tailor cybersecurity strategies to match the specific needs and risks of each business, whether they’re a large bank with significant assets or a smaller company with less exposure. By understanding our clients’ unique requirements, we help them build a robust cybersecurity posture that not only meets regulatory demands but also provides peace of mind.

Click into some of our key team members to find out more about them

Luke Stevenson

Product and Portfolio Manager | Cyber Security

Read more

Tilewa Olorunnisola

Information Security Management

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redcentric

Redcentric

0800 983 2522 sayhello@redcentricplc.com