Aberdeen-headquartered IT company Converged Communication Solutions has appointed a leading cyber crime and cyber security expert with Police Scotland as its new chief security officer.
Robbie Ross has joined the independent IT firm to support the delivery of its cyber security service and provide leadership on the subject, which is a major concern to businesses and organisations. He succeeds Gerry Grant in the role, who recently joined a Tayside-based public sector organisation.
Ross’ move to Converged comes after over 20 years working in the police force, most recently as part of Police Scotland’s cybercrime prevention unit as a cyber crime safety prevention and resilience liaison officer. The post saw him working with institutions, industries and public sector organisations to deliver cyber crime security information that would positively influence individual and business behaviour to improve resilience in tackling the threat of cyber crime.
Prior to transferring to the cyber crime prevention unit Robbie was a counter terrorism security advisor. It was a role in which he provided protective and counter terrorism security advice to support businesses and the public sector. He was also responsible for developing the delivery of cyber security advice to some of the most critical industry sectors in Britain.
Converged, which has offices in Aberdeen and Inverness, and clients across Scotland, has invested heavily in its cyber security service over the past 18 months. Along with a dedicated cyber security team, the firm is a Certification Body for the UK government-backed Cyber Essentials Plus and Cyber Essentials (CE) standards. It is also a trusted partner of the Scottish Business Resilience Centre and a certifying assessor for the IASME (Information Assurance for SMEs) Governance Standard. Converged is the only IT firm with offices in Aberdeen and Inverness to hold both CE and IASME accreditations.
At Converged, Ross will work alongside the firm’s cyber security team, bringing a unique grasp of the subject from his time with Police Scotland. Converged offers organisations a range of IT security products and services that can strengthen business resilience and help protect their business data from increasingly complex cyber attacks.
Commenting on his new role, Ross said: “Converged has established itself as a leading provider of cyber security services to businesses in Aberdeenshire, Moray and the Highlands and it is exciting to be joining the team. Cyber security is a hugely important issue. Its prominence has been heightened in recent months with the increase in home working and online shopping and will remain a significant business issue going forward.
“Everyone has a part to play in cyber security as it is not just the responsibility of an IT department. It is important that organisations and their staff understand this, and everyone recognises how they can help to protect an organisation and themselves from a cyber attack.”
Neil Christie, managing director of Converged, said: “Attracting Robbie to this role after over two decades in the police force is testament to the reputation that Converged has established. Robbie has a vast knowledge of cybercrime and cyber security, and an in-depth understanding of its impact on the nation. This means that our clients will receive a distinctive insight into the importance of having robust cyber defences. I cannot think of a better equipped person to front the next phase of our cyber journey as we continue our mission to protect our clients’ digital way of life.”
