Recent events have once again highlighted the challenges organisations face as they seek to balance digital transformation and technology risk. In response to these challenges, Deloitte Australia has announced that Hacktive will join the company.
Founded by CEO Chris Gatford and Keith Hazelwood in 2018, Hacktive specialises in the full range of cyber risk services including vulnerability assessment and penetration testing, managed security services provider (MSSP) services, testing and incident readiness and response.
The team of ten operates from Sydney, and primarily works with clients across the financial services, health, utilities, retail and public sectors. Gatford will become a Deloitte Risk Advisory partner, and Hazelwood a Risk Advisory principal.
Deloitte Risk Advisory Managing Partner, Steve Jansz, said: “In today’s hyper-digital and connected world, managing cyber risk is absolutely critical for any business on their digital transformation journey.
“We are seeing strong demand from our clients across the spectrum of end-to-end cyber capabilities, helping to implement robust cyber strategies and solutions to achieve organisational outcomes, build resilience, and reduce potential vulnerabilities.
“The incoming team from Hacktive will elevate our current cyber practice, bolster our ability to provide managed cyber security services, and expand capability within our Cyber Intelligence Centre. We’re excited to be bringing them to our Risk Advisory practice and to Deloitte.”
Deloitte Cyber Leader, Ian Blatchford, said: “Businesses across Australia, regardless of sector, need to incorporate cyber security into every aspect of their operations to address their vulnerability to attack. The tools to manage that exponentially increasing risk across complex hybrid IT ecosystems, and balance proactive and reactive responses is a real challenge, and vital to avoiding operational impacts and reputational loss. We’re seeing very strong market demand for managed cyber security services, including in the private business segment, focused on managing information, privacy and risk via the right security technology architectures. Hacktive’s cyber specialist team is experienced in the delivery of penetration testing and managed cyber security services. Their arrival will complement our existing capabilities, including our global network of Cyber Intelligence Centres that have been helping clients understand and address their cyber threats for some years now.”
Hacktive CEO, and soon-to-be Deloitte Risk Advisory partner, Chris Gatford, said: “Cyber risks are global and evolving faster than organisations can react. Hacktive focuses on helping clients understand the security vulnerabilities of their networks, applications, premises and people and delivering the right solutions. Keith and I have built our business over a relatively short period of time on understanding the market and employing a team of highly experienced cyber professionals. We’re aligned with Deloitte, its strong client service focus and its workplace culture, and looking forward to taking our offerings to another level.”
The Hacktive team is expected to formally join Deloitte on 11 October 2022. Terms of the transaction are confidential.
