Kordia Group CEO, Shaun Rendell, says the acquisition follows a sharp rise in the demand for managed cyber security services and support, both amongst Kordia’s existing client base and beyond.
“Demand for cyber security expertise and support is rising at breakneck speed across the globe. With New Zealand businesses facing a growing threat, there’s a real need for expert capability and 24 x 7 x 365 support. At Kordia we are committed to improving the security posture of corporate and government customers.
“Cyber security forms a big part of our business with our managed security services division experiencing strong growth. We’ve been scouring the market for a like-minded organisation to amplify our existing offering in this space, and ultimately position Kordia as the ‘go to’ for New Zealand businesses looking for a trusted cyber security partner.”
Rendell notes that SecOps, which will now operate as Kordia SecOps, was a natural fit for Kordia with the two sharing the same focus on delivering business critical services and keeping New Zealand businesses safe and secure online.
“Bringing SecOps under the Kordia umbrella further cements our position as a leader in the cyber security space. Combined, we now have more than 75 cyber security experts across compliance, consultancy, managed security, penetration testing, and more, all underpinned by our 24 x 7 x 365 Cyber Defence Operations Centres (CDO), and a robust technology offering.
“Better yet, our offering is provided by a 100% New Zealand owned and operated business that ultimately exists to help protect local businesses, so they operate securely and deliver to their customers.”
SecOps Managing Director, Dermot Conlon, says Kordia Group offers an exciting future for his team, all of which will remain with the business at the existing premises in Parnell.
“We’ve previously been approached by private equity firms, all of which didn’t share our focus on our customers, our people, or ensuring SecOps remains a New Zealand-owned business that’s focused on helping other Kiwi businesses succeed in a rapidly evolving market. Kordia fits this vision and we’re excited to be joining them as we continue on our path of rapid growth.”
Established just over three years ago, SecOps provides managed security services and support to an impressive array of customers in the government and the public sectors as well as the corporate, financial, and retail industries.
“When we first started SecOps we were aware of the challenges and the opportunities ahead. Staying true to our values, we knew we needed to operate with a heightened sense of urgency, ownership, and clear communication. We focused on our people and developed a strong culture of trust and empowerment. We took the same approach to our customer engagement model, listening intently and collaboratively building managed security services that deliver tangible outcomes for our clients,” Conlon notes.
SecOps operates an ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certified CDO located in its head office, which is staffed by a New Zealand-based defensive and offensive security team. Diljit Bolla, who has played an integral role in the growth of SecOps, will continue to lead SecOps’ operations.
The acquisition of SecOps is part of Kordia Group’s wider strategy to expand its offering in cyber security, cloud, and modern workplace solutions.
In 2015, Kordia acquired award-winning cyber security consultancy Aura Information Security. This has seen strong growth over the last six years and continues to experience unprecedented demand for our expertise.
In 2020, Kordia acquired EMRGE (then Emerging Technology Partners) to increase its offering in the cloud migration and consultancy space. Most recently, Kordia acquired Base2, which provides managed IT and modern workplace solutions to businesses.
Rendell notes he is excited about bringing the combined expertise of Kordia, SecOps, EMRGE, Aura and Base2 to the market.
“Ultimately, with these acquisitions under our belt we can work towards a new joint vision for Kordia Group; to create a secure online space in which NZ businesses can create, innovate, flourish and thrive.”
