Ex BP VP joins e2e-assure

SOC-as-a-service provider e2e-assure is expanding its OT security division in CNI, industrial, and regulated sectors with the appointment of former BP Vice President Ian Henderson as OT Security Advisor.

Ian’s appointment comes at a time where critical utilities and manufacturers are increasingly experiencing the real-world impact of targeted attacks, with Jaguar Land Rover and Southern Water most recently falling victim to ransomware incidents.  He will support building resilience into these organizations by providing insights and practical approaches to OT operators at different stages of security maturity.   Ian will advise on how to balance safety, availability, and security and accelerate OT/IT convergence, without introducing operational risk, and to improve their resilience in the face of rising threats and complex legislation.

“e2e-assure is pioneering OT specialization just as the market really needs those specific skills and experience.  OT environments need expert support to manage their IT/OT convergence and to meet increasingly complex legislation.  It’s not feasible for every organization to build out a full security operations centre, so being able to help organizations scale their security operations so they can operate at the same level as a highly mature enterprise is a key value I see e2e-assure providing,” explains Ian Henderson.  “I’m looking forward to providing more credible, outcome-focused OT security guidance and contributing to service design and assurance models that reflect how industrial environments actually function.  The aim is to enable customers to move from reactive security to resilient, risk-informed operations.”

The upcoming Cyber Security Resilience Bill (CSRB) will be will be applicable to any organization deemed as “critical” if their failure could disrupt essential services, which many OT operators, especially CNI, will fall under.  Preparing to comply will be a significant challenge to many OT operators.  

“OT systems are now woefully exposed across numerous sectors, so it’s imperative that these organizations take swift and immediate action to address the burgeoning threat of attack,” comments Rob Deman, CEO, e2e-assure.  “Ian’s IT and OT expertise will prove invaluable in helping our customers to identify areas of risk and put in place policies and technical controls that provide clear, business-relevant outcomes for CEOs, boards, and regulators.”

Ian brings experience of developing industry standards for Global Information Assurance Certification’s Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional (GIAC GICSP), a steering group which advises upon the creation and update of professional security qualifications for the industrial control community.  His commitment to raising the bar across the industry means he goes beyond helping organizations achieve compliance – he works with them to build genuinely resilient cybersecurity strategies.  With Ian on board, OT operators can feel confident they have a partner focused not just on meeting requirements, but on strengthening long-term operational resilience.