The UK cyber security firm Bridewell has appointed its first Head of Operational Technology (OT).
He is Glenn Warwick, pictured, an OT security specialist with over 28 years’ experience in securing industrial control systems. Already at Bridewell, his role starting today will combine supporting the firm’s global clients in their OT security postures, doing research and development across OT cyber security, and seeing that Bridewell’s 24/7 managed detection and response (MDR) and consulting capture the evolving security challenges facing OT.
Since 2019, Warwick has been a Principal Lead Consultant at the company, heading its Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), Utilities, and Aviation areas. He will now move into a research and development focused role.
Bridewell stresses that it’s one of the few cyber security services companies with core capabilities across multiple areas of critical infrastructure: on-premises IT, cloud, and OT. With many in CNI relying on OT to control major parts of their operations – from oil refineries to airport runways – OT cyber security has become essential for global industrial networks.
As Bridewell says OT environments face escalating cyber threats. With digital transformation and increased remote working driving convergence between OT, IT, and cloud, traditionally air-gapped OT devices are now connected to the outside via the internet, resulting in a significantly expanded attack surface. Recent Bridewell research suggested that many in the CNI sector are struggling with cyber security challenges in OT, with over a quarter (26pc) of IT decision-makers not confident that their OT systems are protected from cyber threats, and almost two-thirds (64pc) admitting to lacking visibility across the IT/OT boundary.
Glenn Warwick said: “As global OT environments increasingly converge with IT networks, clients across CNI are looking towards Bridewell to help secure these technologies through continuous threat detection and response. As Head of OT, I will continue to evolve Bridewell’s leading MDR and consultancy capabilities whilst driving vital research and development to address the most pressing security challenges in OT environments.”
Scott Nicholson, Co-CEO of Bridewell, added: “Glenn’s tremendous expertise, experience, and leadership in OT security has helped to fuel Bridewell’s remarkable growth over the past couple of years. Our decision to strategically invest in Glenn as Head of OT not only reflects the strength of his contribution in this area, but also our drive to deepen and diversify Bridewell’s cyber security offering across critical infrastructure. OT is, and will always be, a core part of our capabilities, enabling us to support organisations with IT security challenges while also addressing evolving OT cyber threats and risk.”
