Cybersecurity Archives - 老九品茶Cloud /news/category/sectors/cybersecurity/ Tech insight with bite Tue, 21 Apr 2026 22:56:09 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /wp-content/uploads/2020/07/bc-logo.png Cybersecurity Archives - 老九品茶Cloud /news/category/sectors/cybersecurity/ 32 32 老九品茶 continuity planning as cyber disruption becomes a routine risk /news/business-continuity-planning-as-cyber-disruption-becomes-a-routine-risk/ Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:10:11 +0000 /?p=194721 Cyber disruption presents constant operational challenges for business leaders as digital threats rapidly evolve. 老九品茶 continuity planning, traditionally focused on physical disasters, must now address risks such as ransomware, cloud outages, and compromised identities to support timely recovery and sustained operations. Modern organisations must maintain operations amid cyber incidents that increasingly disrupt critical business processes. […]

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Cyber disruption presents constant operational challenges for business leaders as digital threats rapidly evolve. 老九品茶 continuity planning, traditionally focused on physical disasters, must now address risks such as ransomware, cloud outages, and compromised identities to support timely recovery and sustained operations.

Modern organisations must maintain operations amid cyber incidents that increasingly disrupt critical business processes. Events like ransomware, supplier outages, and compromised identities regularly interrupt day-to-day workflows across digital infrastructures.聽, for example, is frequently relied upon to provide rapid IT operational support during such incidents, ensuring organisations can restore essential processes and limit downtime. Leaders need to recognise how cyber risks change business continuity requirements, emphasising IT readiness and response alongside traditional factors.

Understanding modern cyber disruption in operations

Cyber disruption today encompasses more than just data breaches, it includes outages of key services, account takeover events, and supplier issues that can halt routine business functions. Unlike isolated attacks, these incidents often involve ransomware lockouts, unplanned Software as a Service (SaaS) downtime, or lost access through credential compromise, not just data loss.

This landscape requires board-level attention, as digital dependence introduces new vulnerabilities for operational continuity. Senior stakeholders now ensure plans address not only hardware and natural risks but also the broad consequences of prolonged digital disruption across the business.

Challenges posed by legacy continuity planning

Earlier approaches to continuity focused on restoring on-premises systems or static backups, assuming these steps would reliably resume operations. However, cyber incidents can render backups unusable or restrict access to cloud services, breaking these assumptions.

Modern threats exploit remote endpoints, cloud dependencies, and identity-based weaknesses鈥攁ttacks that bypass traditional safeguards. As these risks multiply, businesses face evolving demands, and聽聽exemplifies how adapting continuity measures has become essential as threat patterns change.

Building the core of a cyber-resilient continuity strategy

Current business continuity begins with identifying and mapping critical processes, determining which functions must resume within specific time frames鈥攕uch as four, twenty-four, or seventy-two hours鈥攖o meet operational priorities. This alignment ensures recovery actions address the core needs of the organisation.

Mapping system dependencies鈥攃overing applications, identities, data stores, and external services鈥攃larifies interconnected risks. Preparing for minimum viable operations and safe-mode workflows enables essential activities to continue, even when particular systems are offline due to a cyber event.

Ensuring recovery through robust IT operational support

Consistent IT support forms the backbone of business continuity in the digital age. Proactive patching, thorough system monitoring, asset tracking, and regular validation of backup and restore procedures are key to mitigating downtime from cyber incidents.

Strong access management鈥攊ncluding regular privilege reviews and requiring multi-factor authentication鈥攍imits potential attack impact and supports continuity plans. Maintaining up-to-date runbooks ensures teams can follow tested steps for incident response, reducing confusion and speeding recovery when disruptions occur.

Coordinating incident response and supply chain resilience

Defined protocols enable seamless transitions between security incident management and continuity leadership. Pre-set escalation paths and decision thresholds help ensure vital information reaches responsible parties quickly, minimising delays during high-pressure events.

Managing supplier and third-party risk is also central. Reviewing vendors鈥 continuity requirements鈥攊ncluding Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Service Level Agreements (SLA)鈥攁nd planning for potential outages of key infrastructure helps protect against external cyber impacts. Ongoing assessments reveal supply chain vulnerabilities, supporting overall business resilience.

Continual improvement through testing and leadership oversight

Practical exercises鈥攖abletop drills, restore tests, and scenario-based training鈥攁llow teams to refine response and recovery processes. Insights from these activities, as well as post-incident reviews, should be used to update continuity documentation and strengthen future resilience.

Leadership oversight includes reviewing backup testing outcomes, monitoring privileged account audits, and tracking exposure to critical suppliers. Requiring documented recovery exercises at regular intervals ensures continuity planning remains current, positioning the business for sustained resilience against cyber-driven operational risks.

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Booking.com admits customer data accessed by hackers /news/booking-com-admits-customer-data-accessed-by-hackers/ Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000 /?p=193963 Booking.com says some of its customer data has been accessed by hackers. The accommodation reservation site warned customers of potential suspicious emails and phone calls from 鈥渕alicious actors鈥. However it claimed that 鈥渇inancial information was not accessed鈥. An email to customers read: “Unauthorised third parties may have been able to access certain booking information associated […]

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Booking.com says some of its customer data has been accessed by hackers.

The accommodation reservation site warned customers of potential suspicious emails and phone calls from 鈥渕alicious actors鈥.

However it claimed that 鈥渇inancial information was not accessed鈥.

An email to customers read: “Unauthorised third parties may have been able to access certain booking information associated with your reservation.

“Based on the findings of our investigation to date, accessed information could include booking details and name(s), emails, addresses, phone numbers associated with the booking and anything that you may have shared with the accommodation.鈥

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It added: “We’ll never ask you to share credit card details by email, over the phone, through text or WhatsApp.

“We’ll never ask you to make a bank transfer that is different from the payment policy details in your booking confirmation.鈥

Headquartered in Amsterdam, the firm lists more than 30m accommodation venues around the world.

Our first 拢1m was the hardest we鈥檒l ever make

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Identity specialist GBG signs refinancing deal /news/175m-refinancing-at-identity-specialist-gbg/ Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:00:25 +0000 /?p=192903 Identity specialist GB Group plc has announced a 拢175 million refinancing deal. The business, led by CEO Dev Dhiman (pictured), signed the revolving credit facility with major banks after reporting a large drop in six-month profits late last year. The new facility will mature in September 2030, replacing the existing secured facility due to mature […]

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Identity specialist GB Group plc has announced a 拢175 million refinancing deal.

The business, led by CEO Dev Dhiman (pictured), signed the revolving credit facility with major banks after reporting a large drop in six-month profits late last year.

The new facility will mature in September 2030, replacing the existing secured facility due to mature in July 2027. In addition, the new RCF contains two optional one-year maturity extension options.

The facility has been arranged with a syndicate comprising existing and new lending partners, including HSBC Innovation Bank Ltd, National Westminster Bank plc, Barclays Bank plc and Fifth Third Bank, National Association.

In its most recent published results, for the six months ended 30th September 2025, GBG said operating profit fell 29% to 拢6.7m while profit before tax dropped 27% to 拢4.1m. Revenue for the period fell 1% to 拢135.5m.

In November it also announced a 拢10m extension of its share repurchase programme. It made 拢17m of share buybacks in the first half with an additional 拢18m committed until 30th November 2025.

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“I am pleased that we have successfully refinanced our RCF at similar commercial terms to our existing facility but for a longer tenure,鈥 CFO David Ward said today.聽

鈥淭his secures our capital structure for an extended period while providing enhanced flexibility to support the continued execution of our strategic objectives.”

GBG expects to release its full year trading update for the year ended 31st March 2026 on Wednesday 22nd April.

Autotrader & Just Eat investigated in fake review crackdown

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Meet 鈥楾he Relentless Fox鈥 – the former NCC CIO now building Relentica /news/meet-the-relentless-fox-the-former-ncc-cio-now-building-relentica/ Fri, 13 Mar 2026 12:50:41 +0000 /?p=191851 Who is Rebecca Fox? What drives you? Rebecca Fox is a leader who cares deeply about people and commercial outcomes. Sometimes those two things feel in conflict. Leadership is hard. It can be lonely. You have to make difficult decisions grounded in commercial, environmental, political and emotional reality. I鈥檓 far from perfect, but what drives […]

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Who is Rebecca Fox? What drives you?

Rebecca Fox is a leader who cares deeply about people and commercial outcomes.

Sometimes those two things feel in conflict. Leadership is hard. It can be lonely. You have to make difficult decisions grounded in commercial, environmental, political and emotional reality.

I鈥檓 far from perfect, but what drives me is making the best decision available with the information in front of me – and helping others do the same.

I鈥檝e always been technically minded. I could code at eight, thanks to having a Dad who was a computer science teacher.聽

But technology doesn鈥檛 teach you leadership. That came later – through mistakes, hard lessons, hard work, and learning how to align people around outcomes.

On your website you describe yourself as 鈥楾he Relentless Fox鈥. Why is that?

If you ask people in my life to describe me, 鈥渋ntense鈥 usually appears.

I鈥檓 high energy. I show up. I focus on getting things done. I care about outcomes.

Relentless captures that mindset – relentless focus, relentless execution, relentless belief that barriers are there to be worked through.

And of course, it鈥檚 why Relentica feels like the right name for my AI, digital and cyber consultancy.

What was your experience as CIO at NCC Group?

NCC is a Manchester-based business that has made its mark globally in cyber security and resilience. I was there for four years and I loved it – the people, the mission, the ambition.

Like any FTSE or PE-backed organisation, it operates within commercial reality and shareholder expectations. That creates pressure and constant change. Some changes are energising. Some are challenging.

But what makes NCC special is the creativity and intelligence of its people. Whatever the global economic environment does around it, that core capability remains.

I don鈥檛 regret a single day. But in late 2025, it was the right time to step away.

What prompted you to relaunch Relentica?

In short – I was ready.

I joined NCC as an interim and stayed on permanently after the pandemic. During my time there, I globalised the team, stabilised delivery at scale, responded to market pressures, and ensured the business remained cyber secure – which is existential for any organisation.

But I wanted to build something of my own, intentionally.

Relentica was originally set up in 2016 for interim work. I never closed it. It was there, waiting.

This time it isn鈥檛 about interim. It鈥檚 about true consulting in AI, digital and cyber – spanning strategy, delivery and fractional leadership.

And I鈥檝e loved every minute of building it properly.

Were you attracted by the freedom and pace of operating your own business?

Pace matters. Lack of pace kills organisations.

But I鈥檝e always worked with urgency and agility. That didn鈥檛 start with Relentica.

What changed was the desire to build something fully and intentionally. Earlier in 2025 I missed out on a CEO opportunity in a digital transformation business. That moment sharpened something in me.

If I wanted to lead something, I needed to build it.

Do you plan to expand Relentica?

Absolutely.

Relentica is not designed to be a solo consultancy. I鈥檝e already launched an associate programme to widen capability, and the plan is to grow with employees over time.

I鈥檝e always been ambitious. Now I鈥檓 building something aligned to my core values – clarity, focus and commercial impact.

Are you also building a portfolio career as a non-executive director?

Yes – selectively.

A good NED brings perspective, pattern recognition and oversight that day-to-day operations can miss. They also open networks and commercial opportunity.

But my primary focus is Relentica. Building something sustainable and valuable over the next few years is the priority.

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How do you turn technology, data and AI into commercial results?

This is the core of what Relentica does.

Technology exists to enable businesses to scale, grow and remain profitable. It exists to serve customers and create shareholder value.

I鈥檝e seen too many organisations where technology serves itself. When technology strategy isn鈥檛 aligned to business strategy, value isn鈥檛 created – it鈥檚 wasted.

Alignment is only the first step. Execution is where value is realised. Deliberate delivery. Clear governance. Ruthless prioritisation.

AI is powerful, but it鈥檚 not magic. It has to be tied directly to revenue growth, margin improvement or risk reduction. Otherwise it鈥檚 theatre.

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You鈥檝e talked about AI, strategy and growth. Where does cyber resilience sit in all of this?

Cyber sits alongside AI and digital technology as a core leadership priority.

AI is a growth lever. Digital technology is an enabler of scale. Cyber is the condition that makes both sustainable.

A failed AI initiative wastes money. Weak cyber resilience can destroy value overnight.

Having been group CIO of a global cybersecurity business, I鈥檝e seen how quickly risk escalates when governance doesn鈥檛 keep pace with innovation. The irony is that the more organisations invest in AI and digital capability, the more complex and exposed their environments become.

That doesn鈥檛 mean slow down. It means lead properly.

Cyber resilience isn鈥檛 there to block growth. It protects it. When AI, digital strategy and cyber governance are aligned, organisations can move faster with confidence.

Without that alignment, growth is fragile.

What challenges do you see across startups and larger businesses?

For non-tech startups, this is an extraordinary time. Access to AI tools and platforms has never been easier. The challenge is sales, positioning and competing effectively.

For tech startups, the issue is often capital allocation. I regularly meet founders who have spent heavily on technology that doesn鈥檛 create revenue. Revenue is oxygen. Without it, nothing else matters.

For mid-market and enterprise organisations, the challenge is different. They鈥檙e grappling with AI expectations at board level. There鈥檚 a belief it will fix everything.

It won鈥檛.

The starting point is always business strategy. What problem are we solving? In today鈥檚 economy that usually means driving revenue in a tough market and protecting margin.

AI and technology are investments. They must earn their keep.

Tell me something about yourself that might surprise people.

I love hosting and speaking at events and the feedback I get it鈥檚 I鈥檓 pretty damn good at it too – panels, keynotes, conversations about technology and business with energy, engagement, and a bit of humour.

Outside of that, life is pretty grounded. I鈥檓 a non-drinking vegetarian with my partner Hayley, and our Jack Russell called Scrappy who runs the house.

Relentless professionally. Fairly simple personally.

Is there anything else you鈥檇 like to add?

Technology is no longer a support function 鈥 it鈥檚 the foundation for every business and organisation today.

It is central to value creation. Boards that understand that – and align leadership, strategy and delivery – will win.

The ones that chase hype without clarity won鈥檛.

拢500k campaign launched in memory of Abi Godfrey

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Darktrace names 3rd CEO in 18 months after Popelka 鈥榝orced out鈥 /news/darktrace-names-3rd-ceo-in-18-months-after-popelka-forced-out/ Tue, 10 Mar 2026 08:18:23 +0000 /?p=191580 Darktrace has named its third CEO in just 18 months after its private equity owner reportedly forced out Jill Popelka. In January Popelka stepped down after just 16 months, despite having recently described herself as a 鈥渓ong-term leader鈥 to The Times. She was replaced by chairman Charles Goodman on an interim basis. Now the Thoma […]

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Darktrace has named its third CEO in just 18 months after its private equity owner reportedly forced out Jill Popelka.

In January Popelka stepped down after just 16 months, despite having recently described herself as a 鈥渓ong-term leader鈥 to The Times. She was replaced by chairman Charles Goodman on an interim basis.

Now the Thoma Bravo-owned firm has named Ed Jennings as president and CEO, an appointment which it says will bring deep software and cybersecurity experience.

Jennings, who will start work on 23rd March, most recently served as CEO of Boston-based Quickbase, a cloud-based work management platform. Annual revenue doubled under his leadership.聽

Prior to Quickbase, he served as COO at London-based cybersecurity company Mimecast, where he helped lead its IPO and significant international expansion. He also previously held go-to-market leadership roles at Veracode, ADP, Copanion, and PTC.聽

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Popelka had joined the company as a non-executive director two years ago and was soon named COO. She then replaced co-founder Baroness Poppy Gustafsson, who served briefly as the Government鈥檚 Minister for Investment, as CEO around the time of Darktrace鈥檚 拢4.3 billion acquisition by Thoma Bravo.

Popelka is said to have been instrumental in moving Darktrace into a more professional organisation – such as moving sales from spreadsheets and into the Salesforce CRM.

However the board is understood to have felt revenue was not growing fast enough.

Jennings said of his appointment: 鈥淒arktrace has incredible first-mover advantage. As an AI-native cybersecurity company, its behavioral AI platform is uniquely positioned to detect and respond to attacks, even if they鈥檝e never been seen before.聽

鈥淎s society grapples with a fast-moving geopolitical landscape and unprecedented technology adoption, the market for Darktrace鈥檚 products and services is immense. I am excited to join such a talented and mission-driven team.鈥

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Founded in 2013, Darktrace has R&D teams at its Cambridge headquarters and The Hague in the Netherlands. It employs 2,300 people and boasts nearly 10,000 customers.

Late last year it appointed a new CFO and CRO.

Chair Goodman said: 鈥淓d is a veteran technology leader who has successfully scaled other cybersecurity and software category leaders.聽

鈥淗e will bring strong strategic focus to Darktrace as it brings more of its AI-native cybersecurity capabilities to organisations around the world.聽

鈥淓d is a people-focused leader with a skill for building high-trust, high-performance teams. I am delighted that he has chosen to join Darktrace.鈥

Revolut files for US banking licence & names US CEO

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Scaling secure remote operations: How modern tech businesses enable work from anywhere /news/scaling-secure-remote-operations-how-modern-tech-businesses-enable-work-from-anywhere/ Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:25:45 +0000 /?p=189924 The way tech businesses work has changed. Distributed teams, global contractors, and hybrid work models are no longer edge cases; they鈥檙e the default. While this shift unlocks flexibility and access to talent, it also introduces a challenge: how do companies enable fast, reliable remote access without exposing sensitive systems and data? The answer lies in […]

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The way tech businesses work has changed. Distributed teams, global contractors, and hybrid work models are no longer edge cases; they鈥檙e the default. While this shift unlocks flexibility and access to talent, it also introduces a challenge: how do companies enable fast, reliable remote access without exposing sensitive systems and data?

The answer lies in combining cybersecurity, networks, and business continuity. In this article, let鈥檚 explore how modern tech businesses can enable work-from-anywhere operations while maintaining secure systems and workflows.聽

Remote Access as a Core 老九品茶 Capability

For modern tech businesses. Remote access isn鈥檛 just about IT convenience; it鈥檚 about revenue. Developers need to access staging servers from home, sales teams can log in to CRM platforms, and support engineers should be able to access internal dashboards across time zones.

Each of these scenarios requires secure connectivity, but without the appropriate safeguards, remote access can become one of the largest attack surfaces in a business鈥檚 infrastructure. Cyberattacks, such as credential theft, insecure public Wi-Fi, and man-in-the-middle attacks, can affect remote workers.

This is why forward-thinking tech businesses should treat remote access security as a top priority rather than a technical afterthought.

Why VPNs Still Matter for Distributed Teams

With the rise of cloud-native tools, VPN technology remains an effective solution for remote access, especially for small and medium-sized businesses.

An effective VPN encrypts internet traffic, masks IP addresses and creates a secure tunnel between employees and company resources. This is ideal when teams connect from different locations and coworking spaces.聽

For businesses with employees using Windows laptops, which still dominate enterprise environments, a reliable and dedicated solution plays an important role in protecting daily operations. Secured connections on operating systems can ensure businesses reduce any risks without disrupting workflows.

One practical option for teams and professionals is a Windows VPN solution that provides encrypted, secure remote access for Windows-based devices. In remote work, tools can ensure users can access internal systems securely, without worrying about untrusted networks.聽

Balancing Security and Productivity

One common mistake tech leaders can experience is assuming that stronger security always slows teams down. In reality, insecure systems can create more friction, breach investigations, and downtime.

The best remote access strategies are designed around usability:

  • Fast authentication without any complex steps
  • Stable connections that do not disturb video calls or work
  • Centralized management so IT teams can deploy policies

VPNs can work with Windows environments to reduce support tickets and IT-related issues, such as employees bypassing security controls to complete work. According to recommendations, businesses should protect remote connections effectively as they would do on-premises access, especially when employees are using their personal or mobile services.聽

Security decisions can affect business growth; enterprise customers and partners want to see evidence that remote access is used effectively. Many contracts now require adherence to acknowledge security frameworks and best practices.聽

Windows-Based Remote Work: A Practical Reality

While macOS and Linux have their place, Windows are seen as the backbone of many business environments especially within tech, IT and SaaS operations. Any remote access strategy that ignores Windows endpoints is incomplete.

Many businesses that use Windows can benefit from VPN solutions that offer compatibility, security tools, predictable performance and easier onboarding. If you鈥檙e evaluating options, it鈥檚 important to understand how VPN tools compare to platforms, how they align with your security policies, and how they support your business operations.聽

Building a Long-Term Remote Access Strategy

A VPN is not only an effective solution but is also known as an extra layer of protection. Tech businesses that succeed with remote working combine VPN systems with:

  • Strong identity and access management聽
  • Device-level security controls
  • Employee education on public networks and potential risks

When these elements are combined, remote access becomes a competitive advantage. For businesses, investing in a reliable Windows-based VPN access is an ideal step towards compliance and long-term trust.聽

Whether you鈥檙e a startup tech business or working for a large tech enterprise, you can invest in the right secure remote access combined with VPN solutions to enhance workflows and ensure systems stay protected against potential vulnerabilities that can occur.

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Zurich agrees 拢8bn deal to buy Beazley /news/zurich-agrees-8bn-deal-to-buy-beazley/ Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:16:44 +0000 /?p=188933 Zurich Insurance Group has reached agreement in principle to buy聽Beazley plc. Beazley 鈥榰nanimously rejected鈥 a 拢7.7 billion takeover bid from fellow insurance giant Zurich – which is listed in Switzerland – last month following previous failed takeover attempts last year. However Zurich has now been successful with an increased bid which values the FTSE 100 […]

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Zurich Insurance Group has reached agreement in principle to buy聽Beazley plc.

Beazley 鈥榰nanimously rejected鈥 a 拢7.7 billion takeover bid from fellow insurance giant Zurich – which is listed in Switzerland – last month following previous failed takeover attempts last year.

However Zurich has now been successful with an increased bid which values the FTSE 100 firm Beazley at 拢8bn.

The deal, which will be recommended to shareholders if formalised, is for聽1,335 pence per Beazley share – 1,310p in cash and a 25p permitted dividend payout prior to completion.

The deal represents a premium of 59.8% to Beazley’s closing share price of 820p on 16th January, the last business day prior to the offer period; and聽34.6% to Beazley’s all-time high share price of 973p on 6th June 2025.

The 拢8bn figure is also 62.8% higher than Beazley’s market capitalisation in mid-January.

Zurich said the transaction would “combine two highly complementary businesses and would establish a leading, global specialty platform with around $15bn of gross written premiums, based in the UK, which would also leverage Beazley’s Lloyd’s of London presence”.

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The acquisition will be funded through a mix of existing cash, new debt facilities and an equity placing if it goes through, and will support Zurich鈥檚 broader ambition to grow its specialty unit.

Beazley, a specialist risk insurance and reinsurance company with a strong focus on cyber insurance, will announce its results for the full 2025 financial year on 4th March 2026.

Ex-Goldman Sachs sisters launch third startup in Linda AI

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Private equity owner 鈥榝orces out Darktrace CEO鈥 /news/private-equity-owner-forces-out-darktrace-ceo/ Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:06:50 +0000 /?p=188478 The CEO of Darktrace has stepped down after just 16 months, with reports suggesting that she has been forced out by the cyber giant鈥檚 private equity owner. Jill Popelka, who described herself as a 鈥渓ong-term leader鈥 to The Times recently, has been replaced by chairman Charles Goodman on an interim basis while it searches for […]

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The CEO of Darktrace has stepped down after just 16 months, with reports suggesting that she has been forced out by the cyber giant鈥檚 private equity owner.

Jill Popelka, who described herself as a 鈥渓ong-term leader鈥 to The Times recently, has been replaced by chairman Charles Goodman on an interim basis while it searches for a permanent successor.

Popelka joined the company as a non-executive director two years ago and was soon named COO. She then replaced co-founder Baroness Poppy Gustafsson, who served briefly as the Government鈥檚 Minister for Investment, as CEO around the time of Darktrace鈥檚 拢4.3 billion acquisition by Thoma Bravo.

Popelka, who will remain as an adviser until a successor is found, is said to have been instrumental in moving Darktrace into a more professional organisation – such as moving sales from spreadsheets and into the Salesforce CRM.

She previously held senior leadership roles at leading global technology businesses, including Accenture, Snap Inc and SAP SuccessFactors, one of the largest enterprise cloud businesses in the world, which she led as president.聽

鈥淛ill led a significant transformation of Darktrace into a more mature, established software business, and we are grateful that she will remain with us in an advisory capacity,鈥 Goodman said.

鈥淒arktrace is a special company with exceptional people, and we are committed to finding an excellent new leader for the business, who has deep experience in leading and scaling Software-as-a-Service businesses.鈥

Founded in 2013, Darktrace has R&D teams at its Cambridge headquarters and The Hague in the Netherlands. It employs 2,300 people and boasts nearly 10,000 customers.

The board, led by US firm Thoma Bravo, is understood to have felt revenue was not growing fast enough.

鈥淒arktrace continues to be a company with strong growth potential, and our focus now needs to be on re-accelerating that growth, in line with our existing strategy,鈥 said Goodman, who has a 30-year career in the software industry behind him.

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That includes as COO and CEO of a number of fast-growing businesses. More recently, he has served as chairman of several businesses, including Coupa and Proofpoint.

Popelka, who had commuted between her home in the US and UK every month, said: 鈥淚t has been a privilege, both personally and professionally, to lead this great business and I am proud of our transformation programme that has established stronger operational foundations for Darktrace, which can now be leveraged for growth.

鈥淐harles brings extensive experience in guiding software companies through different stages of transition, and we have an excellent leadership team, so I know I am leaving Darktrace in good hands.鈥

Late last year Darktrace appointed a new CFO and CRO.

Late tech tycoon Mike Lynch, who died in the 2004 Bayesian yacht tragedy after he was cleared of fraud charges in the US relating to the sale of Autonomy, was a shareholder in Darktrace.

Orbital raises 拢44m Series B round led by New York growth fund

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NCC Group strikes San Francisco deal a day after 拢275m sale /news/ncc-group-strikes-san-francisco-deal-a-day-after-275m-sale/ Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:55:05 +0000 /?p=188126 NCC Group has partnered with identity security specialist Delinea to deliver cloud-native solutions designed to protect organisations from cyber-attacks and insider threats. The news comes a day after the Manchester-based firm agreed to sell its Escode business to TDR Capital LLP for 拢275 million. The partnership will focus on privileged access management (PAM), helping businesses […]

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NCC Group has partnered with identity security specialist Delinea to deliver cloud-native solutions designed to protect organisations from cyber-attacks and insider threats.

The news comes a day after the Manchester-based firm agreed to sell its Escode business to TDR Capital LLP for 拢275 million.

The partnership will focus on privileged access management (PAM), helping businesses secure critical accounts and systems as they adopt AI, modernise identity controls and respond to increasing compliance requirements.聽

It comes as NCC Group looks to become a pure-play global cyber security and resilience company.

Delinea鈥檚 platform is designed to help organisations discover identities, set appropriate levels of access and respond to threats in real time, supporting the shift towards Zero Trust Architecture.聽

Through the agreement, the San Francisco-headquartered company鈥檚 PAM technology will form a key part of NCC Group鈥檚 wider unified digital identity framework.

The combined offering will provide a managed PAM service with secure credential vaulting, privileged session management and just-in-time access controls aimed at reducing exposure and enforcing a 鈥渮ero standing privilege鈥 approach.聽

Beazley plc ‘unanimously rejects鈥 拢7.7bn Zurich offer

It is designed to be deployed quickly, scale across hybrid environments and lower operational overheads through automation and flexible licensing.

鈥淲e鈥檙e on the frontline of cyber defence, providing deep insight into attack paths and adversary strategies,鈥 said Derek Gordon, digital identity practice lead at NCC Group.

鈥淥ur unified digital identity framework offers fully managed and integrated cyber services, including PAM, that aim to mitigate risk, support compliance and enhance user experience.

鈥淪ecuring identity doesn鈥檛 stop at the point of entry. With Delinea鈥檚 software and NCC Group鈥檚 expertise, we鈥檙e delivering real-time PAM services, empowering our clients to implement Zero Trust and secure AI usage.鈥

Chris Kelly, president at Delinea, added: 鈥淎s AI-driven identity-based threats and attacks continue to evolve, businesses are seeking partners that can help them stay ahead, protect their critical assets, and realise the value of their cybersecurity investments more efficiently.聽

鈥淏y selecting Delinea as its strategic provider of PAM solutions, NCC Group is leading the way in helping our joint customers deploy quickly, augment staff, and offer managed service options to allow for continuous identity discovery, protection, and governance.鈥

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Beazley plc ‘unanimously rejects鈥 拢7.7bn Zurich offer /news/beazley-plc-unanimously-rejects-7-7bn-zurich-offer/ Thu, 22 Jan 2026 11:51:55 +0000 /?p=188120 The board of Beazley plc has 鈥榰nanimously rejected鈥 the 拢7.7 billion takeover bid from fellow insurance giant Zurich. The FTSE 100 firm said the offer of 1,280p in cash per share, which comes after a previous offer was snubbed, 鈥榤aterially undervalues Beazley and its longer-term prospects as an independent company鈥. The offer represents a 56% […]

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The board of Beazley plc has 鈥榰nanimously rejected鈥 the 拢7.7 billion takeover bid from fellow insurance giant Zurich.

The FTSE 100 firm said the offer of 1,280p in cash per share, which comes after a previous offer was snubbed, 鈥榤aterially undervalues Beazley and its longer-term prospects as an independent company鈥.

The offer represents a 56% premium to Beazley鈥檚 820p closing price on 16th January 2026. However Beazley鈥檚 share price has risen around 40% since then and currently stands at 1,138p, giving it a market cap of 拢6.8bn.

The board said it had received three proposals from Zurich in June last year and provided it with certain limited due diligence information in 鈥榞ood faith鈥.

The last of those – also rejected – was for 1,315p per share at an implied equity value of 拢8.4bn.

Beazley cited five reasons why it should remain as an independent listed company: a track record of delivering shareholder value; underwriting excellence; cyber leadership; superior return generation; and strong capital and reserves.

It has returned over $2.5bn of capital to shareholders over the last 10 years, with $1.3bn having been returned over the past three years.

On Monday, Zurich framed the deal as a strategic push to build a stronger global platform in specialty insurance, combining the two businesses into a group with around $15bn of gross written premiums.聽

It said the enlarged operation would benefit from Beazley鈥檚 Lloyd鈥檚 footprint and underwriting expertise, alongside Zurich鈥檚 scale, reinsurance capabilities and technology infrastructure.聽

The acquisition would be funded through a mix of existing cash, new debt facilities and an equity placing if it goes through, and will support Zurich鈥檚 broader ambition to grow its specialty unit.

Beazley, a specialist risk insurance and reinsurance company with a strong focus on cyber insurance, will announce its results for the full 2025 financial year on 4th March 2026.

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