DIGITALLY TRANSFORMING SMEs’ CYBERSECURITY SOLUTIONS
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KPMG: PRAGMATIC CYBERSECURITY SOLUTIONS FOR SMEs WRITTEN BY
AMBER DONOVAN-STEVENS PRODUCED BY
JAKE MEGEARY
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KPMG CANADA
LEADING CYBER STRATEGY AND TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMS FOR KPMG, DARREN JONES DISCUSSES HIS EXPERIENCE AS BOTH A CLIENT AND CONSULTANT IN THE CYBERSECURITY INDUSTRY, AND HOW THE GLOBAL CONSULTANCY OFFERS PRAGMATIC AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
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O
ne is always dealing with several clients at any time, assisting them with the different challenges or opportuni-
ties that they may be dealing with,” says Darren Jones, in leading Cyber Strategy and Transformation programs for KPMG’s clients. One of the key factors that make Darren Jones such a successful consultant for KPMG’s clients is his desire to empower those around him, combined with an empathetic understanding of a client’s experience. Before taking on the role of Director in the Cybersecurity consulting practice at KPMG, Jones had been a client of the firm. He was pleased with the professionalism and level of service provided by the firm, and now that he is with KPMG he shares that this background can be a surprise to those he works with: “I’ve been the person who’s either been working
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KPMG CANADA
“ ONE IS ALWAYS DEALING WITH SEVERAL CLIENTS AT ANY TIME, ASSISTING THEM WITH THE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES OR OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY MAY BE DEALING WITH 06
— Darren Jones Director, Cyber Security Services, KPMG Canada
together with consultants at implementing a solution, and occasionally the one accountable for the budget that the different consulting teams are working within.” He continues: “Having been ‘on the other side’ as a client of consulting services, I am wary of recommending or implementing solutions that don’t have a pragmatic, lasting value for the client.” This experience helps enable Jones and KPMG to deliver a focused and cost effective solution for all organizations, but especially SMEs. Jones’s 20-plus years of work within consultancy allows him to draw upon previous experiences to create new cybersecurity solutions for his clients, as well as using his broad existing network to widen KPMG’s clientele. For Jones, much of his personal sense of achievement has derived from supporting his clients in their technological journeys. He references working relationships that span decades with some of the most innovative creators and thought leaders in cybersecurity the world over. “That degree of intellectual engagement has always been an
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘KPMG CANADA: LET’S DO THIS’ 07 exciting aspect of working in this field,”
targets a larger scale organization like
he remarks.
a bank or a government department that’s had access to millions of dollars
BECOMING CYBER AWARE
to build their cybersecurity, there are
When it comes to cyber awareness,
instant response protocols typically
unfortunately some of Jones’s clients
in place. For SMEs and NPOs, how-
have come to him only after they have
ever, security management can be
encountered a threat. “One particularly
either minimal or non-existent in some
worrying detail in the uptick in instanc-
cases.” These themes around cyber-
es of ransomware in recent months,”
security readiness were also borne
says Jones, “is the focus toward mid-
out in KPMG’s recently published
sized and small municipalities, mid-
CEO Outlook Survey. To help encour-
sized and even small hospitals, and
age preventative measures in place
some not-for-profit organizations such
of reactive ones, Jones shares that
as charities. When ransomware
KPMG consultants offer a 15-point tip w w w.k p m g . ca
KPMG CANADA
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and question sheet to SME clients to
the cyber strategy needs to be comm-
help to get them started on the journey.
unicated across all levels of a company.
With the rise of attention that
As an example, Jones recently delivered
cybersecurity receives, the demands
an awareness talk entitled ‘Cybersecu-
on Jones’s team have only grown. Yet
rity: How You Can Help’ which was pre-
he notes that there has also been a
sented to staff at one of KPMG’s long
growing feeling of “cyber fatigue” from
term municipality clients.
the constant fear mongering from
Discussing his experience working
companies and media over the last
with clients on change management,
decade. For this reason, Jones says,
which is vital in introducing any new
KPMG has focused on promoting prag-
strategy, Jones comments: “It’s impor-
matism in cybersecurity and cost
tant to build structures and measures
effective, sustainable solutions. To
to ensure the implementation will
ensure that a solution is sustainable,
proceed with proper acknowledge-
ment of governance; to ensure the
feels positive about the future result-
ongoing vitality of measuring success;
ing from the solution: “It’s using that
and to have a whole strategy wrapped
frame as a way of helping the client
around that implementation.” He notes
to not only see a positive future, but
that putting these elements in place is
visualize what’s positive about the
key to helping to ensure dialogue with
future for them.” This is particularly
clients moves beyond empathy into the
important, he says, as KPMG does
practical implementation of solutions.
not operate solutions for its clients,
Jones emphasizes the importance of
so it is imperative that they are
not only creating solutions that are
pleased with and are ready to take
cost effective, but also ensuring a client
ownership of the result.
E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE
Darren Jones
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Darren is an accomplished IT leader with over 25 years of experience both in industry and as a consultant. With demonstrated abilities in motivating and leading technical personnel, project managers and consultants, Darren has worked in a diversity of roles — as Director of the CIO Solutions consulting function at a large consulting firm, a senior executive and investor in fintech start-ups, leading the Security & Critical Infrastructure Solutions function at a major stock exchange, the VP of Information Security Solutions for one of the world’s first integrated managed solutions providers, and as the Senior Manager and lead for eSecurity Architecture Solutions practice area at a big 4 firm. This breadth and depth of experience provides Darren’s clients with a perspective that is at once strategic and pragmatic.
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KPMG CANADA
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“ KPMG AS A FIRM CERTAINLY RECOGNIZES THAT IT WILL HAVE SUBSTANTIAL NEEDS FOR TECHNOLOGY AND AI-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND BUILD SMART CITIES.” — Darren Jones Director, Cyber Security Services, KPMG Canada
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yorku.ca/continue
“ HERE WITHIN KPMG WE ARE DEVELOPING A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR CYBERSECURITY IN MUNICIPALITIES” — Darren Jones Director, Cyber Security Services, KPMG Canada
focused on cybersecurity fundamentals, and the other on offering an advanced certificate in cybersecurity.” Four years on from the program’s conceptualization, Jones shares that KPMG has hired one graduate who has come through the program, Frances MacTaggart, who affirms the benefits of the course: “I couldn’t more strongly recommend the combination of certificates (Fundamentals and Advanced) to those who are new to the field,
EDUCATING ON CYBERSECURITY
wishing to make a career change or
To encourage this approach to cyber-
those who are wanting to further
security in consultants and to sustain
prepare for the CISSP designation.
knowledge development in the industry,
York University’s Cybersecurity
Darren has been working with York
Certificates are an outstanding way
University to provide mentorship to
to increase your knowledge and depth
students and graduates. Jones started
of understanding.”
working as a curriculum advisor to York University at the beginning of his tenure
LOOKING AHEAD
with KPMG. “This certificate program
A well implemented cybersecurity
is offered to undergraduate students
solution ensures that a company can
who wish to augment their existing
look forward with confidence at
studies by pursuing the specific
opportunities to innovate, instead of
certificates being offered, and it was
focusing on previous errors. As KPMG
also being introduced as something
looks ahead to the future, Jones
for postgraduate or working profession-
shares that the firm will assist in the
als to participate in. We have divided
creation of the security foundations of
our curriculum into two segments: one
smart cities. “KPMG as a firm certainly w w w.k p m g . ca
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KPMG CANADA
CA$1.5mn Approximate revenue in 2018
1869
Year founded
6,500
14
Approximate number of employees
recognizes that it will have substantial needs for technology and AI-driven solutions to support the local community and build smart cities.” Jones urges that, as larger cities enlist private and public sector partnerships to build and operate smart city solutions, they be cognizant of the risks. While they will have their own specific concerns regarding cybersecurity as individual organizations, they need to be aligned by a single, overall strategy that can manage the public’s expectations and ensure citizen engagement and trust. “Here within KPMG in Canada, we are developing a centre of excellence for cybersecurity in municipalities,” says Jones, and with KPMG’s impressive collection of awards and its pragmatic focus, the firm is set to cement itself as a cornerstone in implementing these cybersecurity strategies.
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