NCC Group, a cybersecurity advisory company from the UK, said that it is looking to expand its operations in the Philippines, citing client demand.
“Our plan is to really embed the colleagues that we’ve hired in Manila to really grow the cybersecurity community that we’ve built. Right now, we’ve got 70 consultants, and we’re now starting to hire some other skills and some other disciplines,” NCC Group Chief Operating Officer Kevin Brown told BusinessWorld.
“We’re going to continue to grow very much, led by client demand and our growth aspirations. But we certainly see Manila as a key component of our global footprint,” he added.
He said that the company bases its hiring and upskilling decisions on the volume of demand.
“It’s more about… really understanding where we see the demand coming from clients, like what types of skills and services,” he said.
He added that the company has invested in cross-skilling, which gives consultants the opportunity to learn new skills.
“That really helps us with the future demand that we may need. So, it’s going to be very much a continued growth story in Manila,” he said.
He said that the company decided to locate in the country due to the enthusiasm among Filipino consultants to learn more, and amid positive feedback from clients.
“It was just awesome to see how people have really grasped the training and have a real appetite to do more. And then the feedback from our clients, where we’ve got our Filipino colleagues working with them, has been really, really positive,” Mr. Brown said.
Meanwhile, he said that the Philippine government’s approach to cybersecurity is on par with what the company has seen in other countries.
“What’s been impressive is how the government and the cybersecurity strategy really (recognize) that cyber is an important enabler to the growth of the economy in other sectors. And that’s really pleasing to hear,” he said.
“Cybersecurity, in fact, is actually a differentiator. It’s a thing that will attract businesses to come to the Philippines. If people have confidence that the Philippines has infrastructure that is perhaps safer or more secure than the next country, you’ll have that early mover advantage,” he added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile