A TEAM of Scottish technology experts have won a major accolade from one of the world’s biggest IT security firms.
The 11-strong staff at Grant McGregor protect scores of businesses across the UK – including BSkyB, G4S Security, Macmillan Group and the RFU – by helping their IT departments to keep systems working and guard against online and digital threats.
Now their successful partnership with global giant GFI Software has been recognised with an award from the internationally-renowned developer of web, email, messaging and network security systems.
David Lawrence, one of the founding directors of the thriving Edinburgh-based IT firm said: “Security is a real and daily threat to every business that use computers and accesses the internet.
“There’s never been a time when the security of business networks, servers, PCs and devices has been more widely talked about and understood.
“Virtually everyone now appreciates the threat to business and reputation, whether from spam email, viruses or outright hacker attacks. Recently we’ve seen the likes of Sony and even the US Federal Government suffer in a major way.
“Every business is a potential target, so for us to be recognised by an international leader in security like GFI and to be named their best performing UK partner is a huge honour and a major vote of confidence in our services.
“It’s also a great reassurance for the hundreds of businesses we work with all across the UK, giving them further certainty in the expertise of the team at Grant McGregor.”
Since the firm was founded in 2000, it has grown to become a £1 million a year business with major clients in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast as well as across Scotland and elsewhere in the UK.
It is now recognised as one of the pre-eminent independent names in the Scottish IT sector, and that status was underlined at GFI’s worldwide partner conference in Vienna in June.
Jon Towers, another founding director of the firm, attended the three day event to collect the accolade, as Grant McGregor was named GFI’s best performing UK Partner, a fiercely competitive category.
David added: “While workers in every sector across the UK are now aware of digital threats, the reality is that the responsibility is still being shouldered to a massive extent by IT staff. Unfortunately they are increasingly over stretched and under-funded.
“That’s where we come in, by providing software applications and expertise on how to use them, which allows IT managers and administrators to do their day jobs more productively while still monitoring their networks.
“With the GFI suite of products in particular we not only provide and help deploy the tools, we also provide extensive support to IT managers and their teams. Which is another reason this award is so welcome in recognising our expertise and experience in that regard.
“GFI is growing and developing its easy-to-use tools that help IT staff manage their ever-changing working lives. Grant McGregor is also growing and evolving to make sure the IT managers who take on these tools know exactly how to deploy them and use them quickly and effectively.”
GFI software is vital for tens of thousands of businesses in monitoring the security of networks, ensuring vital security patches and operating system updates are put in place and giving oversight on critical IT infrastructure.
However, Grant McGregor also provides a host of other services, including full, outsourced IT support to dozens of SMEs across the UK. These include many local authorities and successful businesses in sectors that range from food production, legal and accountancy, travel firms and facilities management experts.
Johannes Kamleitner, Senior Vice President of Sales at GFI Software said: “Grant McGregor truly deserves the Partner award on so many levels. They contributed to substantial growth overall as well as on specific products. Despite numerous changes within GFI over the past year or so, Grant McGregor worked tirelessly, often going the extra mile, to grow the business.
“They also showed outstanding dedication across all areas – sales, tech support, pre-sales, post-sales and dedicated marketing for GFI. Very well deserved.”
