Penningtons Manches Cooper seek Cyber Security Firm of the Year

Cyber security is both a growing industry and a growing concern for business. The cyber security industry contributed around £5.3 billion to the UK economy in 2021, rising by a third on the previous year from £4 billion - the largest increase since the DCMS began their Annual Cyber Security report in 2018.

Thames Valley Tech Award sponsor, Oliver Kidd, Partner at Penningtons Manches Cooper summarises it perfectly: "We’ve been through unprecedented times where businesses have relied more on technology than ever before, and it is likely those changes are now here to stay.

"Whether that be through home and hybrid working, the growth in e-commerce, digital transformation of businesses – cyber security has had a significant role to play in ensuring that this rapid adoption of technology is carried out whilst protecting vital data, systems and customer security.

"Every sector has concerns in this area now and in the future as technology takes us is in the direction of the blockchain and the metaverse. There are numerous advantages for businesses in how they engage with technology, but this also means everyone needs to be thinking about the risks of cyber-attacks and potential data breaches."

"Safety is a vital part of the tech industry and cyber security firms are major contributors to the UK’s incredible tech success story."

Penningtons Manches Cooper recognised cyber law as a distinct and emerging legal specialism at a time when its parameters were first being defined.

Through close collaboration between their data protection and privacy, reputation management, commercial dispute resolution and white collar investigations teams they are well placed to bring their knowledge and experience across the vast spectrum of civil, criminal and regulatory law in this specialist field.

Mr. Kidd said: "Our multidisciplinary cyber security team actively engages at each stage of the “cyber threat journey”.

"As well as being “on call” with our crisis response team for when a cyber-attack strikes, our consistent message to the market is that prevention is better than cure when it comes to cyber security. On the preventative side, we work closely with a wide range of organisations to ensure that they are less likely to suffer a cyber-attack and that they have the tools in place to respond appropriately when under attack”

"It’s vital that organisations prepare fit for purpose, up to date, cyber security policies, that are well understood and implemented across their organisation to reduce the risk of cyber security incidents. Leaders need to prioritise this area and think not just about the regulatory issues they are likely to face in the event of a breach, but also the reputational damage that can be caused as well.

Up to date legal advice is paramount as: “The legislation changes all the time there is no single cyber security law in the UK, which leads to a complex legal landscape.”

To that end Penningtons Manches Cooper are seeking to meet the best vendors, distributors, and resellers of Cyber Security

Be it giant multinationals or home users, the digital ways in which we now do business would be challenging to say the least without the security that these tech companies provide. But what would make a company a standout candidate?

"That is easy, the company which is pioneering cyber security technology and can demonstrate a real need for their products and services in the marketplace, ultimately contributing to value creation in online and digital business." If this is you or someone you know please nominate them here.