The new facility will focus on the research and development of cyber security and is set to create 172 new jobs over the next five years, including 38 graduate positions, cementing South Wale’s position as Australia’s top spot for cyber security.
Mark Hughes, CEO of BT Security, said: “We are thrilled at this exciting new opportunity to tap into local cyber security skills. Never before has cyber security been more important and we see potential for growth in New South Wales, Australia and further afield. The hub will be a cornerstone of our global cyber security capabilities and help us stay ahead in this fast moving space.”
BT has said that the new centre will act as an extension of its existing security operation centres worldwide and it is its first R&D facility outside of the UK. In addition, the centre will focus on key areas of development, including: cyber security, machine learning, data science analytics and visualisation, big data engineering, cloud computing, data networking and the full life cycle of software engineering.
The new Sydney hub will form part of BT’s 14 global security operations centres, which provide cyber security services in approximately 180 countries. The security solutions developed through the Sydney security hub will be rolled out to customers locally and internationally. It will also host the cyber security systems integration and services teams, as well as the role of chief global engineer for cyber product development, which is a newly-created role.
Matt Kean, minister for innovation, said that the New South Wales government will provide a $1.67 million grant to BT, under the NSW government-backed jobs initiative, commenting: “This cutting edge operation will help keep Australia’s best cyber security talent here in NSW while nurturing our next generation of specialists to ensure we remain a regional leader in this fast growing industry. As well as creating 172 jobs, including 38 jobs for skilled graduates over the next five years, BT will also make a $2 million investment in capital infrastructure and a further multi-million dollar investment to employ cyber security specialists at the hub."
BT highlighted the importance of cyber security in a recent interview with GTB. BT, in partnership with KPMG, released a practical guide for CEOs on the importance of cyber security and the steps that should be taken to protect their businesses. The report, entitled: 'The cyber security journey – from denial to opportunity”, which was released in July of this year also warns companies of dangers of thinking that the bare minimum is enough to protect their companies from external threats.
