MTI expands security biz north of the border

Integrator claims Scottish clients want local TLC when it comes to security

MTI's security practice - formerly GSS - is embarking on a push in Scotland, a market it claims is largely neglected by almost all its fellow security VARs.

The integrator has taken on three dedicated security staff at its Livingston office, which already employs four heads focused on its traditional datacentre and storage business.

All seven employees will move into a larger, 2,500 sq ft office by next month.

David Hobson, sales director of MTI's security practice, claimed very few security VARs have dedicated technical resource north of the border, to the detriment of their local client base. He name-checked DNS [which was acquired in 2009 by SecureWorks - now part of Dell] and Sapphire as notable exceptions.

"Scottish clients do not want to jump on an aeroplane and fly to the M4 corridor for training," he said. "They want someone with the ability to deliver locally, and not just take orders off them.

"A few security resellers have local salespeople but very few have additional delivery capabilities."

Hobson (pictured) said MTI plans to take on further security headcount in Scotland in 2013 but stressed the firm is taking a "slow and steady" approach.

"A lot of resellers have overstated the value of going to Scotland or Ireland and have put in massive investments, only to have their fingers burned and pull out," he explained.

MTI, which acquired GSS in 2011, has historically served about 15 Scottish security clients from its Godalming headquarters, spread across the country's three core vertical markets of finance, government and oil and gas.

Hobson said the plan is to target these industries with technology from the likes of RSA, Websense, Cyber-Ark and Venafi, as well as its own professional services.

"Our focus will be to understand their security stance and risk appetite," he said. "Different sectors will have different risk appetites - for instance, oil and gas has significant compliance requirements - and we will recognise that and act accordingly."

John Morrison, managing director of Sapphire, which has an office in Stirling, welcomed the expansion of Hobson's team into Scotland.

"We will just paint our faces blue, lift our kilts and shout 'freedom'," he said.

"Or, more seriously, more competition is needed in Scotland and someone else doing demand generation is always helpful. It will be good to see David's team also supporting Scottish businesses."