On the lighter side of things , we ‘ go phishing ’ with Darron Antill , CEO , Device Authority , who tells us about life inside and outside the office .

What would you describe as your most memorable achievement in the cybersecurity industry ?

I ’ m proud to have started a company from scratch , building a software solution that our customers are investing in as a significant part of the platform or solution they offer to their end-users . Customers trust that it works , is scalable and solves real non-human Identity challenges .

I ’ m also proud that Device Authority won Microsoft Rising Azure Technology Partner of the Year for 2023 , which was an important landmark for the business and its maturity .

What first made you think of a career in cybersecurity ?

I was already CEO of a services company , where I was responsible for driving the global growth of the company by entering and expanding into new markets . Cyber was the next big thing , so building a new MSSP capability around exciting new technologies such as Checkpoint , Nokia and others led me down this path .

What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position ?

I believe in inclusive , shared and divested responsibility . This is a team approach with a leadership group . I aim to get the most from people and have them doing what they are good at . I have a personal bias towards action and getting things done .

We all have a primary job , but in any startup or fast-growing business , people need broad shoulders . An organisation ’ s stars evolve from increased responsibility and leadership of key initiatives , enabling them to develop their job and grow a role .

What do you think is the current hot cybersecurity talking point ?

Identities – specifically , non-human identities , due to the scale of the challenge and enormous threat landscape . AI and its use or misuse only makes this challenge even bigger and more important .

Humans are a big limiting and risk factor in all this , which automation can address . Automation eliminates the time it takes to complete all these manual processes ( and the mistakes they generate ) and reduces the administrative and reporting burdens .

How do you deal with stress and unwind outside the office ?

Usually through an early morning dog walk – and in summer an evening walk too . This helps clear my mind and gives me thinking time away from email and message platforms . I also find playing golf with friends is a great way to de-stress . I enjoy the competitive aspect ; it ’ s a really good release for me .

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