23 Aug, 2010
stratsec named Australia's best business
(Re-posted from http://www.telstrabusinessawards.com/news/cyberthreat-security-consultancy-named-australias-best-business-200.aspx)
stratsec is a world-class provider of independent information security consulting and testing services for blue-chip government and commercial clients in sectors including defence and national security, banking and finance, critical infrastructure, health, mining and telecommunications.
stratsec won the Telstra Australian Business of the Year Award after earlier being named the 2010 National Winner of the Panasonic Australia Medium Business Award.
The stratsec team receive the Panasonic Medium Business Award.
Deena Shiff (Telstra Business Group Managing Director and Telstra Business Awards Ambassador), Nick Ellsmore (CTO, stratsec), Peter Lilley (CEO, stratsec), Doug Stuart (COO, stratsec) and David Thodey (CEO, Telstra) with the overall award.
Other winners of the 2010 Telstra Business Awards were teachers.on.net (SA), City Ceramics (NT), Soprano Design (NSW), Northern Project Contracting (QLD) and Kelly Engineering (SA).
Telstra CEO David Thodey said stratsec was an outstanding business selected from a group that had prospered despite the tough business conditions during the global financial crisis. “All of the finalists and winners are role models because they have demonstrated that they have vision, resilience, competitive edge and a passion for serving their customers,” Mr Thodey said. “Telstra’s 18-year support for the Awards is all about recognising the achievements of businesses such as stratsec. “The owners of these businesses are innovators across a range of sectors and they deserve their success for the contribution that they make to the Australian economy.”
Established in Deakin in 2004 by Doug Stuart and Peter Lilley, stratsec added a third director Nick Ellsmore with a merger with Sydney company SIFT. The company employs 50 consultants, has offices in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne and is pursuing international expansion from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur offices.
Telstra Business Group Managing Director and Telstra Business Awards Ambassador, Deena Shiff, said stratsec provided services in more than 20 countries. It has won contracts with governments in Australia and overseas, international software companies and Australian and offshore banks in competition with large multinational players.
Ms Shiff said stratsec has an energetic and focused management team that led the company profitably through the global financial crisis and completed the successful merger with SIFT in 2009.
stratsec is a critical part of the digital economy, giving people the confidence to transact online. They are leaders in cyber-security services, exporting Australian expertise in this emerging service,” she said. stratsec CEO Peter Lilley said: “We remove the jargon that is so prevalent in cyber-security and provide advice that helps business managers to make informed decisions.”
Mr Lilley said his company had undertaken massive changes in the past few years in no small part due to the lessons learnt through entering the Awards in previous years.
“Winning the Telstra Australian Business of the Year Award is a vindication of the considerable work undertaken to strengthen our company and increase our professionalism,” Mr Lilley said.
stratsec won its first major Australian contract with the Department of Defence in 2005 and its first international contract with the Malaysian Government in 2007.
Panasonic Australia CEO Steve Rust commended all national finalists and congratulated stratsec on an outstanding effort among such tough and deserving competition.
“Like stratsec, Panasonic Australia believes that understanding business opportunities, being innovative, open-minded and customer-focused is central to business success in today’s environment,” Mr Rust said.
Media contact:
Marcela Balart, Lighthouse Communications
Ph: 02 262 3868; M: 0422 483 371