)
A subsidiary of Big Four accounting firm EY has acquired Melbourne-based cybersecurity and privileged access management consulting firm J Group Consulting for an undisclosed sum, with its founder Joel Harris joining the Ernst & Young Australia partnership.
Since Harris launched J Group Consulting in 2022 it has developed a strong reputation in identity and access management (IAM), a field of cybersecurity that focuses on authenticating and securing the accounts of people within an organisation, as well as access to resources.
J Group Consulting is known for attracting and cultivating highly experienced privileged access management practitioners offering strategy, implementation, optimisation and engineering services across Asia Pacific. Its team of 20 will become part of EY Identity Pty Ltd (EYI), and will be based primarily out of Melbourne and Sydney.
"Our focus has always been on helping clients succeed in an increasingly complex cybersecurity landscape," says J Group Consulting founder Joel Harris.
"Joining EYI marks an exciting evolution of what we’ve built, enabling us to take the strengths we already have and grow them further within EYI.
"Together, we will continue to help deliver impactful, leading-class services with a shared vision and commitment to excellence, while maintaining the human touch that defines how we have always approached every challenge. "
EY regional managing partner and CEO for Oceania, David Larocca, says he is excited to welcome the J Group Consulting team to the Oceania practice.
"In expanding our EY Identity practice, we further enhance our cybersecurity capabilities in the region, protecting people, clients and communities and assisting us to achieve our ambition to shape the future with confidence," he says.
EY Global & Asia-Pacific cybersecurity consulting leader Richard Watson says the firm's clients continue to increase investment in identity and privileged access management to protect critical IT and operational technology systems.
"The introduction of recent legislation around critical infrastructure in Australia is driving many implementations in the market," says Watson.
"The business acquisition of J Group Consulting bolsters the strength of the EY cybersecurity practice with unique skills in a highly competitive market and puts EY identity and privileged access management capabilities at the front of the Oceania market."
)
