Garreth Scott, Managing Director of Credence Security, has an extensive bank of experience in the cybersecurity sector to draw on. ITC talks to him about his most memorable achievements, his career in technology and his managerial strategy.
Credence Security specialises in IT security, forensics and incident response.
Working closely with leading IT security vendors including AccessData, Fidelis CyberSecurity, eSentire and Digital Guardian, Credence Security delivers cyber and IT security technologies and solutions that protect organisations against advanced persistent threats, malicious adversaries and internal malpractice.
Credence Security is headquartered in Dubai and serves enterprises across the Middle East, Africa and India through a network of over 70 resellers throughout the territory.
Here we speak to the company’s Managing Director Garreth Scott about his role at the company, its successful track record and its current activities.
Describe your current job role and the parts that are somewhat challenging?
I am the Managing Director at Credence Security and in this role, I look after the Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMEAI) region. We live in an incredibly fast-paced part of the world and work in an industry that is extremely innovative, competitive and ever-evolving, with new players popping up daily. As a consequence, I think the challenges we all face are the same – that is to stay relevant to our partners and customers and remain focused on the task at hand, which is to deliver leading solutions within our target markets.
When you look back at your career what has been the most memorable achievement?
Whether it was selling my first IT company at the young age of 18, successfully launching the first local ISP in the town where I grew up, closing the first multi-million dollar Wi-Fi project in the UAE in the early 2000s or successfully launching the F5 division within Computerlinks and growing it to one of the largest products within the portfolio, I have been blessed to have had several successes throughout my career and have very fond memories of my time at each company I have worked for.
Most recently, launching the Credence Security brand in the Middle East and India and growing it to where it is today, we are the most successful forensics distributor in our region, gives me immense pride – one of the reasons I still wake up every day raring to go! As a true salesman at heart, I remember each and every order….it still gives me a kick!
What made you think of a career in technology?
That is a long story…and more a case of being at the right place at the right time. So, I like to say that technology chose me as opposed to the other way around! To cut a long story short, at the age of 15 in South Africa, at my first part time job, I was asked to help out a friend who had just won a large turnkey networking IT project. 20 plus years later, I am just as passionate as ever.
What style of management philosophy do you employ at your current position?
I like to live by the mantra ‘Work Hard, Play Hard’. The environment at Credence Security, particularly around quarter end (which I am sure is true of most organisations here in the region!) can be extremely stressful and definitely not for the faint of heart, but I think we try and have fun while doing it. We are a small team but we are all passionate, dedicated and most importantly determined to deliver great solutions and service to our customers.
What do you think will be the hot technology talking point of 2019?
With data breaches becoming more commonplace, I expect greater accountability to be a trend in 2019. As such, the number of businesses required to provide some form of security assessment, audit report, or attestation will increase along with general cybersecurity awareness. A couple of other trends that I expect to only see gather momentum is a consolidation of market players, OEM agreements for vendors to work closer and better together and product roadmaps to include greater functionality and overlap within the traditional vendor portfolio.
What are your personal interests and where do you like to spend most of your time after work?
I love to travel (not for work), go see a movie or try out something good at one of the latest restaurants in town – I am a bit of a foodie, if I am honest! Most of all though, I enjoy spending time at home with family and friends – they keep my world turning.
How do you cope with stress and demands of your career?
Cooking or watching a movie helps me relax and unwind and take my mind off the work and all the pressing tasks and demands of the job. Having the right team, which I believe Credence Security has, reduces a lot of the stress in my life – we work well together and this makes all the difference.
What gives you great job satisfaction?
I take immense pride and satisfaction in having built a strong team and culture here at Credence Security. When I see our employees choose to advance their career within the organisation or when I hear from an ex-employee that left Credence, based on empty promises from a new company, only for them to return a few months later, it tells me we are doing something right. Oh, and of course, it always gives me joy and brings a smile to my face when I hand over the bonus cheques and see employees’ faces light up – makes all the hard work and stress worth it!