Alert Logic celebrates growth in Wales

Alert Logic, which offers security-as-a-service solutions for the cloud, is celebrating its three-year anniversary in Cardiff with impressive growth milestones.

Headquartered in Texas, the company expanded its presence to Cardiff in late 2014 in a bid to cater for increasing demand from customers across the UK and Europe.

Working with the Welsh Government, the company has quickly become a crucial anchor for the UK’s cyber security cluster, and it now employs 130 people in Wales.

Over the past few years, the company has created highly skilled and well-paid IT jobs for both graduates and seasoned IT staff. Its total UK headcount is 180. 

It’s also formed partnerships with the Welsh government, University of South Wales and Cardiff University as part of its efforts to “help combat the cyber security skills gap in the UK”.   

Speaking about the success of the company, Welsh economy secretary Ken Skates said: “Alert Logic is a great success story for South Wales.

“In just three years the company has firmly settled into the region, becoming a significant employer offering high paid specialist jobs. The company is an active member and contributor to the growing Welsh Cyber Security community.”

Alert Logic has received in £1.15m from the Welsh Government. “Alert Logic recognised Wales as a great place to establish and grow a cyber security business and we look forward to growing this industry with them in the future,” added Skates.

“Many of the original Alert Logic workforce are USW Alumni and this feeder route has been both continuous and progressive,” said a University of South Wales spokesperson.  

“The partnership has developed a continual talent pipeline by offering internships and graduate jobs, which have been fully supported by Alert Logic’s regular presence on campus and commitment to employability events, guest lectures, and site visits.”

The company said it “continues to nurture its relationships with UK universities”. It’s currently running internship programmes in Wales, South West England and Northern Ireland.

John Davies, co-founder and chair of the South Wales Cyber Security Cluster, said: ‘Having anchor companies such as Alert Logic proactively supporting the cluster has directly contributed to the growth and recognition of the wealth of cyber experience and capability in Wales.

“Wales is now acknowledged to be a hub for cyber security expertise and Alert Logic has played an integral role in focusing, building and promoting that expertise. The Cyber Wales Clusters look forward to working with the Alert Logic team for many years to come.”  

David Howorth, SVP of EMEA at Alert Logic, said: “In the three years since we established our EMEA HQ in Cardiff Wales, we have seen a dramatic growth in our UK and international business and today this location services as a key operational and development hub for Alert Logic services.

“Our decision to locate in Cardiff and the ability to hire a wide range of talent has allowed Alert Logic to move from strength to strength, enabling us to help businesses large and small protect their sensitive data regardless of where their IT workloads reside – in the cloud, on-premises or in a hybrid environment.”

Image credit: Andrew Bowden