Data protection specialist offers regulation and security expertise

A new business and data protection specialist has been launched to advise firms on adhering to regulations and avoiding data breaches.

The Specialist Hub, based in Manchester but also operating a London office, has been set up by Beverley McGowan, backed by a team of similarly highly-experienced data protection experts.

It will provide expert advice in all areas of data protection, as well as delivering training in a wide range of related fields.

Beverley said at the heart of everything The Specialists Hub provides is the desire to minimise regulatory, information and operational risk, as well as the ability to provide outsourced data protection officer services.

Ms McGowan has built up extensive experience in a career spanning more than 20 years and including a variety of senior leadership positions at several major banking and financial institutions.

These include Citigroup, Cooperative Bank, and Royal London Group.

She also provided consulting and auditing services for Deloitte, as well as holding the titles of group information security officer, head of data governance, GDPR programme lead, head of risk and compliance, head of IT project quality and governance and global data protection officer for a number of other organisations.

The core services of The Specialists Hub include: Outsourced data protection officer, chief information security officer and chief risk officer services; security, privacy, governance, risk & compliance consultancy services; awareness, certified professional, bespoke, eLearning and classroom training; security testing; and phishing simulation campaigns.

Beverley said: “I believe there is a better way to support businesses with their data protection and other requirements by being able to provide flexible, specialist, on-demand resources to fit a specific requirement – all backed with real industry experience.

“Because, this is an area that, more than ever, businesses simply can’t afford to ignore or simply trust to luck.”