Ensign beefing up staff as it grows its cybersecurity business

Singapore

CYBERSECURITY firm Ensign Infosecurity has announced plans to increase its headcount by 100 to hit a total staff strength of 600 by next year.

The company has set up a Singapore-focused Security Operations Centre (SOC) for its employees to detect and neutralise cyber threats here faster and more accurately.

Ensign said the new hires will complement its existing 500 workers, allowing it to deepen its capabilities to look out for threats online and gather knowledge about these threats.

Ensign chairman Lee Fook Sun said: "We want to build a company to deliver security solutions, services and outcomes for our stakeholders in Singapore and the region through investments to develop world-class cybersecurity expertise and innovative technologies together with our partners."

The new centre Ensign opened on Monday will use big data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to churn out Singapore-focused insights on imminent and emerging online threats here.

One of the largest pure-play cybersecurity companies in the Asia-Pacific, Ensign was formed last year by local telco StarHub and state investment firm Temasek Holdings. Its hiring plans were announced on Monday during the official launch of its global headquarters, when Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean urged cybersecurity firms here to tap Singapore's technical prowess, skilled manpower and networks.

Mr Teo, who is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security, added that these companies can use Singapore's global networks for cross-border collaboration, which is crucial for cybersecurity given how it is an international field. He said: "We welcome foreign cybersecurity players to offer their services in Singapore or use Singapore as a base to service the region. There is potential to work together by tapping our human capital, technical expertise, networks and understanding of our region."

Mr Teo held up Ensign as an example of a company that has seized such opportunities. In particular, he noted that the company is currently tapping Temasek's networks to collaborate with several global cybersecurity companies such as Sygnia, Claroty and IronNet, to develop cutting-edge solutions.

"People, innovation and collaboration are crucial to building world-class cybersecurity capabilities that we need here in Singapore and can become new business here. I am glad that Ensign has made efforts on these three fronts," he said.

Singapore has ambitions to be a regional cybersecurity hub, having drawn a number of foreign firms to set up offices here in recent years.

In June, Group IB, a Russian company specialising in investigating and preventing cybercrime, moved its headquarters from Moscow to Singapore.

Another firm, the Switzerland-based Acronis, has its international headquarters here, and some firms like the Russia-based Kaspersky have regional offices in Singapore.

Mr Teo said with the increasing dangers that cyber threats pose, Singapore needs private cybersecurity companies to help it bolster its online defences and seize new opportunities offered by digital technologies.

"We need players like Ensign to help Singapore build world-class capabilities," he said. "We welcome local and foreign companies, large and small, who are able to offer cutting edge solutions to locate and grow their capabilities and businesses in Singapore."