EY adds identity and access management specialist J Group Consulting

Big Four accounting and consulting firm Ernst & Young has added Melbourne-based privileged access management specialist J Group Consulting, which was established just two years ago.

A CyberArk regional award-winner, J Group Consulting is one of the country’s leading specialists in the ‘identity and access management’ (IAM) space, which aims to reduce cyber threats for critical online infrastructure.

The firm was established in 2022 by former National Australia Bank manager Joel Harris, who now joins Ernst & Young’s Identity practice as partner, along with a team of 20 employees between Melbourne and Sydney.

“Joining EY represents an evolution of what we’ve built,” Harris said. “It’s an opportunity to scale our impact, deepen our capabilities, and deliver even more value to our clients while maintaining the human touch that has always been at the core of what we do. I’m particularly excited about the incredible opportunities this will bring to our team as we contribute to EY’s global vision.”

With a background in cyber forensics, Harris spent the best part of a decade at NAB before launching J Group, which just one year later was named CyberArk’s Asia Pacific growth partner of the year. The company provides clients across the region with strategy, implementation, optimisation and engineering services in the niche but fast-growing IAM segment.

With the introduction of recent legislation in Australia around critical infrastructure, EY said the addition would bolster the firm’s Identity practice (EYI, not to be confused with EY.ai) in both terms of scaling its transformation delivery services and bringing in talent, noting the innovative environment J Group had established focused on attracting highly experienced IAM and PAM practitioners.

“Clients continue to increase investment in identity and privileged access management to protect critical IT and operational technology systems,’ stated EY’s global cyber consulting leader Richard Watson. "This acquisition bolsters the strength of the EY cybersecurity practice with unique skills in a highly competitive space and puts EY’s IAM capabilities at the front of the Oceania market.”