Fujitsu makes play on cybersecurity market with $300 million outlay

The Australian consulting branch of Tokyo-headquartered technology services giant Fujitsu has made a play on the local cybersecurity market, assembling a team of 300 specialists to launch its new practice.

Backed by a three-year $300 million investment and built on a series of local acquisitions, the new Cyber Security Services unit will combine data security, consulting and forensics experts to offer a wide variety of offerings.

Stuart Kilduff, the co-founder and CEO of Canberra-based acquisition Oobe, has been appointed as head of the new division, which hopes to capitalise on what is said to be a local cyber consulting market now worth almost $8 billion.

Kilduff said the firm’s legacy of innovation and expanding ecosystem of strategic alliance partners would enable it to deliver rapid and effective data security solutions. “Organisations in Australia and New Zealand will also be able to access an integrated range of technologies, including artificial intelligence and digital and security transformation skills to support their complex needs.”

In addition to Oobe, which brings specialist government, defence and critical infrastructure capabilities, the new unit will also roll up cyber expertise from a number of other local acquisitions, including fellow Canberra-based public sector consultancy MF & Associates; data and AI firm Versor of Melbourne, and cybersecurity specialist InPhySec from across the ditch.

“Organisations of all sizes are increasingly facing cyber threats,” said Asia Pacific chief Graeme Beardsell. “By unifying our firm’s regional expertise, Fujitsu offers a unique strategic advantage, enabling our clients to focus on their core business with the assurance of robust cyber resilience. We will support firms to prepare and respond to the most pressing data security challenges today.”

In a discussion with the AFR, Beardsell also noted that scale matters when it comes to significant attacks on large enterprises and government departments. With 300 experts, Fujitsu is looking to compete against fellow multidisciplinary tech consulting giants such as Accenture as well as segment specialists like CyberCX, which also recently expanded its operations in New Zealand.

All three consultancies, Accenture, Fujitsu, and CyberCX, were last week named among Australia’s leading cyber consulting firms for 2024.