Cyber executive Christopher Mellen joins BDO Consulting in US

BDO Consulting, the advisory arm of professional services firm BDO, has added former U.S. Marine and White House cyber executive Christopher Mellen to its ranks in the US. Mellen joins as Director in the firm’s Technology Advisory Services practice. 

Christopher Mellen has more than 20 years of public- and private-sector experience in cyber intelligence, computer forensics, e-discovery, insider threat detection and incident response services, particularly in the financial services, government contracting, natural resources and technology sectors. In addition to his background in information security, Mellen brings complementary experience in e-discovery, data processing, case management and disaster recovery.

Prior to joining BDO, he was Senior Vice President of Strategic Security Initiatives at PNC Financial Services Group. He also served as Director of the Information Risk Management Directorate for the Executive Office of the President, where he was directly responsible for oversight of the Information Assurance and E-Discovery and Records Management Programs, as well as the Security Operations Center. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, he previously served as Team Chief of the Incident Response Team with the U.S. Army’s Cyber Counterintelligence Activity.

At BDO, Mellen will advise organisations on the alignment of IT strategy with data security and protection. “With extensive background in rapid threat detection and incident response, Chris will be a significant asset to the team”, says Carl Pergola, Executive Director of BDO Consulting. Shahryar Shaghaghi, National Leader of BDO’s Technology Advisory Services practice and Head of International BDO Cybersecurity, adds: “As a former White House insider, Chris has unique insight into the current threat landscape and the government’s approach to cybersecurity.”

Commenting on his new challenge, Mellen remarks, “Technology is only one piece of the cybersecurity puzzle; understanding how data is actually used and accessed across business functions is key. I look forward to working with BDO’s diverse team of cyber professionals to offer clients a holistic view of information management and cyber defence.” 

According to an analysis by Grant Thornton, the costs associated with damages by cyber incidents soared to $280 billion last year.