Advent IM qualifies for Government framework and hires Derek Willins
Advent IM, a cybersecurity consultancy, has qualified for the new iteration Digital Outcomes and Specialists Framework 3, a UK Government supplier framework. Meanwhile, to continue the firm’s growth, the consultancy with offices in the Midlands and London has brought Derek Willins on board as Business Development Manager.
The UK Government’s Digital Outcomes and Specialists Framework is for public bodies and agencies to directly procure digital specialists. Governmental supplier frameworks like this are often criticised for favouring larger consultancies, however while the supplier framework is available to all sizes of business, it is largely aimed at helping smaller businesses, which may have struggled with the time resource required for the previously lengthier application process.
The simplified process is hoped to allow for a diversity of suppliers and great choice for the user. To that end, the framework’s third incarnation has expanded the network to feature 2,953 suppliers. Among the fortunate firms to have qualified for the framework this time around is Advent IM, which is now available to bodies utilising the network for Cyber Security Specialists Consulting services, in addition to the G-Cloud framework. The Digital Outcomes and Specialists and G-Cloud are accessed through the Digital Marketplace to make government procurement easier, faster and more transparent.
Commenting on the news, Advent IM Operations Director, Julia McCarron said, “It has taken a while for the framework to become established and used to procure specialist cyber security services but I am pleased to say that in the last 6 months we have seen a definite upturn in opportunities. We are therefore delighted to be part of the framework’s 3rd iteration and hope to benefit further from its growing popularity.”
In preparation for a period of heightened demand, Advent IM has subsequently appointed a new Business Development Manager, in the shape of Derek Willins. Specialising in sales, negotiation, strategic relationship development and data analysis, Willins arrives at the consultancy on the back of a 20-year stay at professional services firm Nielsen.
During his time with the firm, Willins served as a Business Unit Director and as UK and Ireland Retail Services Director, before finally becoming a Global Account Director with Nielsen. During his tenure he effectively coached, trained, and supported a team of 28 Client Business Partners across Europe and Asia, aggressively pursuing sales targets to successfully deliver over £8 million in revenue while managing data procurement of £6 million. He holds a diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Commenting on his new role, Willins remarked, “I sense that things are changing. A combination of regular high-profile data breaches from our biggest and best companies, the recent GDPR regulations, regulator fines, and the impact of data breaches on brand equity, are driving organisations to raise information security up their agenda. It is only a matter of time for organisations to see information security as the business enabler and source of competitive advantage, which it truly is. Something which has struck me so far, is people. The security industry is populated by quiet, thoughtful, clever people who go about their serious business in a calm way. Advent IM’s 'only' asset is its people, and their incredible knowledge and skill. I feel honoured to be working with them, and I look forward to the exciting journey ahead.”
