Cyber security and innovation during a global pandemic, insights with Des Ryan, Microsoft Ireland

We talk to Des Ryan Director of the Microsoft Ireland Specialist Teams Unit, to learn morn about cyber security risks, supporting your work force and clients, and how to keep innovating during a lockdown .

Des is the Director for Microsoft’s Specialist and Technical Sales teams. In this role, he is responsible for driving new business opportunities and solution sales growth, providing leadership to the solution sales and technical sales teams enabling them to thrive and perform at their best. Des also works with customers and partners to understand their key challenges, empowering them to digitally transform and stay relevant within a rapidly changing technological landscape.

Des joined Microsoft on returning to Ireland in 2018. He brings a wealth of international experience having spent twenty-five years working internationally with stints in USA, Singapore and Australia. During that time, he held senior executive roles in the partner community focused on Consulting, Managed Services and Solution Sales. He has also served at board level. Des has a technical heritage and so is comfortable in both technical and business forums.

Des has a BSc in Information Systems from Limerick Institute of Technology and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Des Ryan, Solutions Director for Microsoft Ireland, said: about digital security ->

 “Cyber hackers are opportunistic, skilled, and relentless. They have become adept at evolving their techniques to increase success rates, whether by experimenting with different phishing lures, adjusting the types of attacks they execute or finding new ways to hide their work. While our physical work locations may have changed, our responsibilities in protecting organisational data and complying to data regulations have not.  Now is the time to address this with an increased investment in cybersecurity, secure devices, tighter policies, increased support, and education for employees so they can play an important role in not only protecting themselves but also their organisations.”