Northern Irish firms merge to create cybersecurity managed services 'powerhouse'

Outsource Group and ANSEC IA claim the deal will create an IT security ‘powerhouse’

Two Northern Irish IT security firms are to merge to create a ‘powerhouse' in security-focused IT managed services.

IT security and managed services provider Outsource Group and IT security consultancy ANSEC IA will join forces - with ANSEC IA becoming part of the Outsource Group.

The combined group says it has "aggressive growth plans" for the future, including employing a workforce of more than 100 people by the end of this year.

Terry Moore, CEO of Outsource Group, said: "One of the areas in which we are seeing demand grow most quickly and where we see the biggest growth opportunity is in cybersecurity.

"Our merger with ANSEC IA and the exceptional security skills and expertise they bring will allow us to accelerate that growth and offer a truly market-leading cyber-security suite of services and solutions.

"I have no doubt that the combined experience and skills of both companies will deliver the leading powerhouse and go-to group for security-focused managed services.

Antrim-based Dell and Microsoft partner Outsource was founded in 2000 and offers a broad range of technology support and services to customers in the UK and Ireland. It was also recently named by Dell as a Rising Star of 2021.

ANSEC IA, meanwhile, was founded in 2007 by its managing partners Peter Leitch and Philip Sloan and serves public and private companies across the globe.

"Over the last 15 years we have exclusively focused on improving the security posture of businesses and public sector departments in NI, Ireland, GB and internationally," Leitch said.

"Working with Outsource, it became clear to us very quickly that they also understand why information security needs to be the backbone of all things IT. They understand that security is about more than just IT or a range of products; it should be at the core of every organisation and inherent to every business process.

"We believe that ANSEC IA both complements and adds huge value to the OS group and will help take the OS Group to the next level in terms of offering world-class, enterprise-level, security-focused services to a wider range of customers across the UK and Ireland."