Can’t say a big enough thank you to miiCard on two counts!

Been sitting here with headache, dehydrated….  it’s that time of year.  Knock at the door, stressed out postman (it’s that time of year…) hands over a cute little package with my name on it.

Open box and the whiff of Christmas explodes into the air.  It’s time to smile.  Packaging hay – nativity – I can feel a Christmas glow coming on. Tea and biscuits.  But this is not just any old tea and biscuits. This is miiCard tea and biscuits.  Oozing spicy nutmeg and cinnamon.  My day just got a whole lot better and one giant step closer to Christmas cheer.

The second thank you?  Only miiCard could verify the real Santa …

Real identity verified by miiCard

Online identity verification service miiCard today announced the completion of a second seed funding round, securing $2.5 million angel and venture capital from a mix of investment groups including New Wave Ventures, IQ Capital and Par Equity, to accelerate growth and adoption of its ‘digital passport’ amongst businesses and consumers.

The substantial investment supports miiCard’s expansion into the US and will enable rapid growth of the business, across a range of markets including financial services, ecommerce, social networking and dating, where trust online is now critical. Such a high level of seed funding for an early stage company reflects miiCard’s strong initial market traction as well as the global acceleration of the online identity verification sector and the realisation of the need to prove real identities on the web.

miiCard (My Internet Identity) is the world’s first independent, commercial identity verification service allowing the individual to control their digital identity and prove “I am who I say I am” online and in real-time, to Anti-Money Laundering standards, eliminating the need for a physical ID check.

miiCard is responding to a growing demand worldwide for a means to prove identity purely online as both the risk and value of transactions on the web escalate. Both the US and UK governments have launched initiatives to tackle the issue, with the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) in the United States and the UK Identity Assurance Programme, with the aim of validating consumers’ true identities – not just checking information about them.

James Varga, miiCard CEO, comments: “Now, more than ever, we are seeing a huge amount of activity in the marketplace around online identity and trust. With miiCard we can create a level of trust that currently does not exist online, and dramatically change the way we transact on the Internet.

“We’re delighted to have New Wave Ventures on board to help drive our business forward. Along with our existing investors and board members, we have a fantastic team and a unique opportunity to change the way we interact online.”

This is the first time New Wave Ventures have invested in miiCard and its backing builds on an earlier funding round during which miiCard raised over $.75 million from investors including IQ Capital and Par Equity who have reinvested during this current round.

Tim Bullock, co-founder of New Wave Ventures comments: “As the Internet plays a growing role in the way we interact with each other, especially when executing financial transactions, it becomes increasingly important to be able to prove who we are, and quickly and reliably establish who we are dealing with.

“The miiCard team have developed a unique and global solution to this problem, which will facilitate commercial transactions and remove uncertainty from more personal interactions, and we look forward to working with them to develop the business.”

Ed Stacey of IQ Capital Partners, comments: “miiCard has clearly demonstrated an ability to develop rapidly. We’re proud to be continuing to support the company as it positions itself as the market leader in online identity.”

Paul Atkinson of Par Equity, states that: “miiCard has clearly made huge progress over the last few months and we are delighted to be involved as investors. We are looking forward to miiCard being adopted as an industry standard for online identity validation.”

Founded in September 2011, miiCard already supports seven countries and is quickly expanding to meet demand from businesses wanting to improve customer satisfaction, increase conversions and reduce operational costs by enabling consumers to meet identity verification requirements purely online and in real-time. miiCard is looking to grow the existing team, with plans to treble staff in the coming months.

http://www.miicard.com/

Watch the tour video and see how miiCard can create trust online.

For more information please contact Sally Rattray.

miiCard today announced a move to target the US market following increased market traction globally for miiCard’s online identity verification service.  This strategic expansion is in direct response to the Internet’s identity crisis and the US government’s National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) initiative.

Today’s news reflects heightened consumer concern around the issue of online identity in the US and growing demand worldwide for a way to create trust and protect people’s online identity, which was identified as one of 2012’s key technology trends by Deloitte earlier this year.

“miiCard’s pioneering digital passport is the only commercial product able to prove someone’s online identity, not only for financial services but across the board in e-commerce, online dating and social networking,” said James Varga, miiCard CEO, “miiCard puts users in control of their online identity and instantly enables them to create real trust online.”

miiCard lets users prove ‘I am who I say I am’ online, in real-time and with the same level of assurance that a passport or driver’s license carries offline. Owned and managed by the individual, miiCard is a federated identity service that centralizes the management and control of your online identity.

miiCard’s innovative use of Yodlee’s patented Personalized Finance Platform enables miiCard to establish a consumer’s identity by using information only the account holder would know.  Along with a number of additional security measures, including email verification and 2-factor authentication via sms, miiCard can validate a consumer’s identity to the fullest extent of applicable anti-money laundering and know your customer standards.

miiCard’s use of the Yodlee Platform will allow financial services and ecommerce sites around the globe to offer online versions of products and services that have historically required offline identity checks. In addition, miiCard can also be made available as a Yodlee FinApp™, available for distribution across Yodlee’s Personalized Finance Platform and network of banking customers and partners.

“Your financial accounts and transactions history don’t lie,” said Yodlee’s Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer, Joseph Polverari.  “miiCard’s innovative use of the Yodlee Platform will take the friction out of many legacy identification methods, dramatically reducing customer abandonment and making critical products and services more accessible to more consumers around the world.”

James Varga, miiCard CEO, comments: “Right now, digital identity is one of the most talked about technology topics. From social networking to banking, the need to create trust online is becoming ever more important. Our relationship with Yodlee means miiCard is the first commercial solution to the problem of how to prove ‘you are who you say you are’ online.”

Vendors accepting miiCard as proof of online identity benefit from increased conversions by supporting a live and purely online sales process, reduced cost of execution by not having to validate an identity offline or physically, and additional fraud and identity theft protection equivalent to a class 2 verification.

http://www.miicard.com/

For more information please contact Sally Rattray.

Today, at FinovateEurope in London, online identity verification service miiCard will announce the global expansion of support for its ‘digital passport’ to include South Africa, India, Australia and New Zealand. The news further boosts miiCard’s already strong start to the year, which has seen a partnership with credit solutions provider Callcredit and TRUSTe Web Privacy certification. This international reach, combined with strategic partnerships, cements miiCard’s exclusive position as the only Electronic Identity and Verification (eID&V) service to prove identity purely online and in real time to anti-money laundering (AML) standard, globally.

James Varga, miiCard CEO, comments: “Proving online identity is the final barrier to global trade. The need to create trust online is a worldwide problem so we are delighted to be rolling out support for miiCard in India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. This takes us one step closer to conducting business, protecting consumers and fighting fraud internationally, without resorting to physical offline identity validation.”

A user-centric service, miiCard provides the primary ID verification that is missing from existing eID&V solutions, and can be used as an online equivalent to the offline driver’s licence or passport checks normally conducted in a range of industries like financial services, ecommerce, dating and gambling. miiCard is powered by Yodlee, the leading Personal Finance Management (PFM) solution behind 85% of online users at leading bank and portal sites worldwide.

The Callcredit partnership brings together miiCard’s anti-impersonation technology with Callcredit’s award winning data based electronic verification solutions, to provide an unrivalled level of protection and convenience for consumers and companies wanting to do business purely online.

“Our strategic relationships with Yodlee and Callcredit demonstrate confidence in the miiCard digital passport to change the way we trade and transact online, and we are very excited to be working with them to create trust on the Internet,” Varga says.

FinovateEurope is one of the most influential trade shows for the financial services industry and is designed to showcase the most innovative financial technology products and ideas from established industry leaders as well as cutting-edge startups like miiCard.

Eric Mattson, CEO of The Finovate Group says “We are delighted to bring miiCard back to FinovateEurope for a second year. miiCard’s digital passport innovation is an exciting idea in online identity that has the potential to make a real impact on how retail banks interact online with their customers.”

Opening a new savings account or credit card online is set to become a lot easier thanks to a new partnership between ‘digital passport’ providers miiCard and data specialists Callcredit.

Until now, fraud and money-laundering regulations have meant that customers applying for a financial product online have usually had to follow this up by providing proof of identity and other documents by post.

As a result, up to 90% of sign-ups are never completed – meaning many customers are missing out on the attractive ‘online only’ rates offered by banks.

But in a major step for both consumers and the finance industry, miiCard and Callcredit have joined forces to provide a unique online identity service that removes the need for paper-based checks.

The miiCard (My Internet Identity Card) service allows a consumer to prove their identity online and in real-time, creating the same level of trust as a passport or driving licence. Callcredit’s award-winning identity verification software, which contains data on millions of UK consumers, gives an extra, robust layer of protection that ensures the service meets strict anti-money laundering and fraud regulations.

James Varga, Chief Executive of miiCard, said: “In a digital economy where there is a 70% to 90% drop out rate when selling financial products online as soon as the process goes offline, removing the drivers’ licence, passport and utility bill checks is critical. Creating this level of trust online will not only change the face of financial services but anywhere you need to know who you’re dealing with.”

Graham Lund, Managing Director of Callcredit, said: “At this time of year, many consumers will be looking to get their finances in order for 2012 by taking advantage of competitive online banking offers.

“As a recognised leader in identity verification and fraud prevention, we have been working closely with miiCard to make it easier for customers to complete the sign-up process without compromising compliance with regulations or fraud rates. The new service provides a consumer-focused solution that combines the latest cutting edge technology with the widest range of robust data sources. Today represents a shift in the way consumers and companies will view identity verification in the future.”

miiCard

miiCard is urging UK shoppers to stay safe this Christmas and prevent online fraud by protecting their online identity. As more and more of us avoid the Christmas crowds by shopping online, so cyber crime levels continue to spike around the season with one in every hundred people affected by fraud and almost £70 million of ecommerce fraud predicted for Christmas 2011 (Source: IMRG).

Christmas is a key target for fraudsters, and shoppers are more than three times likely to experience fraud during the holiday period than any other time of year. James Varga, miiCard’s CEO explains: “Fraud is changing – as we start to reduce security and transactional fraud we are now seeing huge increases in fraud relating to identity theft, impersonation and false documentation. And almost 72% of fraud this Christmas will relate to identity related issues (Source: CIFAS).

Digital passport service miiCard believe it is imperative that UK consumers are aware of the risks and take measures to protect themselves. The company has published a guide identifying the ten tips for safe and secure online shopping which it will publish across the internet and tweet daily in the run up to Christmas. These tips aim to educate the consumer, and will include advice such as: only buy from well known websites, read customer reviews and be careful with the information you share.

As the number of online shoppers grow so we are seeing a corresponding increase in the incidence of internet fraud explains James Varga, founder of miiCard: “Shopping online is fast and convenient and for many of us is a far more attractive option than battling through the crowds on the high street. But, with the increased risk of fraud over the festive period, we are advising consumers to take control and actively protect their digital identity.”

Today in the UK there is no way of proving online ‘I am who I say I am’ in real time. And it is that loophole that fraudsters are leveraging to wage war on the internet shopper: the impact of e-commerce fraud on the UK economy is expected to rise by 18% from £165 million in 2011 to £195 million in 2015 (Source: PayPoint.net).

Varga continues: “We’re encouraging consumers to sign up for a miiCard digital passport and join our fast growing user group who want to create a system of trust online.” Varga wants to encourage banks and retailers to adopt an independent proof of identity that meets anti-money laundering standards. Currently there is no way to prove your identity online to the same level of authority of a passport or driver’s licence.

miiCard is a digital passport (or virtual driver’s licence) that allows consumers to prove they are who they say they are online in real time, validated to anti-money laundering standards. Owned and managed by the individual, miiCard allows the consumer to track, monitor and so take control of their online identity. It creates trust between parties when conducting business, fights fraud and protects consumers without the need for physical identity validation.

Ten Tips for Safe Online Shopping this Holiday Season

1. Buy from well-known websites

Use credible sites like Amazon and eBay that have seller feedback, product reviews and buyer protection procedures in place.

2. Read the reviews

Take the time to read buyer feedback and reviews. Make sure the product is exactly what you want and the seller has a reliable and trusted selling history.

3. Research the business

If you are looking for that extra special something on a smaller, lesser known website, a quick Internet background search should provide you with peace of mind. Check for blog, forum and social media posts by and about the business. Ask your friends if they’ve bought from them before and what their experience was like.

4. Don’t be fooled

If an offer looks too good to be true it probably is. Research the items you’re looking to buy on a few different sites to get an idea of the true value of the goods.

5. Contact the seller

If you have any doubts about a suspicious seller or fake website, contact them to try and verify their details. Poor spelling and grammar in emails from a business can be a warning sign the business is not legitimate.

6. Do a little detective work

Add the words “fraud” and “scam” to the business or product. If someone has been scammed it’s very likely the victims will be making lots of noise in forums and posts online.

7. Read the small print

Read and understand privacy and returns policies. Print a copy of your order and check your bank statement carefully against anything you buy online. Alert your financial provider immediately if you notice anything suspicious.

8. Safety first

Only buy from secure sites that use security encryption in the URL “https://”. Log out accounts after completing a purchase and guard your passwords closely.

9. Don’t give too much away

Be careful with the information you share online. During the buying process all that should be required is: name, email, address, telephone number, payment information and shipping arrangements. Use a landline telephone number and a business address for delivery if possible. Never give out passport, driving licence or social security numbers to anyone online.

10. Payment protection

Using your regular bank account can make you vulnerable so pay by credit card for an added layer of fraud protection.

For more information contact: Sarah Lee

Digital passport, miiCard, is launching a survey today aimed at users of dating sites. miiCard want to draw attention to the rapid rise in identity fraud, and are committed to increasing awareness of online safety and preventing fraud. The survey will examine how users build trust and protect themselves when meeting people online.

Online dating has quickly become one of the biggest industries on the internet. Whether you are trying to find an activity partner or someone to share your life with, a multitude of online dating sites can provide listings of people in your area.

However this rise in popularity has come at a cost: online dating sites are now a key target for organised crime, which has led to 200,000 people in the UK reporting financial fraud. A study by the universities of Leicester and Westminster, working with the Serious Organised Crime Agency, discovered that 2% of people surveyed knew of someone who had experienced fraud through an online dating scam.

Details such as surnames, anniversaries, place of work and the names of friends and family can all be used to trace identity and solicit valuable personal information, and so should be guarded at all costs. A similar degree of caution is essential with mobile phone and email account details, which should only be given out once trust has been established.

In order to prevent fraud, details such as passwords, hints and usernames should never be revealed, no matter how close you feel you are getting to someone. Similarly credit card and bank account information should never be released – this opens the door to fraudsters applying for cards and taking out loans in someone else’s name. A degree of caution is also essential when considering giving someone an address. This unlocks the offline world and could increase the possibility of homes being burgled.

As James Varga, miiCard’s CEO comments: “The news that criminals actively target online dating sites is a worrying trend for anyone using these sites on a regular basis. Security is critical, and users should be aware how to protect themselves and avoid being conned. This survey examines how users build trust and protect themselves, and will identify areas that need extra protection.”

To take part in miiCard’s survey on the issue of trust on internet dating sites please click here.

For more information contact: Sarah Lee

miiCard, the purely online digital passport, has been selected as one of just ten finalists for the Innotribe $100K StartUp Challenge at the Sibos conference in Toronto, Canada on September 19-23, 2011 with digital identity a key theme for the conference.

Sibos is an annual member event for over 8,000 financial services senior professionals and the trade media. The Innotribe session is held on the final day of the influential industry event and pits a selection of promising companies against one another, in a ‘Dragon’s Den’ atmosphere. Last year, miiCard was voted ‘Most Promising Startup’ at the same event and this year is one of ten selected out of 200 applicants.

miiCard, powered by Yodlee, is a unique digital passport for the consumer that proves “I am who I say I am” in real time, for the first time. Owned and managed by the individual, miiCard allows the consumer to track, monitor and so take control of their online identity for the first time. miiCard costs the consumer a nominal fee and is charged to the vendor on a transactional basis. miiCard supports the UK, North America, Western Europe, India, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Stephen Brannan, miiCard’s latest board member, will take the stage for the Innotribe contest, bringing his considerable business and financial services knowledge to the fray. With 13 years experience in the international banking industry, including leading the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Separation Business Services team for the past five years, Brannan knows the industry well.

Brannan says: “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to talk about what miiCard is doing, and show where the company is going. Joining the board will let me bring my experience and expertise to help miiCard move to the next stage – and this event gives me a chance to talk about the future of this great company to an international audience.”

A patent pending global solution, miiCard demonstrated initial proof of concept to the financial services industry at Sibos last year. Its aim is to eradicate the final barrier to global trade, the need for offline proof of identity, before a financial product can be purchased.
Innotribe, a SWIFT initiative, is a set of events, tools and initiatives that enables collaborative innovation in financial services. It provides the infrastructure to find, co-create and invest in new ideas and projects.

Ends

For more information contact: Sarah Lee.

About miiCard

miiCard is a revolutionary “digital passport”, powered by Yodlee, that enables users to prove their identity online for the first time to the same level of authority as a driving licence or passport would do offline. By creating trust in an environment characterised by anonymity and transient identities, miiCard will open up opportunities for business online and put internet users back in control of their personal information.

The inability easily to authenticate a user’s identity online has long been a significant problem. Between 70% and 90% of all online financial transactions are terminated when the customer is required to provide physical proof of identity so it is imperative that businesses find a solution.

miiCard is designed to support ecommerce and eradicate this problem by enabling customers to complete complex transactions online without supplying further proof of ID.

For businesses selling online to consumers, miiCard improves conversion rates, cuts operational cost and fights internet fraud.
miiCard also benefits users and vendors by creating trust between parties in a purely online environment, increasing convenience, consistency and simplicity of shopping online, speeding up transactions, reducing costs, improving customer satisfaction and easing regulatory compliance.

James Varga – Founder and CEO

James is a Canadian entrepreneur with over 15 years of innovative technology and internet marketing solutions. In recent years, he has focused on developing Rich Internet Applications and User Experiences for global audiences. James has worked with leading brands in a range of sectors including Winterthur Life, Centrica Business Services, Thomas Cook and Sky Sports.

Stuart Fraser – CTO

Stuart is one of Scotland’s leading digital security experts. Co-founder of specialist IT security consultancy DNS, recently sold to SecureWorks, Stuart’s early career began in the energy sector working for Conoco, BP and Scottish Power.

Stephen Brannan – Board Member

Stephen Brannan spent 13 years at Royal Bank of Scotland, latterly as director of Separation Business Services, where he led the separation of a number of businesses as part of the RBS Group’s strategy to return to stand-alone strength, and further disposals dictated by the European Commission in return for state aid. Brannan also ran the RBS Cards business, was a member of the Visa EU board from 1999 to 2004 and has extensive experience of international banking.

Graham Paterson – Board Member

Graham Paterson was one of the founding partners of SL Capital Partners LLP and played a major role in the growth of that business from a team of two, with assets under management of £200 million, to a team of 40 and assets under management of £5 billion.

David Ball – Board Member

David Ball has held board positions with Tesco Bank and senior roles at HBOS plc and Bank of Scotland, managing IT and business transformation programmes.

miiCard, a purely online digital passport service, has agreed a partnership deal for global sales and channel development with Simbiottik, a UK-based technology marketing company.

Under the agreement, Simbiottik will develop a channel partner network to promote miiCard – a unique digital passport for the consumer that proves “I am who I say I am” in real time, for the first time to Anti-Money Laundering, Know Your Customer Regulations and the Proceeds of Crime Act standards.

Owned and managed by the individual, miiCard allows the consumer to track, monitor and so take control of their online identity for the first time. miiCard costs the consumer just £1 a month and is charged to the vendor on a transactional basis.

miiCard is keen to reach clients around the world, and needs a strong partner network to reach potential clients. Simbiottik specialises in channel development, and ongoing management of the channel relationship, for technology companies and will boost miiCard’s profile internationally.

“Simbiottik will help us quickly scale our partner network to reach the right clients for miiCard – their connections will get us into markets across the world,” says James Varga, CEO of miiCard.

“miiCard has a powerful product that will transform online commerce and financial services, and we know we can help reach its potential,” according to James Donaldson, founder and CEO of Simbiottik. “We are extremely enthusiastic about this partnership to promote miiCard.”

For more information contact: Sarah Lee.

About miiCard

miiCard is a revolutionary “digital passport”, powered by Yodlee, that enables users to prove their identity online for the first time to the same level of authority as a driving licence or passport would do offline. By creating trust in an environment characterised by anonymity and transient identities, miiCard will open up opportunities for business online and put internet users back in control of their personal information.

The inability easily to authenticate a user’s identity online has long been a significant problem. Between 70% and 90% of all online financial transactions are terminated when the customer is required to provide physical proof of identity so it is imperative that businesses find a solution.

miiCard is designed to support ecommerce and eradicate this problem by enabling customers to complete complex transactions online without supplying further proof of ID.

For businesses selling online to consumers, miiCard improves conversion rates, cuts operational cost and fights internet fraud.
miiCard also benefits users and vendors by creating trust between parties in a purely online environment, increasing convenience, consistency and simplicity of shopping online, speeding up transactions, reducing costs, improving customer satisfaction and easing regulatory compliance.

About Simbiottik

Simbiottik is about “Promoting Technology, Globally”. With offices in the UK and North America, Simbiottik is ideally placed to make lasting and profitable connections between business-sector software developers and value-added resellers to drive revenues and profits for both parties. Simbiottik’s service however, goes far beyond a simple matching service. Simbiottik’s teams in Europe and North America include experienced and innovative channel and business development managers who are dedicated to ensuring that both developers and resellers achieve the full potential from the relationship. Our teams pro-actively manage channel relationships. www.simbiottik.com

miiCard, developers of a revolutionary digital passport, have been invited to attend FinavateFall 2011, the high profile banking technology conference, after a highly successful visit to FinovateEurope earlier this year. miiCard CEO James Varga has been asked to speak at the prestigious event, which will be held in New York later this month.

miiCard, which last year signed a strategic development and distribution relationship with Yodlee, the leading provider of online and mobile personal finance management (PFM) solutions, is set to launch in beta before the 2011 Christmas retail season. The product aims to fight internet fraud and protect the consumer by finally solving the issue of trust online. From buying a sofa or selling a bike, to finding a flatmate or applying for a new credit card through the Internet, miiCard allows the individual to prove ‘I am who I say I am’ and create trust when transacting online.

FinovateFall provides a showcase for the most innovative new financial technology products and ideas. The selection process to be accepted is exceptionally competitive and miiCard will appear alongside some of Europe’s most exciting emerging technologies. FinovateFall will provide a powerful platform for miiCard to reach new customers, as well as to form strategic partnerships.

James Varga is looking forward to the conference: “The Finovate events bring together the sharpest minds in financial technology– we thoroughly enjoyed FinovateEurope and it’s a great honour for us to be invited to FinovateFall. The timing is perfect for us at miiCard – the online commerce world is desperate for a solution to the problem of trust – and we’re here to provide the answer.”
miiCard aims to change the way we transact online, by providing a system where proof of identity can be validated entirely online and in real-time. miiCard will make online transactions easier, faster and safer.

Owned and managed by the individual, miiCard allows the consumer to track, monitor and so take control of their online identity for the first time. miiCard costs the consumer just £1 a month and is charged to the vendor on a transactional basis.

For more information please contact: Lauren Cormack.

About miiCard

miiCard is a revolutionary “digital passport”, powered by Yodlee, that enables users to prove their identity online for the first time to the same level of authority as a driving licence or passport would do offline. By creating trust in an environment characterised by anonymity and transient identities, miiCard will open up opportunities for business online and put internet users back in control of their personal information.

The inability easily to authenticate a user’s identity online has long posed a significant barrier to trade. Between 70% and 90% of all online financial transactions are terminated when the customer is required to provide physical proof of identity so it is imperative that businesses find a solution.

miiCard is designed to support ecommerce and eradicate this problem by enabling customers to complete complex transactions online without supplying further proof of ID.
For businesses selling online to consumers, miiCard improves conversion rates, cuts operational cost and fights internet fraud.
miiCard also benefits users and vendors by creating trust between parties in a purely online environment, increasing convenience, consistency and simplicity of shopping online, speeding up transactions, reducing costs, improving customer satisfaction and easing regulatory compliance.

James Varga – Founder and CEO

James is a Canadian entrepreneur with over 15 years of innovative technology and internet marketing solutions. In recent years, he has focused on developing Rich Internet Applications and User Experiences for global audiences. James has worked with leading brands in a range of sectors including Winterthur Life, Centrica Business Services, Thomas Cook and Sky Sports.

Stuart Fraser – CTO

Stuart is one of Scotland’s leading digital security experts. Co-founder of specialist IT security consultancy DNS, recently sold to SecureWorks, Stuart’s early career began in the energy sector working for Conoco, BP and Scottish Power.