Australian cyber security giants CSO Group & xAmplify merge

Australian cyber security business CSO Group and xAmplify, a prominent automation systems and artificial intelligence integrator, have announced their new, unified brand: MARQ1.

The new identity will be introduced following the completion of the two companies' strategic merger, positioning them as Australia's largest home-grown integrated cyber security and AI services group.

The merger aims to leverage the synergies and shared vision between the two organisations. According to the companies, the name MARQ1 symbolises their collective aim to make a significant impact on their customers by addressing real-world challenges and delivering substantial industry-wide benefits.

Michael Simkovic, currently serving as CEO of CSO Group, will lead MARQ1 as Chief Executive Officer. Simkovic will steer the group's overall strategic direction alongside Wayne Gowland, the current CEO of xAmplify, who will take on the role of Chief Operating Officer. Reporting to Gowland will be Howard Fyffe, recently appointed as Chief Revenue Officer (National), who will focus on state government and private sector clients.

Tom Scicluna of xAmplify will assume the role of Chief Revenue Officer (Federal), managing federal public sector and ACT clients.

Other key leadership roles at MARQ1 include Daniel Keys, former Chief Information Officer at the Department of Health and xAmplify's Head of Innovation of Futures, who will become Head of Strategy for AI & Automation. Hank Clark, previously Chief Strategy Officer at CSO Group, will transition to Head of Strategy for Cyber & Intelligence.

Simkovic expressed his enthusiasm about the new venture, stating, "We are delighted to unveil MARQ1. As Australia's largest home-grown AI and Cyber services group, our new identity signifies our shared commitment to delivering exceptional services to our customers. Our new management structure is a testament to the great leadership talent within MARQ1 – and will help seamlessly integrate and streamline both sides of our business as we come together to create something truly unique in the Australian market."

From 1st October 2024, the unified MARQ1 brand will be rolled out across all platforms, including a new website, social media channels, packaging, and marketing materials. The objective is to provide an integrated suite of services that encompass governance, risk and compliance, managed security, AI, and both technology and business automation services.

This integration aims to offer government and enterprise clients robust high-performance IT services coupled with secure AI technologies.

Wayne Gowland, who will serve as COO of MARQ1, also commented on the merger's impact: "We have ambitious goals both in terms of the levels of excellence we deliver to our clients as well as for our own growth and our contribution to the Australian digital consulting and technology ecosystems. MARQ1 represents the synergy and shared vision of CSO Group and xAmplify. It demonstrates our commitment to delivering unparalleled value to our customers, applying our combined intelligence and capabilities to solve real-world challenges for our clients."

The merger is expected to be finalised by 30th September 2024. Once complete, MARQ1 will boast a team of over 160 specialists in cyber security, automation, and AI. The combined entity will serve more than 110 enterprise and government organisations across sectors such as defence, federal and state government, energy, financial services, health, logistics, retail, construction, and mining.