A high level of demand for Information Security services from Melbourne has encouraged security specialist CQR Consulting to open a dedicated office in the Victorian capital.

IInformation Security skills are highly sought after by large corporate and financial service organisations based in Melbourne. While the Internet offers a compelling platform for customer service delivery, it opens up a Pandora’s Box of problems in terms of security vulnerabilities.

CQR Consulting managing director David Simpson said the Melbourne office would provide valuable local exposure. “The office gives us the credibility of a local presence,” he said. “Melbourne continues our planned development of a national presence that started when we opened our first interstate office, in Sydney, in 2005.”

Information Security services are a booming area of business globally as organisations seek to deploy policy, processes and training procedures to effectively manage risk. Services range from Information Security Management Framework and Strategy and Disaster Recovery Planning to network vulnerability assessments where “white hat” hackers actively test security systems.

CQR Consulting delivers independent Information Security services throughout Australia, Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States, without the need to sell computer hardware, software or technology services. The Australian-owned company acts as an “honest broker” for organisations often caught between competing claims of incumbent vendors.

The March opening of the Melbourne office follows an eventful year for CQR Consulting. In 2006, the company continued its national and international expansion, grew its staff to 20 and was a national finalist in the Telstra Business of the Year Awards. Business Review Weekly magazine also acknowledged CQR Consulting as one of Australia’s fastest growing start-up companies.

CQR Consulting’s Melbourne office will be run by Mark Jones, an experienced information security professional from a financial services background. Mark previously worked for GE Money and Wizard. His security certifications and business qualifications include Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Microsoft Certified Professional, Six Sigma (Green Belt) business process improvement and a Diploma of Information Technology.

Mr. Jones said Melbourne was a largely untapped market. ”CQR has some major accounts and we only just have our foot in the door,” he said. “Having an information security specialist with a financial industry background based in Melbourne will provide even more momentum.”

For more information about CQR Consulting, visit www.cqrconsulting.com.