A Danish cybersecurity company has opened an office in Leeds and signed a new long-term distribution agreement as part of ambitious UK expansion plans.
Heimdal Security’s new office is its second in the UK and close to Ripon-based Brigantia, its master distributor in the UK and Ireland.
Heimdal, which currently employs six in Leeds and 24 in London, expects to more than treble staff at both sites in the year ahead – outstripping the size of its teams in Copenhagen and Romania.
It also aims to grow UK revenue by 500% by the end of 2021.
Heimdal, which aims to disrupt the market for endpoint protection, has had a skeleton team in the UK since 2016 but has been growing rapidly since it was acquired by Marlin Equity Partners in March last year.
Ruth Schofield (pictured), who has been appointed as Country Manager at the new office, was previously MD of KnowBe4 in the UK and Ireland and part of the team that helped it achieve $1bn ‘unicorn’ status.
She said: “Heimdal is an exciting, disruptive company whose technology takes endpoint protection to the next level. Our products are perfect for the current times, when the growth in cybercrime and the move to working from home has created a fraud epidemic. This is the last thing businesses need right now but fortunately it is one epidemic for which we can offer a ready solution.
“We believe Leeds is an ideal location for an ambitious cybersecurity firm, with the presence of a strong local talent pool and offering access to the wider Northern Powerhouse market.”
Heimdal’s clients include RBS, public sector bodies such as the Welsh Assembly and Belfast City Council, and several NHS trusts.
