CyberOwl hires Spithout as strategic advisor

Cyber risk management firm, CyberOwl, has appointed Ronald Spithout as a strategic advisor in preparation for the company’s next phase of planned expansion.  

Spithout is best known for his spell as Maritime President at Inmarsat prior to its takeover by California-based Viasat. He is currently CEO at MariDISC, a setup which provides advisory services in maritime satellite communications. 

CyberOwl CEO, Daniel Ng, said: “At this pivotal stage of CyberOwl’s growth trajectory, I am delighted to welcome Ronald Spithout to our board. We are serious in our mission to raise the tide of cyber risk management for the whole sector across the globe. This is where Ronald’s years of experience, and passion for maritime digitalisation can add significant value towards furthering our mission.”

Spithout said: “Driving sustainability through digitalisation at sea and the provision of consistent internet access for crew have been close to my heart for years. Both of these maritime priorities can only be safely accomplished through robust cyber risk management. But this is often still a struggle for shipping companies lacking specialist technology, resources and talent. CyberOwl has the unique potential to be a true market leader and I’m excited to help the team fulfil this potential.”

Following a successful fund-raising exercise recently, CyberOwl is planning to expand across the UK, EMEA and Asia Pacific. It has grown significantly since the 2019 launch of Medulla, a system that supports shipping companies in managing the cyber risk of shipboard networks currently in use on about 2,000 vessels.