By Alithea De Jesus
Mindful of the impact on the business operations and financial losses brought by cyber attacks, in his recent interview, British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP) Executive Director/Trustee Chris Nelson, underscored the importance of valuing cybersecurity not just in business but also in our personal protection.
In photo: British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP) Executive Director/Trustee Chris Nelson (Photo from THEPHILBIZNEWS)
Nelson also pointed out that creating awareness on why enterprises have to invest in cybersecurity is equally important. He also bared the possible opportunities for collaboration between the United Kingdom and the Philippines.
Corollary to this, the British Chamber also organized a webinar about cybersecurity dubbed as “Cybersecurity Unplugged: Navigating the Digital Security Landscape”. The said event which was successfully staged was in collaboration with CyberQ Group, KMC Solutions and Monarch Cyber Solutions and it reiterated the critical role of cybersecurity among individuals and enterprises.
In observance of Cybersecurity Awareness Month on October, Nelson also mentioned how threats surrounding the cyberworld remains a global challenge, he noted:
“Cybersecurity is going to be a constant challenge not just in the Philippines but everywhere. And I think what’s happening is getting people aware of it because it impacts individuals and organizations. We at the British Chamber of Commerce, as I’ve said [along] with our members and the DICT, will continue to strive to support the Philippines and also assist with the UK.”
CyberQ Group, one of the members of the British Chamber and a leading UK cybersecurity service provider, has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Securities and Exchange Commission to express their commitment in providing a secured cyber environment, exploring partnership through training, and increasing awareness.
Nelson also highlighted the upcoming AI Safety Summit 2023 that will take place on November 1-2, hosted by the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and will be attended by different individuals and policymakers including the Philippine Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). This event will establish an increased mutual understanding of the challenges and opportunities brought by AI and provide a chance to explore collaborations with multiple stakeholders in the society.
Moreover, the current administration seeks to prioritize the digital transformation of the Philippines which is aligned with the British Chamber’s objectives as it remains an advocate for a safe, individual, and organizational-focused cyber environment to leverage digitalization to help develop the Philippines toward a diverse and open market, ease of doing business, and economic growth.