I’ve spent my career as a custodian of other people’s most sensitive information. Early on, that meant preserving British Coal’s historical business records — ledgers, plans, and hand-drawn documents — and later, safeguarding public wills held by HM Courts and Tribunals Service, including those of Charles Darwin and Princess Diana. That work shaped a belief I still hold: this matters because the consequences of getting it wrong are real, not abstract.
Moving into cyber security only sharpened that belief. I’ve seen the full range of what can go wrong, from careless mistakes that cost businesses real money, to serious misuse of company data and devices. Most organisations are caught between wanting to be open and productive, and needing to be secure, and that tension is exactly where good security leadership earns its keep.
In 2022, work with a client uncovered child sexual exploitation material within their hosted environment. It was one of the starkest reminders I’ve had that this work protects people, not just data. The Internet Watch Foundation’s guidance shaped how we responded, and I’ve supported their work ever since, including committing two percent of Alvearium’s revenue to the IWF and other good causes.
I’m a husband, father, uncle, and godparent, and my own children are growing up digitally native in a way I never did. That’s part of why I take this responsibility personally, not just professionally.
— Christian Toon, Chief Fractional Advisor
