EY to expand cybersecurity offering with the acquisition of J Group Consulting

• Expands the EY cybersecurity offering in Oceania
• Unique skills in a competitive market
• Reducing cybersecurity risks through delivery of the latest privileged access management solutions

SYDNEY, 22 November 2024 – EY Identity Pty Ltd ("EYI") has today announced the business acquisition of specialist privileged access management and cybersecurity consulting firm, J Group Consulting.  

J Group Consulting employees, including founder Joel Harris will join EYI to bolster the firm’s identity and privileged access management offering with Joel also joining the Ernst & Young Australia partnership. The team of 20 will be based primarily out of Melbourne and Sydney and will service clients across Oceania.  

J Group Consulting is a professional services consultancy, specialising in protecting privileged accounts within high value systems for organisations. Since its launch in 2022, J Group Consulting has established an innovative environment focused on attracting and cultivating highly experienced privileged access management practitioners offering strategy, implementation, optimisation and engineering services across Asia Pacific.  

In joining EYI, the expanded team will enrich the firm’s offering in identity and privileged access management and help enable EYI to further scale transformation delivery and managed services in support of the fast-growing digital identity and cybersecurity market.  

Richard Watson, EY Global & Asia-Pacific Cybersecurity Consulting Leader said, “Clients continue to increase investment in identity and privileged access management to protect critical IT and operational technology systems, and the introduction of recent legislation around critical infrastructure in Australia is driving many implementations in the market. The business acquisition of J Group Consulting bolsters the strength of the EY cybersecurity practice with unique skills in a highly competitive market and puts EY identity and privileged access management capabilities at the front of the Oceania market.”  

Joel Harris, J Group Consulting Founder said, “Our focus has always been on helping clients succeed in an increasingly complex cybersecurity landscape. Joining EYI marks an exciting evolution of what we’ve built, enabling us to take the strengths we already have and grow them further within EYI. Together, we will continue to help deliver impactful, leading-class services with a shared vision and commitment to excellence, while maintaining the human touch that defines how we have always approached every challenge. We’re excited for this next chapter and the new opportunities it brings for both our team and our clients. 

David Larocca, EY Regional Managing Partner and CEO, Oceania said, “I am excited to welcome the J Group Consulting team to our Oceania practice. In expanding our EY Identity practice, we further enhance our cybersecurity capabilities in the region, protecting people, clients and communities and assisting us to achieve our ambition to shape the future with confidence.”  

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Media Contact:
Michael Reilly
Michael.Reilly1@au.ey.com
+61 432 132 190

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This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young Australia, a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited.