The West Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre is pleased to announce Assistant Chief Constable, Matt Ward as the latest board member.
Matt Ward was appointed Assistant Chief Constable in July 2020. He joined West Midlands Police in 1995, after graduating from Cambridge University.
Before his promotion, Matt worked in a wide range of senior roles. These include being head of local policing in Sandwell and the head of counter-terrorism for the West Midlands.
As ACC, he looks after the security portfolio which includes organised crime, counter-terrorism, and intelligence. Matt is also responsible for overseeing the policing response to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022.
On his appointment, Assistant Chief Constable Matt Ward said: “The threat from cyber-crime to our region, our businesses and our communities cannot be overstated. Organised cyber criminality is growing in scale and complexity and, unless we do something about it, cyber-crime will cause untold damage to our economy and our lives.
“The West Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre is a unique opportunity for policing, business, academia and communities to stand together in tackling one of the biggest threats our region faces. I am delighted to be a member of the Board and look forward to working with others in making a real difference to our community.”
Commenting on the appointment, Director of WMCRC Alison Hurst, said: “It’s fantastic news that Assistant Chief Constable, Matt Ward is joining the Board, he will provide a knowledgeable sounding board for myself and the wider team as we continue to grow the WMCRC moving forwards.”
The WMCRC is an innovative not for profit partnership between policing, academia, and private industry, committed to helping protect businesses in the West Midlands region from cybercrime.
The WMCRC joins a growing network of regional centres being established as part of a national roll out to provide businesses of all sizes with access to affordable cyber security services, the latest advice and support from leading law enforcement and industry experts and help them take simple steps to protect their business from unscrupulous cyber criminals.
The WMCRC offers a range of membership options to businesses in the region including a free Core Membership for businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Sign up on the website today to access cyber Security support, guidance, and tools.