Former Razorfish Execs Launch Security Practice

[InfoSec News <isn () C4I ORG>]

http://crn.com/dailies/digest/breakingnews.asp?ArticleID=17531

By Marcia Savage
Computer Reseller News
Waltham, Mass.
6:01 PM EST Thurs., June 15, 2000

A group of former executives from Web integrator Razorfish Inc. and
other high-profile firms have started a digital security-services
practice.

Guardent Inc., based here, this week announced its launch, backed by
$22.5 million in financing from three venture-capital firms, Charles
River Ventures, New Enterprise Associates and Sequoia Capital.

The company aims to be a leading provider of digital-security services
by blending fast-cycle consulting methodologies with a complete suite
of vendor-independent security services.

"We're taking a true end-to-end, analytical approach to the problem,"
said Maria Cirino, chairwoman and chief executive of Guardent.

Cirino, formerly executive vice president of sales and alliances at
Razorfish, said the new company is using expertise developed from
working with clients in the "e-business revolution."

Dan McCall, formerly vice president of worldwide marketing at
Razorfish, said computer security in the past has taken a more
tactical approach, in which clients often would choose specific
services from large consulting firms.

"What we're more interested in is a life-cycle approach to security,"
he said.

Guardent will blend security solutions with development of e-business
applications in an iterative manner, he added.

The company's leadership team also includes former employees of
Andersen Consulting, Secure Computing Corp., Scient Corp. and Internet
Security Systems Inc.

The firm has 25 clients, including Fortune 50 companies and large
government agencies. Founded in December, Guardent also has offices in
Boston, London, Toronto, Minneapolis, San Francisco and Washington
D.C.

The market for network security services is expected to reach $22.2
billion by 2003, according to IDC, a research firm in Framingham,
Mass.

Izhar Armony, general partner with Charles River Ventures, Boston,
said there is a huge, unserved need in the market for dedicated
professional services companies that deliver the level of security
required by companies today.

"Security is becoming a huge problem and a very strategic issue, and
we felt the time is right for a dedicated professional services
company, Guardent, to address that," he said.

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