Sir Robert McAlpine announced as National Ambassador for NCRCG

For more than 155 years, Sir Robert McAlpine has been building Britain’s future heritage. The family-owned business designs, develops, builds and preserves some of the country’s most iconic structures, as evidenced by its meticulous work on restoring The Elizabeth Tower.

In delivering major public sector projects, the company works closely with SMEs across the supply chain to help shape towns, cities and landscapes. Key to the company’s success is ensuring its own cyber resilience and, crucially, the cyber resilience of its SME partners.

As a National Ambassador, Sir Robert McAlpine will be working closely with policing, Government and other top-tier National Ambassador partners to strengthen the cyber resilience of the SME community. In particular, the organisation will be spearheading a comprehensive cyber security awareness campaign aimed at equipping SMEs with the necessary tools and knowledge to defend against cyber threats.

The overriding goal is to create a robust support network that empowers SMEs to navigate the digital landscape securely and confidently.

The company’s support of the NCRCG builds on its existing work with the Eastern Cyber Resilience Centre and North West Cyber Resilience Centre – two of the nine regional centres which, along with the NCRCG, constitute the complete network.

Sir Robert McAlpine will be in exemplary company on the National Ambassador Steering Group, joining top-tier organisations including Aviva, Baseel, CGI, Chainalysis, KPMG, Mastercard, Microsoft, the NatWest Group, Resilience, The SANS Institute, SAS and The Very Group.

Extension of support

Andy Black, Chief Information Security Officer at Sir Robert McAlpine, said: “In taking up this important role, Sir Robert McAlpine is extending its support of the national effort to enhance cyber security awareness and build a resilient ecosystem. By leveraging our joint expertise and resources, we aim to foster a culture of proactive cyber security within the construction sector, in turn ensuring that our supply chain can thrive in an increasingly digital world.”Detective Superintendent Ian Kirby, CEO at the NCRCG, responded: “Since its launch in 2021, the NCRCG has proudly developed a highly impressive cohort of National Ambassador partners. In building this group, we’ve always been focused on the need to make sure our partners are representatives of the UK economy, covering a range of industries and sectors.”

Kirby continued: “We’re delighted to welcome Sir Robert McAlpine on board as our first National Ambassador in the construction industry. In partnering with us, the company is showcasing its commitment to cyber resilience and demonstrating that this is something all industries – not only those directly involved in the cyber and technology sectors – need to take seriously. We are very much looking forward to working with the team.”

Strategic collaboration

Established back in 2021, the NCRCG is a strategic collaboration between the Home Office, policing, National Ambassador partners and academia purpose-designed to strengthen cyber resilience across the nation’s SME community.

Key to the NCRCG’s reach are nine Cyber Resilience Centres which operate across England and Wales to provide affordable and high-quality cyber resilience services to local organisations. These services are delivered by the NCRCG’s Cyber PATH student team under the continual supervision of cyber security practitioners.

The NCRCG’s National Ambassador programme is a platform through which the nation’s large organisations can work in unison to lead the charge against cyber crime. Further information concerning the National Ambassador Programme can be viewed online.