By Business & Finance 
Ronan Murphy, CEO, Smarttech247
Ronan Murphy, CEO, Smarttech247, takes on the Business & Finance 60-second interview challenge.
Q. What was your first job? My first job was at 16 years old working for my mother in our family furniture business Suite Cottage in Cork. I was on the sales floor selling furniture and upholstery services to her customers. She set up a good commission plan that motivated me to hit my number and the lessons I learned have stayed with me ever since. Q. What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date? Building the Smarttech247 security business into one of the fastest-growing service providers in the European market. Cybersecurity isn’t an easy industry to access. I started the security business when cyber wasn’t mainstream and it was a risky strategy. In 2013 when cybersecurity became a boardroom requirement, we were fully equipped and ready to deliver the complex array of services. Q. In three words or less, how do you define success? Achieving our goals. Q. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Surround yourself with good people. I’m very proud of the team I have built within Smarttech247. The culture and the can-do attitude of every department has helped to propel the business forward in what is a complex and competitive market. Q. How do you motivate yourself and your staff? I’m motivated by the challenges presented by the cybersecurity industry. The sector is incredibly complex and by bringing the right people, tools and technology together we help to protect our clients and deliver world-class cybersecurity solutions. I try to motivate my staff to enjoy resolving these issues with me, and to celebrate their successes as we work through them. Q. If you could step into the shoes of one business person for the day, who would it be and why? I’m a big fan of Elon Musk. I admire the the risks he takes when venturing away from the world of accepted norms. Looking at the many accomplishments of Musk and how he has served the public with his products, I believe that he is one of a kind. The greatest contribution I think is that he has given people hope and renewed faith in what technology can do for mankind. Q. How do you relax? I am a member in Monkstown Golf Club, so a game a golf is a good way to unwind. Q. What’s your motto? Don’t confuse effort with results. Q. What are your aspirations for the future of the business? I have ambitious plans for the growth of Smarttech247. We have become the fastest-growing cybersecurity operations centre in Europe and we now have three facilities in Cork, Krakow and Bucharest. Our focus for 2018 is on replicating this success in the US market. We have also started building our own technology platforms that will bring enhanced security capabilities and data visibility to our clients. Our cybersecurity conference, Zero Day Con, will take place in the National Convention Centre, Dublin on March 7, and bring over 500 senior executives together and then we will replicate the event in Washington DC in October 2018.
Surround yourself with good people. I’m very proud of the team I have built within Smarttech247. The culture and the can-do attitude of every department has helped to propel the business forward in what is a complex and competitive market.
Smarttech is a 24/7 cybersecurity organisation that provides innovative solutions to global companies. The Smarttech SOC (Security Operations Centre) is ISO9001/ISO27001 NSAI certified and it delivers a wide range of cybersecurity solutions, including cognitive security services using IBM Watson for Cybersecurity, SIEM, Compliance & Governance and PenTesting.
