Appointment reinforces focus on intelligence led cyber defence and resilient security operations
Glasgow, UK – 27 January 2026 - Acumen Cyber, an engineer powered cyber security service provider, has announced the appointment of Derek Whigham as Non Executive Director and Strategic Advisor, strengthening the company’s leadership team as it continues to scale across the UK.
Derek is a globally recognised cyber security and technology leader with more than 28 years of experience across financial services, telecoms and security technology. Most recently, he served as Chief Product Owner within the Chief Security Office at Lloyds Banking Group, where he set the vision, strategy and delivery for operational cyber defence, e-crime and intelligence functions for the UK’s largest retail and commercial bank.
During his tenure, he led large scale transformation programmes across security operations, insider threat, identity and access management, vulnerability management, advanced intrusion testing, cryptography, threat intelligence and cloud security, guiding more than 30 product owners and specialist teams.
Derek brings a strong track record in crisis and cyber attack management, critical decision making under pressure and disrupting sophisticated threats at scale. Alongside his industry leadership, he plays an influential role in shaping the future of cyber defence globally. He is a Research Director at ISACA, providing C suite guidance on the risks and opportunities associated with quantum computing and generative AI. In addition, he serves as an Advisory Council Member at the MITRE Center for Threat Informed Defense, contributing expertise to advance adversary focused defence models. Derek is also a published author and patent holder in the field of cyber security.
In his role as Non Executive Director and Strategic Advisor, Derek will support Acumen’s strategic growth, product direction and expansion. His appointment further strengthens Acumen’s mission to deliver intelligence led, resilient cyber capabilities to governments, financial services and critical infrastructure organisations.
Mark Robertson, CEO & Co-Founder of Acumen Cyber, says; “Derek’s experience across large scale cyber defence, financial services and emerging technologies brings an important perspective to Acumen at a pivotal stage in our growth. His understanding of how modern threats operate, combined with his leadership in areas such as threat informed defence, quantum and AI, will strengthen how we grow our services and support customers operating in high risk, complex environments. This appointment reflects our focus on building a leadership team that matches the sophistication of the challenges our clients face.”
Derek Whigham, Non Executive Director & Strategic Advisor for Acumen Cyber, comments; “Acumen has built something genuinely different in the way it approaches security operations, combining engineering expertise with a clear focus on real world outcomes. The opportunity to support the next phase of the company’s development, while helping organisations strengthen their cyber capabilities in a practical and sustainable way, is one I value greatly. I look forward to working closely with the team as the business continues to scale and mature.”
About Acumen Cyber
Acumen Cyber was founded on the belief that security operations should never stand still. Too many organisations remain underserved by providers that are impersonal, rigid or priced beyond reach. Acumen was built to bridge this gap.
The company combines world class technology with outstanding security engineering talent to deliver a service that is bespoke, agile and grounded in real human expertise. At the heart of Acumen’s offering is its 24/7 CREST Accredited Security Operations Centre, delivering enterprise grade protection through a unique blend of expert engineers, market leading security tooling, proprietary technology and world class threat intelligence and automation.
Unlike traditional providers, Acumen does not simply monitor threats. It actively prevents, detects and responds in real time, investing heavily in automation so its engineers can focus on what matters most, keeping customers secure as threats continue to evolve.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/acumen-cyber/