Award-winning financial services firm Killik & Co is protecting its prestigious brand reputation and its customers – thanks to stronger, AI-powered email defences provided through Bytes. Killik & Co LLP is an independent financial services firm with offices across London and a team of over 300 people. Founded 1989, the company specialises in investment management, stockbroking and financial planning advice. The business has consistently won top industry accolades. Most recently, it was declared winner of the Best Discretionary Advisory Wealth Manager and also the Full SIPP Provider in the Investors Chronicle & Financial Times Celebration of Investment Awards. This followed prizes for its tax planning, stockbroking and advisory services.

Like many successful businesses, Killik & Co faced growing threats with its email communications. Emerging risks such as QR phishing and VIP impersonation posed significant challenges. The company recognised it needed robust security measures. But these had to be balanced with a good user experience. Leaders identified a need for security awareness training and better reporting capabilities.

Killik & Co turned to Bytes to find the best way to modernise its security and guard against advanced threats.
The Bytes team began by working with the company to use its Microsoft stack as the foundation for its security infrastructure. But the project went further:

• Bytes ran enhanced user awareness training sessions for the company’s employees using CultureAI. This strengthened the ‘human firewall’. Staff are now more attuned to following best practice and identifying threats, thanks to the platform’s personalised security awareness, nudges, micro-learning, gamification and rewards. Employees can stay secure and report risks more easily with features such as a mobile app and phishing reporting button. Meanwhile, the company’s security team now has tools to better identify and manage any cyber security risks created by the workforce.
• Bytes brought in Abnormal Security, a Microsoft partner. Its solutions protect enterprises from advanced targeted attacks by detecting anomalous behaviour. Using Microsoft Azure AI, Abnormal Security analyses organizations from the inside out. It develops a deep understanding of people, relationships and business context. It can then stop targeted attacks. 

Advanced AI technologies and training will help Killik & Co to combat current and emerging threats. What’s more, Bytes brought in technologies that integrate and share intelligence. Today, the Bytes solution is helping Killik & Co to build on its prestigious heritage and strong reputation. The company has found the right answer through training and AI-powered technologies that help to prevent breaches and minimise loss. Employees are now more aware of risks and how to report any issues with continuous, personalised training. Meanwhile, the additional AI defences keep the company’s security on the front foot. The admin workload around security has reduced significantly. Low touch/no touch solutions can streamline incident handling, reducing response efforts. This will free up the company’s team to work on other projects to drive the business forward.