Alok Sharma, the Member of Parliament for Reading West, on Friday 28th February 2014, made a visit to Symantec’s Reading offices to learn more about the company’s work.
Symantec Corporation is an information protection expert that helps people, businesses and governments seeking the freedom to unlock the opportunities technology brings. Founded in April 1982, Symantec, a Fortune 500 company, operates one of the largest global data-intelligence networks, providing leading security, backup and availability solutions for the storing, accessing and sharing of information. Symantec is a large local employer, employing roughly 800 people at its European headquarters in Reading.
During the visit, Alok was given a briefing by senior Symantec employees, including UK and Ireland Vice President Simon Moor, and Head of Consumer Marketing, Shelagh McManus on the company’s strategy including an overview of its capabilities, products and services.
Alok also received a demonstration of the company’s free parental controls software, ‘Norton Family’, and spent some time discussing the importance of safe internet usage by families and vulnerable individuals.
Symantec works with many government and NGO groups in the UK, including a sponsorship of Get Safe Online. “The over-arching goal here is education,” Simon Moor stated “We want as many families as possible to be aware of the security and personal risks they face by using unprotected internet-connected devices, and we encourage parents to have an open dialogue with their children to teach good online habits.”
The visit was concluded by a tour of the Symantec Security Operations Centre, where Alok was able to meet the organisation’s Managed Security Services team and learn more about Symantec’s cyber security expertise.
Alok Sharma said: “I was pleased to visit Symantec to see some of the high-tech work that is carried out in their Reading offices. I was particularly impressed by some of the work taking place in the Security Operations Centre and I am proud that such sophisticated work is taking place in Reading, which is another excellent example of why the town is considered an economic powerhouse.”
Alok continued: “There are a lot of educational benefits to be had from children utilising technology and the internet, but of course there are risks involved and I therefore welcome Symantec’s responsible approach to internet safety and the fact that it offers a comprehensive set of tools for parents to use free of charge.”
Simon Moor, UK&I Vice President at Symantec commented: “We are incredibly proud of the work of employees at our Green Park, Reading site. This was a welcome opportunity to highlight Symantec’s information protection expertise across consumers and businesses to Alok Sharma and we are delighted he was able to visit.”
Photo: (L-R) Head of Consumer Marketing, Shelagh McManus; Group PR Manager UK & Ireland, Emma Jeffs; Alok Sharma MP; UK and Ireland Vice President Simon Moor; Carla Baker, Senior Manager for Government Affairs