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Merlin Ventures, the venture capital affiliate of The Merlin Group, announce it has appointed cybersecurity executive Andrew Smeaton as the firm’s CISO-in-Residence. In this role, Smeaton will provide strategic and technical counsel to Merlin Ventures’ portfolio companies and strengthen alignment between the needs of today’s CISOs with Merlin’s portfolio companies and prospects. As Smeaton shares Merlin Ventures’ focus on fostering community, he will also help expand the firm’s existing community of more than 300 security executives who regularly meet with and provide valuable feedback to startups in Merlin’s network.

The addition of a CISO-in-Residence is a strategic move poised to enhance Merlin’s portfolio companies’ alignment with buyer preferences, assuring that products and services meet market demand. Additionally, having Smeaton on board offers invaluable guidance to existing portfolio companies, aiding them in bolstering their cybersecurity measures and mitigating risks.

Smeaton has more than 25 years of security leadership experience in various industries including government, healthcare and finance. He has held the role of CISO since 2006, including at DataRobot, Saudi Investment Bank (SAIB) and MIB Group, a data solution for insurance firms. Andrew holds the CISSP, CISA, CGEIT, CCISO, CISM, CRISC credentials, has deep expertise in regulatory compliance and privacy, and has served on executive boards and advised government agencies on information security.