Gnosis is the business and IT partner of choice for some of Bermuda’s leading organizations, supporting their internal teams with trusted consultancy and solutions for success.
We’re thrilled to kick off a new blog series, Client Spotlight, speaking with Deanna Didyk, Chief Operations Officer of Meritus Trust - a Bermuda-based trust company and corporate service provider, to learn more about their business and IT needs, and what it’s like working with the Gnosis team...
Q: Hi Deanna! Tell us more about Meritus Trust, and how it has changed over the course of the global COVID-19 pandemic?
A: Meritus Trust is recognized both locally and internationally as a leading global trust company, offering unrivalled expertise in international portfolio diversification and prudent, stable trust management.
There are lots of challenges that come with being trustees, and we work with multi-generational families to add value beyond the provision of basic services, with empathy and respect at the heart of everything we do.
As leaders in our community and our industry in Bermuda, it’s important that our business runs smoothly, and working with a Managed Service Provider like Gnosis helps us do that.
Like the rest of the world, even before the pandemic, everything we do is fairly paperless. Now, we’re well accustomed to all the tools that help get everyone online – Microsoft Teams, Zoom, security and training were all important elements of getting the right remote setup for our business.
Q: As COO of a small firm, what is important to you when picking a Managed Service Provider like Gnosis?
A: As a business, it’s important that we are responsive, proactive and attentive to our clients, and we expect the same from our Managed Service Provider. Reliability, availability, response times and security posture are all key elements for us in a Provider, so that we can continue working to the highest standards.
Q: Describe some of the initiatives you are working on to improve the cyber posture at Meritus?
A: Analyzing our cyber posture as a business initially stemmed from the release of the Bermuda Monetary Authority’s amendments to the Cyber Code of Conduct earlier this year.
This led to us reviewing our cloud services, and the security of those as relates to information storage and transfer. We are aware of the upcoming PIPA regulations that will become effective from 1st January 2025, and these processes will tie into that.
We also understand the increased potential cyber threats posed by phishing attacks, artificial intelligence and new technologies, so we wanted to safeguard Meritus Trust as best we can, to protect us and our clients from cyber-crime.
Meritus has a clear Cyber Program that has been established with assistance from our vCISO and Gnosis partners. Security is paramount to our business and we have established a clear path to continue compliance to the ever-changing landscape.
Q: How have you improved the end-user experience at Meritus?
A: With Gnosis, we developed the JIRA portal to help automate workflows within the organization, streamlining operations involving multiple departments. This has meant Meritus can be more efficient in its operations, with greater visibility at micro and macro level.
We also made the decision to move from on-premises to the Cloud, with TrustKey, reducing our technical debt and associated risk. Our goal was to migrate all of our clients onto a single SaaS (Software as a Service)-based platform, allowing for easier management and greater visibility for our leadership team.
Now, our trusted vendors are responsible for maintaining, hosting, securing, upgrading or providing a Disaster Recovery plan, ensuring we produce all the required reports to meet the BMA’s regulatory requirements.
Q: Why do you like working with Gnosis?
A: We really enjoy working with Gnosis because the team is friendly and highly responsive. It’s beneficial to have the team on-island here in Bermuda because it means the management team is easily approachable and available in case of emergencies.
As a leading IT and business consultancy in Bermuda, we know we can trust Gnosis to guide us in safeguarding our business and ensure we are compliant with the latest cybersecurity regulations.
Interested to learn more about how Gnosis can support your business’ cybersecurity efforts? Our qualified IT consultants can help your team to activate, maintain and oversee security policies, carry out auditory and compliance liaison, establish IT controls and procedures, and help guide your cybersecurity Interface.
