“The direction of travel is clear”
Simon Williams, CEO, Trustmarque Ultima
There’s been growing scrutiny over the dependency of UK business on US tech infrastructure. Is this something your clients are talking about, and do you expect any to change course in light of recent events?
The direction of travel is clear: organisations want to ensure their data is owned, governed, and protected within the UK or EU, and not exposed to risks that come with over-reliance on any single jurisdiction.
This is a topic that is front of mind for many of our clients, especially those in the public sector and heavily regulated industries such as finance and legal. The need for greater choice, portability, and transparency means we are seeing the market respond with genuinely sovereign options from major vendors.
We are supporting them by closely monitoring policy developments and market shifts, and some are already taking steps to diversify or review their reliance on US-based infrastructure.
What’s your advice as an independent trusted advisor?
Treat data as your organisation’s most strategic asset; it’s fundamental to informed decision-making and the effective use of AI.
Businesses should prioritise digital sovereignty and long-term resilience by reviewing supply chains and technology partners to ensure diversity and reduce single points of dependency, adopting transparent data hosting arrangements with clear governance and control over where and how data is stored and processed, and aligning with emerging policies and best practices that encourage competition and responsible data management, such as those outlined in the Cybersecurity and Resilience Bills.
Our technology partners are very aware of this situation and each of them are building their own solutions to address this challenge. We are working with our clients to help them understand the options and advise on the best solution to meet their needs.
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