With an extensive background as a former Acting Sergeant in the police cybercrime unit, Bird brings over 16 years of valuable experience in investigating cybercrime with the West Midlands Police. His appointment as the UK CIR Lead at Coalition, effective this month, marks a significant addition to the company’s expanding team.
According to reports, prior to joining Coalition, Bird served as the Head of Incident Response at Pragma, a renowned network security specialist firm. In his new capacity, Bird is set to play a pivotal role in guiding and supporting Coalition’s policyholders through cybersecurity incidents, ensuring a prompt and effective response to digital threats.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the new role, Bird said providing immediate support to businesses grappling with cyber events was of critical importance. Leveraging his extensive experience in high-pressure situations, he aims to reassure clients during challenging times, stating, “For hard-pressed businesses, cyber events can be immensely frustrating and stressful. My job is to offer immediate support and guide clients back to business as usual.”
Bird’s tenure with law enforcement involved the investigation of numerous high-profile cases, where he supported both small businesses and large corporate enterprises in handling cyber attacks. His experience at Pragma further solidifies his expertise in supporting clients through critical cyber events such as business email compromises, ransomware attacks, and insider threats.
Commenting on the appointment, Tom Draper, Coalition’s UK Head of Insurance, said: “In 2024, as demonstrated by Mark’s hire and others in the pipeline, we will support brokers by bringing new ways to educate insureds, thereby helping to reduce the impact of cyber events on UK businesses. The appointment of Mark Bird is part of Coalition’s broader expansion strategy, with the company’s UK headcount more than doubling during its first year of trading.”
He added: “Across its global offices in the US, Canada, UK, and Australia, Coalition now employs over 600 people, both in physical offices and remotely.”
Author: Joanna England
