Hoboken, NJ – March 6th, 2019 – Effectual, a professional services consultancy focused on cloud security and financial optimization, today announced the placement of Darren Cook, CISSP, as Chief Security Officer for the organization. Cook joins Effectual to lead the company’s security practice and strategic direction.

Cook brings over 18 years of experience as a security risk management professional. Most recently, he held the role of Director of Information Security at Datapipe where he built global security operations from the ground up and led a multi-disciplined, cross-functional security team. In addition, Cook was instrumental in the creation of the company’s enterprise-wide security program and building a multi-cloud, multi-million-dollar managed security service provider (MSSP) business.

Key Takeaways

  • Darren Cook, CISSP, joined Effectual on March 6, 2019 as Chief Security Officer, leading the company's security practice.
  • Cook brings over 18 years of security risk management experience, most recently as Director of Information Security at Datapipe.
  • At Datapipe, Cook built global security operations from the ground up and helped grow a multi-cloud, multi-million-dollar managed security service provider (MSSP) business.
  • Cook was one of the industry's first qualified PCI SSC Internal Security Assessors (ISA) and helped certify Datapipe as a PCI Level One service provider for 13 consecutive years.
  • Cook is also a co-founder of Effectual, alongside his role as Chief Security Officer.

“Traditional approaches to security are no longer adequate for the cloud,” said Darren Cook, CSO, Effectual. “Security programs must evolve to mitigate risk associated with an elastic attack surface and meet the demands imposed by today’s data privacy and security regulations. At Effectual we take a modernized cloud security approach that aligns with our client’s business strategy. This enables our clients to achieve their objectives while managing risk at the speed of the modern business.”

Leading Effectual’s security practice, Cook will provide clients with guidance on managing business risk through the alignment of security with business objectives

One of the industry’s first qualified Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) Internal Security Assessors (ISA), Cook has a proven record of security and compliance expertise. He worked directly with qualified security assessors (QSAs) to certify Datapipe as a PCI level one service provider for 13 consecutive years.

“Security is job one for any cloud transformation initiative. We built Effectual on the premise of empowering our clients to move to the cloud with confidence,” said Robb Allen, CEO, Effectual. “We take the time to understand the challenges that our clients are facing in their own transformation—different business units, budgets, security, and regulatory requirements. This process informs the technologies we choose to recommend and deploy. Darren’s hands-on technical expertise, cybersecurity knowledge, and business acumen are a perfect fit for our vision and drive to provide successful business outcomes.”

Darren Cook is the Chief Security Officer and Co-Founder at Effectual, inc. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Darren Cook and what is his role at Effectual?

Darren Cook, CISSP, is Effectual's Chief Security Officer and a co-founder of the company, leading its security practice and strategic direction.

What security experience does Darren Cook bring to Effectual?

Over 18 years as a security risk management professional, including building Datapipe's global security operations from the ground up as its Director of Information Security and growing a multi-million-dollar managed security service provider business.

What compliance credentials does Darren Cook hold?

He was one of the industry's first qualified PCI SSC Internal Security Assessors (ISA) and worked with qualified security assessors to certify Datapipe as a PCI Level One service provider for 13 consecutive years.

What is Effectual's philosophy on cloud security, according to Cook?

That traditional security approaches are inadequate for the cloud, and that security programs must evolve to address an elastic attack surface while aligning with each client's specific business strategy.

When did Darren Cook join Effectual?

March 6, 2019.