Andrew has a background that is largely atypical of most of his media peers, and his journey has been unique, to say the least. Originally from the UK, Andrew graduated from Loughborough University with a BSc Hons in Sociology with Computing; however, he will proudly tell you he spent most of his time at Loughborough training and competing as an international standard athlete. In 1990, Andrew finished the season among the top fifteen 400m runners in the UK. After graduation, Andrew went into sports publishing but made an early career change moving into IT. Despite this transition into a different industry, he never lost the bug for the media industry. Andrew's IT career, just like most things in his professional life, has been far from typical. He worked in the UK for a storage specialist distribution company moving to sales roles in companies like Cheyenne (now CA), Veritas, Digital (now part of HP) and Overland Data (as its European Solutions Sales Director). In 2005, Andrew founded Otium Software, raising venture finance, building the product from the ground up and establishing sales channels across the world. Otium was all about data, assessing the quality of data and tiering data according to its usefulness. Ultimately, Andrew sold Otium Software to Canadian-listed company BakBone Software Inc., and as part of that transaction, he was hired to become their Vice President and General Manager for APAC. Up until late 2012, Andrew served as Vice President and General Manager for APJ and the Middle East at Tandberg Data. More recently, he served as Vice President for the Asia Pacific region at Zerto Software until late 2018. With a firm grasp of how IT vendors need to leverage online specialist content, Andrew was instrumental in helping to get Asia Online Publishing Group (AOPG) off the ground, providing expert advice and guidance to assist AOPG in launching and running the region’s leading tech-centric portals: Data & Storage Asean, Cybersecurity Asean and Disruptive Tech Asia. Andrew would go on to co-establish On360°, AOPG's very own digital content engagement platform that helps marketers create highly-engaging online materials to attract relevant readers. He would also earn a seat in the highly regarded Forbes Communications Council, an invitation-only organisation for senior-level PR and communications executives. The council’s members are handpicked based on the depth and diversity of their experience as leaders in the communications industry, and Andrew’s inclusion is a testament to the vast knowledge he has accumulated in both fields over the years. Despite his commitments to AOPG, On360° and the Forbes Communications Council, Andrew remains a fixture in the IT industry, as he is currently a retained consultant at Barracuda Networks, a worldwide leader in © Asia Online Publishing Group Sdn. Bhd. security, application delivery and data protection solutions. He is also a Non-Executive Director at iPortalis, a software solutions provider. Indeed, Andrew has lived his career at the sharp end. He is not just a commentator in the industry; he continues to live in the industry and has a deep-rooted understanding of the IT market in a way most of his publishing peers have never experienced. He is fiercely competitive, highly driven and deeply informed about data-driven technology and IT transformation. As Group Publisher, Andrew oversees the strategic direction for our publications and remains hands-on working on articles and features alongside the Editorial Team. Given his background, Andrew brings vast knowledge and expertise to features and articles covering data protection and security. In recent years, however, he has also covered Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and numerous other emerging technologies. An IT lifer, a media practitioner and an expert in PR and communication. That is Andrew Martin so far. Best believe, though, that he isn’t stopping any time soon. He’s probably hard at work at something else right about now and is looking to get better where he can.