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Vogon to be acquired by Ibas

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(@eds-fih)
Posts: 9
Active Member
Topic starter
 

Hello to all,

Posted on The Register today, if people hadn't seen it:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/12/ibas_buys_vogon/

Cheers,

Mark

 
Posted : 12/04/2005 7:04 pm
(@andyfox)
Posts: 43
Eminent Member
 

interesting news Mark although not sure how this move will help the industry.

I suppose as a corporate move it makes sense to become larger and increase capability but for law enforcement units this will no doubt increase the possibility of them losing staff to big companies and therefore increase the need to outsource work - Ok great for private companies but there will be some cost issues as this happens - larger companies often experience larger overheads and this may provide opportunties for smaller players/experts.

I guess my point is that as the industry grows and companies in the sector get bigger the Poilce and other teams will lose staff to the private sector which will mena they have to employer outsourcers even more and potentially increase prices allowing smaller firms to gain more work through price competition. The issue for law enforcement will be how they hang on to staff and compete with the private comapnies and who drives this industry the governement or private companies.

 
Posted : 13/04/2005 10:47 am
Jamie
(@jamie)
Posts: 1288
Moderator
 

Thanks for the heads up, Mark, I've added a news item to the front page.

Jamie

 
Posted : 13/04/2005 11:28 am
(@eds-fih)
Posts: 9
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Topic starter
 

Hi Andy,

Certainly there is going to be one predominant player in the UK, in the shape of Ibas/Vogon. I don't know how this will change the market though. I think they were very much their own competition.

I did some research about a year ago, regarding the forensic marketplace in the UK, and it seems to be quite a compartmented field. Lots of smaller practitioner/experts and small companies, often ex-police or Customs/Military investigators setting up once they've left the services, trading on their previous contacts; Consulting/IT Services organisations (including Financial/Accountancy), which tend to service internal clients; and Data Recovery specialists, of which Ibas and Vogon were prominent.

Does this seem a fair representation to you?

 
Posted : 13/04/2005 11:34 am
(@andyfox)
Posts: 43
Eminent Member
 

Hi Mark

that is a very accurate description of the current marketplace in the UK - and in the US from my knowledge. I think the difficulty will come, and this often happens in the consulting arm of any industry, is one of regulation and who sets standards. I think most practioners like us and yourself will probably align their practices with the ACPO guidelines and as long as the regulators (govt and police) can keep up these standards then great, but the worry for me is dilution and lack of attention to detail to these type of regulations which are by no means statutory at present.

I suppose I mean that I think the industry works well in it's compartmentalised ccurrent state and allows for competition but there are issues on the horizon that I would want to see being pushed by the authorities rather than the big coprorates.

What do you think about bigger firms being in the driving seat due to their size and monopoly over skills and resources that big mergers like this could present?

 
Posted : 13/04/2005 11:46 am
(@eds-fih)
Posts: 9
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Topic starter
 

Andy Fox wrote:

I think most practioners like us and yourself will probably align their practices with the ACPO guidelines

I've worked to several company/organisation guidelines, all of which were frameworked on the ACPO guidleines. Certainly, they are the de facto standard for England and Wales. Our processes mirror the Guidelines, because we work to that common standard, and quite frankly, don't wish to re-invent the wheel. Ultimately, because we (as a body) work to the Courts' expectations, I think it would be very difficult for one company, however large, to change that status. Unless the police completely divest themselves of all responsibility regarding the preperation of evidence I think we have the Guidelines to work to for some time to come.

I'm a strong beleiver in professional communities working to improve processes. That relies on competent, dedicated individuals, who can be found in all sizes of company.

Cheers,

Mark

 
Posted : 13/04/2005 1:04 pm
w47ty
(@w47ty)
Posts: 13
Active Member
 

Hi,

I know this is an old thread. But i am new to the forum and I am also a former employee of one of the two companies. So I thought I would give an 'insiders' view.

I dont actually think it will affect the CF market as much as may be feared. I predict it will have more of an impact on the Data Recovery side of things, which is a substantial part of both business across Europe. It will be interesting to hear the thoughts of some of the DR practitioners here.

You might find that you get a two or three tiered approach to the market, as in Accounting for example. Which arguably is the case anyway. I know of companies that thave bought Vogon simply because they are the 'oldest and biggest' ,a kind of 'never get fired for buying IBM' mentality.Having said this I am sure you will find just as many clients being turned off the large providers as are turned on!

There will always be room for the good companies be they boutique or global service orientated. Its about standards and good practice.

With regards to standards, well another thread is quite comprehensive on this but I cant see the Ibas/Vogon entity wanting to change the way things are done. Like most other companies they are staffed with lots of ex LE personnel, indeed one actually was invloved in writing the original ACPO guidelines. So it wouldnt make sense to 'reinvent the wheel'

well tuppence worth over.

cheers

Chris

as an aside if anyone is in the least bit interested I happen to think that Ibas are an extremely good CF outfit with some excellent expertise at hand right across Europe. Mind you I would say that……another beer Simon owes me )

 
Posted : 10/08/2005 11:38 am
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