CloserStill

CloserStill Media specialises in high-value, content-driven events and the nurturing of B2B or professional communities. The company operates in business technology, healthcare, future transport and infrastructure and learning, HR and education with events in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong and Singapore. Its portfolio includes some of the fastest-growing and often award-winning events, including Tech Show London, Learning Technologies, London Vet Show and Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe. 

Over the past 15 years, the business has grown rapidly from a 10-person UK team into an 850-strong international organisation, heavily reliant on reliable and secure technology infrastructure. But, as Rich Center, IT Director at CloserStill Media, explained, without a dedicated CISO, the cybersecurity strategy was largely reactive rather than being driven by a long-term, structured plan.  

“Our team was too small to justify a full-time CISO, and as a result, we were doing our best to meet the recommendations coming out of our annual audits. But without a formal strategy in place, it was difficult to maintain consistency or ensure we were addressing the bigger picture.” 

At the same time, the business was also supporting an increasingly complex global infrastructure as it opened new offices and made acquisitions. This had a knock-on effect on the importance of cybersecurity and, as Center explained, “as the company got bigger, the stakes got higher.” 

Turning audit pressure into strategic progress 

To deliver the strategic insight and technical cybersecurity expertise they required, CloserStill turned to Node4, whose consultancy and managed services experience was a natural fit. The process began with a security assessment followed by a structured process to evaluate the company’s infrastructure, define risk appetite and build out a business-aligned plan that could guide long-term decision-making. 

“We went through everything, from what we had and what was important to how we managed it,” said Center. “The Node4 team then helped us turn that into something we could actually use to drive progress.” 

The strategy covered a broad set of priorities, from audit log management and cloud security to user training and business continuity and was developed through a series of collaborative workshops. As part of the process, Node4 helped interpret audit requirements and establish realistic targets for improvement. “The process was vital to frame the right questions and align everyone on the level of risk we were willing to accept,” said Center. “It also gave us something concrete we could share internally and take to the board.” 

With the plan in place, CloserStill was able to act quickly on key issues. This included implementing a new SIEM solution built on Microsoft Sentinel and delivered as a managed service, giving the CloserStill team 24/7 monitoring across its global infrastructure without the overhead of building a round-the-clock function in-house.  

Drawing further on the support of Node4, CloserStill was able to address other priorities, including the implementation of an improved audit log management and tailored training for specific teams. “Things that had previously felt vague or unclear suddenly became very straightforward,” Center added. “Node4 showed us exactly what was needed and how to get it done.” 

Building resilience and long-term value 

With its cybersecurity strategy embedded and supported by Node4 managed services, CloserStill is now operating with greater visibility, clarity and confidence. For the IT team, the ability to demonstrate a structured, externally validated plan has helped secure board-level support and unlock additional budget. “When you can show that professionals have assessed your landscape and made specific recommendations, it becomes a much easier conversation,” said Center. 

Operationally, the shift from reactive audit responses to a proactive roadmap has enabled the team to engage more effectively with other departments and ensure cybersecurity becomes part of wider business planning. The strategy is now used internally to prioritise improvements and track progress year-on-year. 

Around-the-clock monitoring has also strengthened the team’s ability to manage a global infrastructure. With Microsoft Sentinel and Node4’s managed SIEM service in place, alerts around unusual activity are flagged and actioned immediately, even when teams in the London HQ are offline. “It’s massively reassuring to know someone else is watching the environment 24/7,” said Center. “With teams operating in Asia, the US and Europe, having a second set of eyes on the environment at all times has made a real difference.” 

Above all, CloserStill’s partnership with Node4 has helped reinforce the importance of IT and cybersecurity within the organisation. “It’s allowed us to present ourselves across the business as a team that’s on top of cybersecurity, with a roadmap and the right support to deliver on it,” said Center. 

Read more about…

SEE MORE ON OUR BLOG

Cloud Company

CARE International

Node4 is delighted to have provided a Cloud strategy for CARE International

Case Study

Connectivity Retail

Footasylum

Footaslyum was established in 2005 and now covers over 60 high street stores across the UK. The retailer has made its name as a leading brand selling fashion street wear and sportswear.

Case Study

Nuffield Health

Node4 Gets Nuffield Health Fighting Fit with an Azure Migration and Lean Cloud-First Strategy.

Case Study