At Inchcape Shipping Services (Inchcape), he faced a monumental challenge: securing a global maritime giant without the friction of legacy silos. Inchcape manages approximately 90,000 port calls annually across more than 250 offices in over 60 countries.

Before partnering with ThreatSpike, Inchcape’s security environment was fragmented. Lee’s team relied on a mix of legacy vendors that didn’t communicate, resulting in limited visibility and a lack of true 24/7 Managed SOC coverage. Symantec MSS alerts were technical but lacked context; they would flag a threat without providing a roadmap for remediation all while costing the company a premium.

The Critical Requirement: Solving the Web Filtering Crisis

For a global maritime leader like Inchcape, web filtering is a critical operational requirement, but legacy methods often trade connectivity for security. Inchcape initially attempted to use Bluecoat, which relied on traditional cloud-proxy tunnelling. 

This method struggled with Inchcape’s complex global routing; for instance, employees in the Netherlands were being routed through US-based gateways, breaking local services like Google and causing constant connectivity failures.

Lee needed a solution that could handle thousands of employees across diverse geographies without disrupting business continuity. ThreatSpike succeeded where others failed by utilizing local agent-based inspection. 

By filtering traffic at the endpoint rather than backhauling it through a distant proxy, ThreatSpike ensured seamless, high-speed connectivity regardless of a user’s physical location. This technical shift eliminated the “broken internet” issues while removing the need for standalone filtering contracts costing £50,000 – £70,000 annually.

A Single Pane of Glass: The Platform Search and POC

Lee discovered ThreatSpike through their partner Transputec. While the Proof of Concept (POC) was anchored by the web filtering requirement, it revealed a much larger opportunity for consolidation. 

ThreatSpike allowed Lee to replace an entire fragmented stack including Symantec MSS, Microsoft Defender, and Symantec Endpoint Protection with a Single Pane of Glass.

Lee described the legacy setup as having “20 degrees of vision, 100 feet out.” He had depth in silos but no horizontal visibility. ThreatSpike unified EDR, SOC, and web filtering into one interface, providing the comprehensive, 360-degree environmental visibility that a leader with his experience demands.

Evolution of Security: From Ad Hoc to Pen testing as a service

One of the most significant operational upgrades was the transformation of Inchcape’s security testing. Previously, penetration testing was an ad hoc, quote-by-quote service that was both expensive and limited in scope usually covering only 15 key offices.

Lee transitioned this to ThreatSpike’s PtaaS (Penetration Testing as a Service) solution. This move allowed Inchcape to scale their testing to meet global requirements instantly. Instead of periodic snapshots of a few locations, Lee achieved continuous, scalable testing across all 250+ global offices, ensuring that the entire perimeter is hardened, not just the headquarters.

24/7 Managed Response and Enterprise Retention

For a veteran of both public and private sector security, the shift from “monitoring-only” to “active response” was vital. ThreatSpike’s SOC monitors the Inchcape network around the clock. 

When a threat is detected, the SOC immediately isolates the device often before Lee’s internal team is aware of the incident.

This posture is essential for retaining Inchcape’s blue-chip clients, including major OIl and Gas companies and Liner companies

These organisations demand evidence of a 24/7 Managed SOC and rapid incident response. ThreatSpike provides the certified infrastructure Lee needs to turn security into a competitive advantage during procurement.

The Business Impact

The move to ThreatSpike resulted in net annual savings approaching £100,000, driven by:

• Consolidating EDR and SOC capabilities: Saving £50k+
• Transitioning to PtaaS: Saving £30k while increasing coverage from 15 to 250+ locations.
• Consolidated Web Filtering: Saving £50k–£70k.
• Operational Agility: New features are added at zero additional cost, and analyst onboarding was reduced from 6 months to just 1 month.

“You’re not focusing on budget anymore; you’re focusing on optimizing the service with a partner who is ready to innovate and proactively responds.” Lee Scott, Head of Cyber Security

Eight Years of Partnership

In an industry where suppliers are often cycled annually, the eight-year longevity of the Inchcape and ThreatSpike partnership is a testament to the platform’s reliability.

Lee Scott has found more than a tool; he has found a security partner that scales with the business, providing the enterprise-grade protection that a global maritime leader requires.