Richard Stewart

Critic
DISC Type : C

Head of Security Strategy & Architecture at AJ Bell

Kingston Upon Thames, England, United Kingdom

Overview

Richard Stewart is a cybersecurity leader at AJ Bell with 20 years of experience in enterprise security for regulated sectors. A graduate of the University of Westminster, he specializes in security strategy, cloud adoption, and DevSecOps. Colleagues describe him as pragmatic, patient, and diligent, with certifications including CISSP, CISM, and SABSA.

Outside of his core responsibilities, Richard shows a strong commitment to continuous professional development, actively pursuing new certifications in areas like Microsoft Azure and SailPoint. He is also an advocate for professional well-being within the demanding cybersecurity industry, highlighting the importance of preventing burnout among his peers.

He recently earned both the Microsoft Certified Azure Security Engineer and Cybersecurity Architect Expert certifications in the same year.

Personality Overview

Negotiator

Objective Thinker

Information Seeker

They like to take decisions independently and do not seek others' support often.  Unless the value is proven by data, they are unlikely to value fancy features. They prefer to analyze logically and value objective facts over emotions.

Topics They Care About

Cybersecurity Strategy
He has a 20-year track record of defining and delivering enterprise-wide security strategies in regulated financial and pharmaceutical sectors.
Cloud Security
Holds multiple Microsoft Azure certifications and specializes in helping organizations adopt secure, cloud-native ways of working.
DevSecOps Adoption
Focuses on embedding security into the development lifecycle, helping organizations implement secure, agile, and DevSecOps practices.

Media Appearances

Richard has no verified media appearances

Work History

1-2026
Head of Security Strategy & Architecture at AJ Bell
8-2019 - 9-2025
Director, Security Architecture at GSK
12-2015 - 8-2019
Director, Senior Security Consultant at GSK
3-2012 - 12-2015
Security Manager at AXA
8-2010 - 3-2012
Senior Technical Security Analyst at Royal Bank of Scotland Group

Education

2004 - 2009
Master of Science - MS from University of Westminster
2001 - 2004
Bachelor of Science - BS from University of Westminster

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 20 Location : Kingston Upon Thames, England, United Kingdom Job Level : Mid-senior Designation : Head of Security Strategy & Architecture at AJ Bell
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Insights For Selling To Richard

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Use phrases like ‘expect X% improvement’, ‘data clearly shows’ etc.
  • If you can, show them industry reports or analyst comments instead of sharing anecdotal stories
  • Be ready to answer many clarity-seeking questions and requests for information

DONT's

  • Avoid pushing them too much to involve other stakeholders unless it is critical
  • Avoid phrases like ‘trust me’, ‘others just love’ etc.
  • Don't give superficial answers, they are easily rattled by them

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Richard is

  • Proof of ROI, low pricing and objective proof points are the important factors for them.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Richard

  • They do not mind saying no if they believe that it is the right decision.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Richard move?

  • Their decision-making is neither very fast nor very slow, they are somewhere in between.
  • Can Richard take some risk or not?

  • They can take risks if their analysis shows that it would be worth it.

You And Richard

Personality Compatibility


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