Wotton Kearney has launched WK Advisory as part of its expansion into non-legal advisory services to meet growing client demand for proactive risk, cyber and regulatory guidance. 

Initially, WK Advisory will be focused on building a Cyber, Data and Technology (CDT) Advisory practice designed to help organisations anticipate, prepare for, and respond to a growing number of risks across cyber security, privacy, regulation and operational resilience.

Wotton Kearney has recruited experienced senior cyber and technology experts to lead the CDT Advisory practice, which will sit alongside and complement Wotton Kearney’s legal business. 

Matt O’Keefe has been appointed Head of Advisory – Cyber, Data and Technology and brings more than 25 years’ experience advising boards and executive teams across Asia Pacific on cyber risk, technology governance and digital strategy. Prior to joining Wotton Kearney, he was KPMG’s Asia Pacific Cyber Security leader and a member of KPMG’s Global Cyber leadership team.

Matt will be based in Melbourne and will work closely with former Deloitte cyber specialist Josh Simonis, as Wotton Kearney makes a major move to support clients across the full cyber risk cycle – from preparing clients to avoid cyber attacks, to managing an attack if it occurs – and significantly extending its data and technology advisory services.

Wotton Kearney Chief Executive Partner, David Kearney, said the fast-growing firm’s expansion was driven by client demand and its new model reflects a growing convergence between legal services and advisory capability as organisations navigate digital transformation, heightened regulation and evolving threat landscapes.

“Wotton Kearney is evolving. For more than two decades, we’ve worked hard to build Asia-Pacific’s leading insurance and risk legal business. But we’ve never stopped looking for new ways to assist our clients,” David said.

“This announcement signals our ongoing expansion from an insurance and risk dispute resolution firm to an insurance and risk legal and advisory business – with capabilities designed to complement and elevate our core strengths.”

“Clients are facing increasingly complex risk environments, particularly in cyber, data and regulatory compliance. WK Advisory enables us to support clients earlier in the risk lifecycle and provide a genuine end-to-end service.”

“Cyber, Data and Technology is the first step in our Advisory business expansion, and there will be further advisory pillar announcements to the benefit of our clients as business risks continue to expand.” David said.

Matt said he was looking forward to growing and shaping the new practice.

“I’m excited by the opportunity for entrepreneurialism at Wotton Kearney. Having grown the practice at KPMG over the past 25 years to more than 1,500 people in twelve countries, I’m looking forward to taking advantage of the opportunities available in such a dynamic environment.”

“Regulatory obligations continue to elevate Board and executive responsibility,” Matt said. “Organisations are no longer asking whether a cyber incident will occur, but when.”

Founded in 2002, Wotton Kearney now has 100 partners and more than 500 legal professionals across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand.

For media enquiries, please contact Anja Vogel, Head of Marketing and Communications.