printer friendly version

Editor's note

Welcome to this the August issue of Hi-Tech Security Solutions. Coming off the back of a highly successful Securex 2008, it has been a month of product launches, news, acquisitions and events, much of which we will report back on in our next issue.

This month too, after more than four years of putting together Hi-Tech Security Solutions, and associated annual handbooks, we say farewell to Lynne Larsen, who has left Technews, moving on to start her own business in the world of marketing and communications. Lynne has done a fine job in growing Hi-Tech Security Solutions over the last few years, and we wish her well in her new endeavours. From the Technews team, a hearty ‘thank you’ for your contributions to both Hi-Tech, and to the industry at large over the last four years.

Welcome

As with all farewells, there are inevitably new faces, and on that note I am delighted to introduce you to Andrew Seldon, previously editor on Technews’ ICT titles. After some 13 years in IT related journalism, Andrew has made the move across to Hi-Tech Security Solutions, just in time to take charge of its ambitions in reflecting the convergence challenges the industry as a whole faces.

Andrew Seldon

To understand what makes Andrew tick, and to appreciate the value that he will bring to Hi-Tech Security Solutions, allow me to take you back along a brief résumé of Andrew’s career.

With a BSc in Computer Science, Andrew commenced his working career as a programmer in a large insurance company. He then accepted a position running the support department for a medium-sized company in Sandton before joining Systems Publishers as a technology journalist on what was then Computer Week.

He attained the position of deputy editor for Computer Week before moving to Cape Town to take up the editorship of SA Computer Magazine. Next, after establishing SA Computer Magazine the best-selling consumer orientated IT magazine in Africa, Andrew accepted the position of editor for Computer Reseller News (CRN) with Systems Publishers after which he spent two years in the PR industry.

Yukom Medien, a publishing house based in Munich, Germany, offered Andrew the position of editor where he spent two years working on various customer publications for companies such as Siemens, Fujitsu Siemens, ZF Friedrichshafen, ASC Telecoms and Corning Cable Systems.

On returning to South Africa in late 2002, Andrew joined Technews as the editor of Network Times and Computer Business Review (CBR), the roles of which he has held down for the last six years.

Apart from IT-related work, Andrew has also taught high school mathematics as part of a volunteer programme to adults who had not been able to complete their schooling due to political factors. In addition, in June 2002 he was also asked to be a guest lecturer in the Total Quality Management (TQM) course in the Excellence Masters Programme at the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany.

So there you have it ... a new era for the magazine. Probably for the industry. Exciting times, and no doubt challenging times, in equal measure.

I am convinced that you will value the infusion of technical insight that Andrew will undoubtedly bring to Hi-Tech in the months and years to come. Welcome aboard Andrew.

Darren Smith

Managing director, Technews

Share this article:

Further reading: