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Mike from Mercury, keeping clients safe all across cyberspace

By Mike Keats

Managing Director, Mercury Systems

A moment of realisation at college led to a change in trajectory for Mike Keats. Retraining, well-earned promotions and a healthy dose of hard work have charted a course for the IT professional, now at the helm of Mercury Systems.

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Existing since 1986, Mike became the owner of Mercury Systems at the start of 2023. Overseeing a team of five, he is looking to transition the company from its traditional IT support to proactive, cyber-first IT partnerships with businesses across the South.

The team’s services cover IT, telephony, cloud, security, cyber, and networking. Their job as a team is to break down the often complex world of IT, providing clarity and greater understanding for their clients alongside their first-class support.

Mike first found his passion for IT at college - whilst studying another course entirely…

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"I saw an IT support technician come into college whilst I was studying. I loved the idea of taking apart, repairing and upgrading computer systems like he was doing. I thought “I want a bit of that."

Mike Keats, Managing Director, Mercury Systems

Starting his journey at college, he quickly qualified and found work on the hardware side of IT, fixing and repairing machines.

Moving to Southampton firm Skandia, he wanted to get more hands-on and support people, not just fix machines. Within only a few years, he’d moved to second and third-line roles. Building relationships with all the company’s higher-ups, he was their man on the ground when they needed personal IT support.

All the while, Mike had also been working with a small pool of clients as a consultant on website design, alongside his day-to-day role.

"I was in charge of setting up all the IT equipment for Skandia at Cowes week every year. It was like my baby."

Mike Keats, Managing Director, Mercury Systems

Mike’s clients span a number of industries, but they have a large number of clients in the manufacturing, accounting and construction space. But whatever the industry, they all benefit from the same reliable service that has been responsible for Mercury Systems’ growth over the years.

From day-to-day support, proactive planning and preventative cyber strategy, their priority is the safety of their users online at all times.

The hallmarks of their service are honesty, reliability and clarity. Their clients get the right systems for their needs, have a greater understanding of what they’re using and always have an expert at the other end of the phone line if required.

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A keen golfer, he will hit the course once a week, seeing out Sunday mornings with a full eighteen, before a trip to the nineteenth with friends.

Based in Totton in the New Forest, Mike lives with his wife and two sons.

"We show customers how protected they are, and how protected they could be. Put simply, we help people become safe with their systems, remain secure and get the most out of the tech they invest in."

Mike Keats, Managing Director, Mercury Systems

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