The growing prevalence of widely publicized data breaches is sparking a change in the attitudes of business leaders and consumers when it comes to cybersecurity. Board members and the C-suite can no longer ignore the drastic impact a data breach has on company reputation, and consumers are demanding more communication and remedies from businesses after a data breach occurs. As a result, the topic is a high priority facing businesses and regulators in 2015. The Experian Data Breach Resolution group serviced more than 3,000 breaches in 2014, the most in more than a decade of handling breach resolution. While our data breach services and identity protection products assist companies after a breach has occurred, our experience and insights help companies beforehand to plan and better protect their reputations in the aftermath. Today, it’s not just about upgrading your security technologies. What can benefit companies the most is learning from others – both best practices and their mistakes in handling a breach. It’s the small nuances that make a big difference, such as when to communicate the breach news and what to include in the notification to affected parties. Another important step is to keep abreast on what is happening in the cybersecurity industry from the latest malware to hit or what is the best identity protection product on the market for consumers. Knowing what’s coming, including regulatory changes, can impact the development of a response plan, too. That’s one reason resources, such as our 2015 Second Annual Data Breach Industry Forecast, are valued by companies striving to stay ahead of the curve. The paper addresses a number of risks that companies should be aware of, such as the increasing use of the cloud, lack of employee security training and the fresh breach “surface” created via the Internet of Things. My comments and predictions are meant to be a guiding light for our clients and others to use in advocating preparedness as they lead their organizations into the New Year. ”Insights into Action” is a mantra we follow, as well. As we noticed payment card breaches increasing in frequency and volume, we assessed how our products might provide even more robust protection to breach victims. This led to our collaboration with BillGuard, a mobile app for payment card monitoring that is now part of our Experian’s ProtectMyID® suite of features. Delivering valuable information and data to empower and drive businesses is the core of what we do at Experian. Our Data Breach Industry Forecast is a great example of that, and I encourage you to take action – and download it.

How does Experian use data to help people get a firmer steer on their financial lives? In this film, our Experian CreditExpert customer Claire Barron tells us how we helped her get back on her feet, and we look at what’s next for our Consumer Services business.

In Marketing Services, we help our clients understand consumers and communicate in the right way, to the right people. This film reveals how we’re helping global charity phenomenon Movember and Europe’s biggest attractions company, Merlin, to make better marketing decisions.

This film looks at how we’re helping client to expand banking services to new customers. It also uncovers how our expertise in software and analytics are helping financial services providers overcome some of their biggest challenges by making sound lending decisions.

Experian has been named a Top Workplace by the Orange County Register. This award means something special to us. We work really hard at making Experian a workplace where people feel good about spending their time. As you can imagine, this isn’t something that’s easy to measure. Being named as a “Top Workplace” is based on employee’s opinions of their employers. The award validates that what we’re doing is working. It validates that Experian employees enjoy coming to work and like how things are going. When we’re successful with our efforts to create a positive work environment, that’s a big deal. It’s important because it has a positive impact on our employees, consumers, our clients, and our community. WHAT THE AWARD MEANS FOR EMPLOYEES This Top Workplace recognition validates our purpose. People associate Experian with credit reporting, and that’s at our core. However, today we offer so much more. We use Big Data for good, combining it with technology and data scientists to fuel insights that help solve some of the most vexing public, societal and corporate challenges. Experian employees come to work knowing what we do is good for our economy, good for people and good for society. … AND FOR CONSUMERS We manage more than 220 million consumer credit files which brings with it an enormous responsibility. As part of that responsibility, we have created a culture of commitment at Experian – a commitment to help consumers as they learn about credit, use their credit and build and manage their credit profiles. … AND FOR OUR CLIENTS Our team likes what they do and who they work with. We care about doing a good job because we’re invested in both the organization and the work we do. We know that if our employees are happy, there’s a good chance our clients will be happy too. … AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY Last year, Experian employees spent more than 24,000 hours in volunteer time for its worldwide philanthropy partners, helping contribute $6.9 million. In North America, Experian employees raised more than $319,000 and volunteered 4,734 hours. Experian employees in our North America Headquarters in Costa Mesa, Calif., contributed to important local causes such as CHOC and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. We are honored to once again be named a Top Workplace by the Orange County Register. This honor is a reflection of our commitment to excellence and longstanding tradition of creating an enriching and rewarding work environment that benefits our clients, consumers, communities and most importantly our team members.

Today, Experian operates across a number of different industry sectors known as Verticals. The US Automotive sector is a trillion dollar industry. Experian Automotive provides services to every part of the industry; manufacturers, lenders and dealers. In this film, we take a look at how our data can enable car dealerships to identify new customers and match them up with the right vehicle that they can afford.

Why is Experian so vital to economic life? This film explores the role our Brazilian Credit Services business has played in a rapidly growing economy, and looks at the impact we’re having on businesses and consumers in Australia with the introduction of Positive Data.

Do you already have a plan for your holiday shopping game this year? A recent study commissioned by Experian Consumer Services shows that spending confidence continues to recover, with 11 percent of those surveyed saying they anticipate spending more than they did last year on holiday gifts. Respondents plan to spend an average of $757.57 this year, up from $721.96 in 2013. People may be planning to spend more this season, but their means of payment won’t come as a surprise. A dramatic majority (82 percent) planned to purchase either with their credit cards or via a layaway plan this year. Still others (59 percent) plan to pay for their holiday gifts in cash this year, while only 17 percent plan to open a store credit card as a part of their holiday payment plan. While there will certainly be lots of sweaters, games, toys and ties under the tree, just under half of respondents plan to give either an experiential or DIY gift this year (45 percent). A quarter of those surveyed are planning to align a major purchase with their holiday gifting strategy, to truly make this a holiday to remember, while more than a third plan to make merry and gift themselves with a treat (37 percent). Is your spending plan ready for winter? “Oftentimes, people happily overspend in December, only to feel overwhelmed in January when their credit card statements arrive,” said Becky Frost, senior manager of consumer education at Experian Consumer Services. Don’t throw away the good spending behaviors you may have challenged yourself with simply because it’s the end of the year. Be realistic and specific with your budgeting to help avoid overspending, and to keep your priorities in check. For tips on holiday spending this year, see our helpful infographic below. You can also view the complete survey results and methodology here: This article is provided for general guidance and information. It is not intended as, nor should it be construed to be, legal, financial or other professional advice. Please consult with your attorney or financial advisor to discuss any legal or financial issues involved with credit decisions. Published by permission from ConsumerInfo.com, Inc., an Experian company. © 2014 ConsumerInfo.com, Inc. All rights reserved.

Experian Marketing Services’ senior vice president of global marketing, Ashley Johnston, was named the winner of a Gold Stevie® Award for Woman of the Year in Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations at the 11th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business on Friday, Nov. 14, in New York City. Johnston was also recognized with a Silver Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year for Business Services Companies with more than 2,500 employees. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business are the world’s top honors for female entrepreneurs, executives, employees and the organizations they run. All individuals and organizations worldwide are eligible to submit nominations – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. The 2014 awards received entries from 22 nations and territories. More than 1,200 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in more than 90 categories, including Entrepreneur of the Year, Executive of the Year, Company of the Year, Mentor of the Year, Women Helping Women, and Communications Campaign of the Year, among others. “This is a well-deserved honor for Ashley and a testament to her ability to inspire and empower our organization to have a positive impact each and every day,” said Matt Seeley, president, North America, Experian Marketing Services. “Throughout the 12 years she’s been with Experian, Ashley’s initiatives have accelerated Experian Marketing Services’ go-to-market strategy globally and evangelized our employees around our brand while also placing our clients directly in the center of our business and growth.” Over the past year, Johnston successfully led a global initiative to bring Experian Marketing Services’ portfolio, go-to-market strategy, culture and client base under a single, consistent global brand, for the first time. As a key part of this initiative Johnston introduced progressive and differentiated programs focused on driving lead generation, client engagement, awareness and sales-enablement support. Most notably, Johnston led the recent launch of the Experian Marketing Suite, a comprehensive, end-to-end marketing solution that enables brands to create and deliver authentic customer experiences every time, in any channel and via any device. The Marketing Suite showcases the power of Experian Marketing Services’ portfolio, which previously had been siloed into four business units, dozens of products, distinct client sets and cultures. Expressing her gratitude, Johnston added, “It’s an honor to be recognized alongside such an impressive roster of accomplished and exceptional women from countries around the world. This award is evidence of the success story of the Experian Marketing Services business and the talent of my team that continues to inspire me each and every day.” Experian Marketing Services was recognized with four Stevie Awards during the 2014 American Business Awards, all for work that Johnston and her team spearheaded, including the Client Summit, The 2014 Digital Marketer: Benchmark and Trend Report, a global internal communications campaign and the cross-channel marketing platform. Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word for “crowned,” the awards were presented to winners Friday night during a dinner event attended by more than 400 people at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. The presentations were broadcast live across the U.S.A., and simulcast around the world, by Biz Talk Radio, and will be featured in a television special on Biz TV in January. Stevie Award winners were selected by more than 160 executives worldwide who participated in the judging process this year.