Virtual CISO (VISE)
Senior security leadership — without the full-time hire.
A full-time CISO costs £100,000 or more per year. For most professional services firms, that's not the right investment — but having no senior security leadership at all isn't an option either. The Virtual CISO service fills that gap.
On a flexible monthly retainer, I act as your dedicated security lead. I attend board and partner meetings, oversee your risk and compliance position, advise on suppliers and incidents, and make sure your security programme actually moves forward — not just on paper.
What's included:
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Monthly security review and risk update
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Quarterly board or partner meeting attendance
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Policy and procedure oversight and development
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On-call availability for incidents and urgent decisions
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Supplier and third-party security review
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Regulatory and compliance guidance (SRA, ICO, Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001)
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Staff awareness programme oversight
Who is it for:
This service works particularly well for professional services firms — law firms, accountancies, consultancies — that hold sensitive client data, face regulatory scrutiny, and need to demonstrate security governance to clients and insurers, but don't have the scale to justify a full-time CISO.
Engagements run on a 6-month minimum term. Most clients start with a Cyber Security Maturity Assessment so we both understand the landscape before the retainer begins.