Security leadership for scaling startups

Fractional CISO & board advisory services for Series A-C companies (50-500 employees)

Security in a growth organisation can be complex, but it should not be difficult.

Built security at Adyen from zero to a public listing and banking licenses in the world's biggest economies.

Not sure whether to hire or use fractional?


Answer five questions to find out
Night launch of Space Shuttle

Featured thinking

Security Leadership
How to make your first security hire and not regret it

The hire that succeeds isn't just about finding the right person but about being ready for them.

Security Team
Is my security team drowning? What can I do about it?

The signs were there months ago. Here's how to read them, and what your options actually are.

Outcomes we've delivered

Series C Fintech
We had a problem with our head of security, and Peter helped us understand what we could do about it. In the end he coordinated a recruitment program for a permanent CISO, provided security continuity and ensured that the new employee was a success in the role.
CEO, Fintech Startup
Series A SaaS
To make our first key enterprise sales, we had promised our clients a SOC2 report, but were in the weeds about how to do it, and make it sustainable for our business. Peter workshopped with us to explain what we needed to do and what our risks were going forward and made sure that the team were able to do the work that was necessary.
CTO, SaaS Startup
Series D Fintech
Security is tough in a rapidly changing business. When I was told that we would be hiring a Fractional CISO, I worried that I was out. Instead he helped us with understanding needs, communicating to stakeholders, taking stress away by prioritising better and anticipating what's coming next.
Head of Security, Fintech Startup

This is for you if:

You're scaling (50-500 people)

  • Product-market fit achieved
  • Security is becoming a blocker
  • You need a security leader but hiring doesn't make sense yet

Your customers are asking

  • Enterprise buyers want security details
  • Questionnaires are taking weeks to answer
  • You need SOC2 or compliance certification

This probably isn't a fit if:

You're pre-product, bootstrapped, or have a dedicated full-time security team already. We focus on companies with real customers and real security challenges.

Our approach

Security failures at startups are rarely due to malice. They're usually simple mistakes, poor visibility, or decisions made without full context. We help you build organisations where smart security decisions happen by default.

We work as your security advisor — making strategic decisions with your leadership team, helping your engineers build securely, and getting your organisation audit-ready when needed.

What we do

  • Fractional CISO
    2-4 days per month. Strategic security leadership, decision-making, vendor management, and representation to customers and board.
  • Security assessment
    Understanding your current state, identifying gaps, and creating a realistic roadmap aligned with your business goals.
  • Incident response & forensics
    When something goes wrong, we help you respond appropriately and learn from what happened.
  • Product security
    Working with your team to ensure the security characteristics of your product meet customer and regulatory requirements, built in from the start rather than bolted on later.
  • Board advisory
    Helping founders and boards understand security risk, compliance timelines, and investment decisions.

Pricing: £5-10k per month for typical fractional CISO engagements (2-4 days/month). Assessment and advisory work quoted separately based on scope.

Latest thinking

Home
Security Leadership
How to make your first security hire and not regret it

The hire that succeeds isn't just about finding the right person but about being ready for them.

Home
Security Leadership
Security leadership is an executive function, not a technical one

It requires business judgment, communication skill, and technical credibility in roughly equal measure. Here's how to recognise it.

ALL ARTICLES →

Let's talk

If this resonates, book a 30-minute conversation. We'll discuss where you are, what's keeping you up at night, and whether working together makes sense.

Book a conversation