I have led information security, IT and privacy at hyper-growth unicorn companies, helping them scale past €100m in annual recurring revenue. I have built new functions from scratch and steadied departments that leadership teams were worried about. Now I join a small number of leadership teams part time, to run IT, AI and security efficiently using what I have learned.
Free, confidential, and I am quick to respond.
“Business first, always. IT, AI and security should enhance productivity and help a company grow, not slow it down.”
“A great professional, determined, committed, with exemplary professional ethics, and enviable communication skills.”
These three areas now overlap in almost every growing company. Having one person accountable for all of them means fewer gaps, fewer suppliers and one clear view for your board.
Win customer trust, satisfy investors and regulators, and keep the business running when something goes wrong.
Technology that keeps pace with the company, is easy for staff to use and costs less to run.
Put AI to work where it saves money or wins revenue, with rules your staff understand and follow.
I build with AI, not just advise on it. I am also the co-founder of an AI fintech, where I build, maintain and secure the code, automated workflows and AI infrastructure the business runs on. My advice comes from running AI in production, not from slides.
Talk about AITake one, or combine them. Many clients start with security and add IT or AI as they grow. See services and pricing
Your board does not want a list of controls. It wants to know what security, IT and AI are doing for growth, margin and risk. Every piece of work I do is tied to one of these four objectives.
Protect your brand and image, pass customer security reviews faster and qualify for larger contracts.
Spend less on technology that does the same job, and less time on manual work.
Put money where risk and return justify it, and nowhere else.
Keep the cash you have raised and earned out of the hands of criminals.
If one of these is on your agenda for the next six months, it's worth a conversation now rather than later.
Book a short, free intro callMost companies with 50 to 2,000 or more employees need an experienced leader's judgement, but not five days a week of it. A fractional leader joins your leadership team for a set number of days, owns the outcome, and scales up or down with you.
Often three to six months to recruit, plus notice
€180,000 to €250,000 salary for an experienced CISO, plus bonus, equity and employment overheads
Recruiter fees, relocation, pension, healthcare, benefits, equipment and employer taxes
Usually one specialism, so IT and AI need separate hires
Depends on the budget you can offer
One company's experience
Yes, but a costly mistake if the hire does not work out
Notice periods, severance, internal disruption and a fresh search
Usually within two weeks
From about €4,200 a month for four days
None. One day rate, invoiced monthly
Security, IT and AI from one accountable leader
Led security internationally, including at two unicorns (companies valued at over $1bn)
Regular comparison with peers at other companies
Yes, as part of your leadership team, and as closely involved as you need
Start small, adjust the days as you go, and stop with 30 days' notice after the first three months
Weeks of scoping, proposals and procurement
Partner rates, with junior staff doing much of the work
Expenses, change requests and follow-on projects
Separate teams and separate invoices for each area
Often generic frameworks applied to every client
Views shaped by what the firm wants to sell
Advises, rarely owns the outcome
Locked into a statement of work
No ramp-up on the basics. I've built and scaled these functions before, at companies like yours, and I know which problems to solve first.
You pay for the days you need. No salary, equity or recruiter fee, and the time scales up or down each quarter.
As a member of CISO communities, I compare notes regularly with peers at other companies. You benefit from what is working elsewhere, and what is not.
Where it saves you time or licence cost, I bring my own playbooks, templates, risk register, board reporting pack and much more.
When you are ready for a full-time leader, I help write the role, interview candidates and hand over a function that already works. I can also mentor someone internal to step up, and support them through the transition.
I am not selling software or a follow-on project. You get a clear view of your risks and challenges, and which ones are worth your time and money, measured against your business objectives.
One day rate, whether you need security, IT, AI or all three. Every engagement has a defined scope, a set number of days and named deliverables, so you know what you are buying before we start.
Depending on your company's size, complexity and needs. The same rate whether you need security, IT, AI or a mix of all three.
Ongoing security leadership as part of your executive team: strategy, risk, board and customer reporting, policy, supplier review and incident readiness.
A fractional IT and AI leader to bring tools, suppliers, identity and devices under control, manage technology spend and support growth without adding headcount.
An AI strategy tied to your objectives: where AI can cut cost or grow revenue, a clear use policy, supplier review and readiness for the EU AI Act.
A baseline of where you stand, a costed roadmap, quick wins and a route to ISO 27001 or SOC 2. The usual starting point for a first security leader.
Security and technology due diligence before a round or a deal, on the buy or sell side, and integration planning for after it closes.
Incident leadership, a regulator or customer deadline, or any other business need when time is short.
A two-hour working session with someone from your leadership team, followed by a written one-page view of your top risks, the quickest wins and what they are worth. The fee is credited against any engagement that follows.
A short, candid look at where you stand, through the eyes of your customers, investors and auditors.
A roadmap tied to revenue, cost and risk, with a price and an owner for every item.
I lead the work alongside your team and report to your leadership every month.
Documentation, hires or a lighter retainer, so the function runs without me.
Many growing companies need a security, IT or AI leader before they are ready to hire one permanently. Introduce them to me and I work through you, at a partner rate that leaves room for your margin.
Here is what that looked like in practice, and what I can help your company achieve.
I have seen how he has built from scratch a solid and trusted information security function which acts as a true business partner to the business. He turns tough and complex topics into easy, understandable topics for the business.
“My journey, under no circumstances, would have been the same without James’ support, guidance and mentorship.”
“James has extensive domain knowledge and the necessary business acumen to help drive cyber security as a true enabler.”
“His strategic foresight ensured our security measures were not only effective but sustainable, adapting to the ever-evolving challenges with ease.”
“One of the best Hiring Managers I had the pleasure of working with. Professional, feedback with no BS, and always seeing the potential in people.”
Excerpts from LinkedIn recommendations.
A business-first security and technology leader who has sat on executive teams, reported to boards, and built, grown and transformed IT, AI and security functions.
Adviser to start-ups including Island and Mmtm, and a council member at the Dean Close Foundation. Previously an adviser to Oliva, Metomic and Trustworks.
A published author, with articles on a range of information security and digital forensics topics. One of the first researchers to publish on the application of digital forensics tools and techniques for vehicles. Guest lecturer, and a mentor to the next generation of security leaders.
Business travel, health tech, data analytics, payroll and HR software, consulting, and UK government and defence. Protecting sensitive data for millions of customers and their employees.
View my LinkedIn profile and recommendations
I started my career in UK government, moved into consulting for public and private sector clients, then into security leadership at fast-growing tech companies. I went on to lead global security, IT and privacy functions at Perk (formerly TravelPerk), Hotjar and PayFit.
Along the way I have advised a number of start-ups, and advised the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on the early development of the Cyber Essentials scheme. I am a British citizen based in Barcelona, and I work in English, French and Spanish.
Listed for background. These are no longer current.
Anything else, ask me on the call.
An interim leader works full time for a fixed period, usually to cover a gap. A fractional leader works a set number of days each month over a longer period. I do both, and many clients move from one to the other.
No more than three at a time. It keeps my attention on your priorities and means I can respond quickly when something urgent comes up. If I am fully booked, I will tell you when I next have space.
Most clients use four to eight days a month. Deals, audits and rebuilds can run at two days a week for a set time. We agree the days up front and review them every quarter.
Remotely by default. It keeps your costs down and my time focused on your priorities. When being in the room makes a real difference, such as a board meeting, a leadership offsite or a serious incident, I join you in person by arrangement. I am based in Barcelona on Central European Time, one hour ahead of the UK.
I am an independent business based in Spain and deliver the work from Spain, so the UK off-payroll rules do not normally apply. I work to agreed outcomes, with my own tools and methods, and I am happy to confirm my status for your finance or procurement team.
I invoice in euros. For UK clients, my rates are roughly £900 to £1,300 a day at current exchange rates, and most business bank accounts pay euro invoices easily.
I scope, commission and challenge them, and hold testers and auditors to a high standard. I do not audit my own work, which keeps the results credible for your customers and investors.
Send a short message using the form below and I will get back to you quickly to arrange a call. If there is a fit, I follow up promptly with a one-page scope and a fixed price. Most clients start with a leadership snapshot or the First 90 days.
Thirty minutes, no slides and no obligation. If I am not the right fit, I will say so and point you to someone who is.