Experience in practice

Case studies

The situation, the decisions and what followed.

These accounts describe Simon's leadership and advisory work, the outcomes supported by each engagement and what remained unresolved. Client details are anonymised where confidentiality requires it.

From an engagement

Reducing dependence on senior pentest consultants

A confidential advisory engagement with a growing cyber security consultancy's offensive security function of approximately 20 testers.

The problem: Delivery and management practices were struggling to keep pace with growth. Sales and scheduling staff chased readiness, while senior technical consultants repeatedly stepped in to resolve client and delivery problems.
The judgment: The friction between teams came from unclear ownership and boundaries. Improving delivery required a shared understanding of responsibilities and stronger internal management.
Simon's responsibility: Simon led the diagnosis, developed a working maturity model, clarified consulting expectations and coached managers. Internal leadership retained responsibility for the management structure and day-to-day decisions.

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Observed results

Less pressure on senior consultants

By the end of an approximately four-month engagement, senior technical consultants were carrying less of the load from client friction and delivery problems.

More effective internal managers

Managers became more visible, took clearer ownership and handled issues that had previously escalated to senior technical staff.

A basis for continued development

The team gained a working maturity model and consulting skills framework to guide further improvement.

Simon's account of an advisory engagement, based on operational observations. The client is anonymised for confidentiality.

From an engagement

Shaping offensive security integration for an investor-backed group

A confidential advisory engagement with a private equity-backed cyber security group bringing together specialist pentest and red-team businesses.

The problem: The acquisition strategy was clear, but the operating model was still taking shape. Different delivery methods, cultures and tools needed to work together without disrupting client work or losing key technical staff.
The judgment: Protecting the acquired capability required attention to people and delivery alongside technology. Standardisation should address material delivery problems, with useful shared capabilities introduced before attempting a complex common platform.
Simon's responsibility: Simon advised the leadership team on integration, staff retention, service delivery, sales handovers and tooling strategy, and produced a paper on AI across the pentest lifecycle.

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Decision and design outcomes

Broader integration priorities

People, delivery and technology were considered together when shaping how the acquired businesses should operate.

Documented risks and actions

Specific staff-retention and delivery risks were documented with concrete leadership actions.

A position on AI and tester oversight

A detailed paper set out how AI could support the pentest lifecycle while retaining experienced human control.

Simon's account of an advisory engagement, based on engagement notes and a paper he produced. The client is anonymised for confidentiality.

From an engagement

Stabilising a pentest team and developing its next leaders

A confidential engagement with a penetration testing company of approximately 20 testers.

The problem: Frequent resignations, inconsistent quality and fragmented communication left capable testers feeling unsupported as work continued to be booked.
The judgment: Further senior recruitment would struggle to succeed unless the conditions in which the team worked changed.
Simon's responsibility: Simon headed the testing function and became the main leadership contact for scheduling, scoping and quality while establishing clearer support and standards.

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Observed results

Greater stability

Voluntary resignations fell from roughly one per month to two during a subsequent twelve-month period.

Broader contribution

More testers supported presales, scoping and a wider range of technical engagements.

Internal leadership

Senior team members began taking on leadership responsibilities, with Simon's involvement reducing from four days a week to two.

An account of Simon's engagement, with the client anonymised. The initial resignation rate is approximate, and work to develop the business continues.

Your team

Discuss the situation you need to change.

Describe the delivery pressure, its consequences and what you have already tried. We can discuss the appropriate support.

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