EN
SQSecurity Strategy & Programme Leadership
Define your security vision, risk appetite, multi-year roadmap and investment priorities — and own the programme end-to-end, aligned to your business objectives.
Advisory & Governance
Virtual CISO (vCISO)
Your dedicated security leader, without the full-time cost.
Security StrategyBoard ReportingRegulatory ComplianceRisk Governance
Why it matters
The business case for a Virtual CISO
Most organisations that need a CISO can't afford one full-time. The vCISO model gives you board-level security leadership, regulatory oversight and a documented security programme — at a fraction of the cost.
- Boards and insurers demand named security accountability — not a shared responsibility with IT
- NIS2, DORA & GDPR require documented security programmes with designated leadership
- A vCISO brings Big Four calibre leadership at a retainer cost — not a permanent hire
€200K+
average fully-loaded cost of a CISO in Western Europe — beyond most mid-market budgets
Robert Half Tech Salary Guide 202460%
of organisations without a CISO have no documented security strategy or roadmap
Ponemon InstituteNIS2
Art. 21 requires organisations to designate security leadership accountable to senior management
NIS2 Directive 2022/2555What we do
How we help
We provide a named senior security leader as your Virtual CISO — embedded in your organisation on a flexible retainer, acting as your full-time CISO across every security domain.
Board & Executive Reporting
Translate security risk into business language: monthly risk dashboards, quarterly security reviews, incident briefings and regulatory posture reports — all board-ready.
Regulatory Compliance & Audit Oversight
Own the compliance programme for NIS2, DORA, GDPR, ISO 27001 and sector regulations. Lead audit preparation and manage regulatory relationships.
Security Operations & Vendor Oversight
Oversee your security team, managed service providers and vendors — defining KPIs, SLAs, escalation paths and budget.
Our approach
What your vCISO does each month
Week 1
Governance & Risk
Risk register, policy exceptions, KPIs and patching status.
- Risk register review
- Policy & exception management
- Security KPIs & metrics
- Regulatory change monitoring
Week 2
Compliance & Regulatory
NIS2 / DORA / GDPR status, evidence and supplier risk.
- Compliance status tracking
- Audit evidence review
- Third-party risk review
- ISO 27001 control effectiveness
Week 3
Operations & Incidents
Incident debriefs, SOC performance and testing findings.
- Incident lessons learned
- SOC / MDR performance
- Pen test & vulnerability findings
- Awareness & training status
Week 4
Board & Leadership
Executive reporting, roadmap and next-month priorities.
- Executive risk report
- Board / audit committee briefing
- Roadmap & budget review
- Next-month planning
Deliverables: Monthly risk dashboard · Board report · Compliance status · Roadmap updates
Engagement options
Choose the depth that fits
Essential
For organisations taking their first steps in structured security governance.
- Monthly risk register review
- Quarterly board security report
- Core policy framework
- NIS2 / GDPR compliance status
- Named vCISO + deputy contact
Standard
For organisations with active security programmes needing senior leadership.
- Everything in Essential
- Weekly governance cadence
- Vendor & SOC oversight
- Audit preparation & evidence
- Regulatory liaison (NIS2, DORA)
Enterprise
For regulated or complex organisations requiring deep embedded leadership.
- Everything in Standard
- Board & audit committee attendance
- ISO 27001 programme leadership
- M&A / third-party risk oversight
- 24/7 incident escalation access
Pain points we address
Sound familiar?
Can't afford a full-time CISO
A CISO costs €150–250K+ in salary alone. A vCISO delivers the same capability at 20–30% of the cost.
The board has no security visibility
Without a named leader producing board-ready reports, security risk is invisible to the people most accountable for it.
No documented strategy or roadmap
Decisions are ad hoc and tools are bought without a programme. Regulators and auditors ask for a roadmap first.
Regulatory obligations with no named owner
NIS2, DORA and GDPR all require designated security accountability at leadership level.
Security is reactive, not strategic
Nobody is asking “are we investing in the right things?” A vCISO shifts security from reaction to strategy.
Why SquareVertex.AI
What you get with us
Big Four & blue-chip pedigree
Our vCISOs have held security leadership roles at Big Four firms and blue-chip organisations, presenting to boards and leading regulatory audits.
A named senior leader
Not a rotating team of analysts — you get continuity, accountability and someone who knows your organisation and regulators.
Full technical depth behind the governance
Your vCISO can call on our AppSec, SOC, IAM, OT, testing and data security teams, so recommendations are deliverable.
Albania & EU regulatory expertise
Albanian Law 17/2023, AKSK requirements, Bank of Albania expectations and EU accession criteria — alongside NIS2, DORA and GDPR.
Flexible — 4 days to fully embedded
Start with Essential and scale as your programme matures. 30-day notice, no long lock-in.
Free first step
Start with a free CISO Health Check
In 60 minutes we'll review your security governance posture, identify the top three gaps a CISO would address immediately, and recommend the right retainer tier.
Related services
Often combined with
Security Governance, Risk & Compliance
NIS2, DORA, GDPR, ISO 27001 and Albanian Law 17/2023 — from gap assessment to audit-ready.
Learn moreApplication Security & DevSecOps
Threat modelling, SAST/DAST/SCA, pipeline security gates and AI-driven posture management.
Learn moreCloud Security & Architecture
Secure-by-design landing zones, CSPM, Kubernetes and workload protection across AWS, Azure and GCP.
Learn more