Brian Boyd (Cism) Email & Phone Number

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

After taking our consultancy team to the next stage and enhancing delivery operations as Head of Technical Delivery, I transitioned back to my role as Principal Consultant. This move refocused my efforts on assisting clients in strengthening their defences against evolving cyber threats.Drawing on my extensive experience in orchestrating large-scale security programmes and developing consultancy frameworks, I have adopted a more strategic approach to client interactions. I partner closely with organisations to scrutinise their existing security setups, pinpoint vulnerabilities, and craft tailored solutions that bolster their defences and resilience against cyber-attacks. My primary aim is to enhance organisational resilience, helping clients navigate and mitigate risks to maintain operations amidst escalating threats.In this role, I engage with senior leadership and board-level executives to conduct thorough security assessments and devise clear, actionable strategies. I assist clients in formulating three-year, costed plans for security enhancement, aligning their cybersecurity expenditures with regulatory mandates and strategic business objectives.Returning to a client-facing position has enabled me to leverage my deep technical expertise and leadership acumen to effectuate significant security enhancements across various industries. By emphasising resilience, I equip businesses not just to tackle present threats but to lay a strong foundation for future security challenges.

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

During a dedicated period as Head of Technical Delivery at i-confidential, I transitioned from my Principal Consultant role to focus on expanding the organisation’s consultancy team and service offerings. My primary goal was to enhance technical delivery capabilities, align the consultancy’s growth with market demands, and strengthen client relationships.Key responsibilities included overseeing the recruitment, training, and mentoring of new consultants, effectively doubling the size of the consultancy team. I spearheaded initiatives to refine and broaden service offerings, ensuring they remained competitive and aligned with the evolving security needs of our clients.Through strategic leadership and collaboration, we achieved significant growth, with consultancy sales increasing notably during my tenure. I also took on the management of high-value projects, ensuring that our technical delivery standards were met across all engagements, while maintaining strong client satisfaction.In addition to driving sales and team growth, I was responsible for developing and refining operational processes, ensuring effective resource management, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the consultancy. This experience provided me with a broader understanding of organisational leadership, complementing my technical and client-facing expertise.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

In my role, I collaborated with clients, ranging from Blue Chip UK companies to large international financial institutions, helping them assess and strengthen their security posture. I was instrumental in guiding them to understand their current security environment, manage risks, and address any areas that fell outside their risk appetite.I ensured that clients received tailored, efficient solutions aligned with their specific security needs, providing strategic advice directly to senior stakeholders, including board-level executives. My work involved developing i-confidential products that delivered actionable insights, enabling clients to maximise the value of their security investments.I designed and implemented security solutions to tackle complex challenges, whether responding to particular threats or regulatory requirements. I also conducted comprehensive security assessments, delivering clear, actionable reports that were accessible to both technical teams and board members, ensuring alignment on the steps needed to mitigate risks.In addition, I crafted three-year, costed security improvement programmes, giving clients a strategic roadmap to elevate their security posture over time. My role was focused on simplifying complex security issues, ensuring that stakeholders at all levels could grasp the critical elements of their organisation's security landscape.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Head of Security Architecture RoleIn my role as Head of Security Architecture, I led a team of technical security experts to ensure a secure operating environment for both staff and customers. A key achievement was overseeing the successful integration of two departments, comprising over 250 people, into a cohesive new operating model that enhanced operational efficiency and alignment with the bank's security objectives.Key responsibilities included:Defining the Security Architecture Operations Model to streamline processes and improve security governance.Developing and implementing security frameworks and artefacts that aligned with the bank's strategy, driving long-term resilience and compliance.Leading the delivery of a Security Innovation Service, designed to support strategic security initiatives and drive forward-looking risk management.Collaborating with senior colleagues across various functions to develop a holistic security strategy, embedding a ‘secure by default’ culture across the bank.Identifying control gaps and delivering cost-effective, proportionate solutions to address both current and emerging threats.Ensuring compliance with key standards such as SOX and PCI DSS, while also tracking bank-wide technology initiatives to incorporate complementary security measures.Managing a £6m programme to deliver security enhancements, ensuring alignment with the bank’s Agile delivery framework and cloud delivery standards.Spearheading the delivery of the new Security Operating Model, setting best practices for security design, deployment, and operational consistency.My leadership helped establish a stronger, more resilient security posture across the bank, ensuring that security remained at the forefront of all technology initiatives.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

As Head of IT Security, I led a team of approximately 90 professionals responsible for delivering comprehensive IT security services across the bank's global infrastructure. My role involved ensuring these services were clearly defined, measurable, and aligned with key performance indicators and SLAs, covering all critical outward-facing operations.I was accountable for introducing changes to the IT security infrastructure while ensuring compliance with architectural standards and operational principles. This included leading initiatives to continuously improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the IT security operating model, with a strong focus on enhancing service provision and customer experience.In addition to overseeing technical security operations, I played a pivotal role in thought leadership, engaging with the wider security community and driving security strategy across global teams. I ensured technical leadership was consistent across team and regional boundaries, fostering collaboration and a unified approach to security challenges.A key part of my role was managing third-party supplier relationships, ensuring fiscal responsibility and operational effectiveness. I also maintained a strong focus on compliance, ensuring the bank met all necessary audit requirements and external standards, such as SOX and PCI DSS.Through proactive leadership in risk management and the optimisation of tools, processes, and resources, I embedded a risk-based culture within the teams. My goal was to maximise the bank's security capabilities while operating within financial constraints and ensuring a high standard of security service delivery.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

I was accountable for ensuring my team provided strategic guidance to large-scale IT transformation projects, embedding security from the ground up. After initially joining in a security consultancy capacity, I was asked to take on a larger role managing the global team within 9 months, reflecting my leadership in driving key security initiatives.I led the development and execution of the Global IT Security Strategy, creating a 5-year roadmap and investment plan that aligned security efforts with the bank’s long-term goals. My role also involved managing the global Advisory Services team, delivering technical security solutions, risk assessments, and ongoing assurance to high-profile, multi-million-pound projects.Additionally, I led a team of consultants within the Cyber Security Practice, providing expert security consultancy to various infrastructure projects. I acted as the liaison between policy owners and implementation teams, ensuring that security policies were consistently applied across all regions.One of my key achievements was overseeing the successful delivery of CBEST testing, ensuring the bank's resilience against sophisticated cyber threats.I introduced a structured methodology to handle security advice requests, allowing the team to respond flexibly to both large projects and ad-hoc queries. By building strong relationships with IT leadership and stakeholders, I improved technical security across the bank and provided clear evaluations and recommendations on new technologies.As part of the global IT Security management team, I collaborated with peers to create a cohesive end-to-end security function, while also managing third-party IT suppliers to ensure best value and successful Proof of Concept initiatives.

Accountability for design and standards of the distributed Web Services estate.Owner for the Technical Journey (tactical and strategic) for the web platform and Application Infrastructure Services.Management of team of 4 looking at distributed design and standards over multiple platform areas including mobility, desktop and security.

Support of the web services estate.Problem and incident resolution.

Service ManagementDesktop and Messaging support Lan Administration