Case Study:
Building a Scalable Security Function for a Fast‑Growing Fintech
InvestEngine, a rapidly expanding UK investment platform, was hitting a tipping point. In teh modern era of threats and regulation, cybersecurity needed to evolve into a first-class business function. With ambitious growth targets and a lean internal team, the company required strategic security leadership, but not a full-time CISO. They turned to Muse for a fractional CISO engagement, reporting directly to the CTO and COO, to lay the groundwork for a secure, scalable future.
The Challenge:
Strategic Oversight Without Overhead
The key questions facing InvestEngine:
- How do we go from good security to a structured, defensible posture we can expliain?
- Can we satisfy regulatory and investor expectations without building a full internal security team?
- How do we integrate security into the business rhythm, as an enabler, not a blocker?
With the CTO and COO sponsoring the engagement, Muse’s fractional CISO approach provided the solution: strategic leadership with minimal resource impact.
The Approach:
Fractional CISO + Phased Elevation
Muse kicked off with a thorough discovery phase across people, processes, technology, and culture. Workstreams included:
- CISO Discovery Report aligned with NIST Cybersecurity Framework and FCA expectations
- Board-level cyber metrics for risk visibility and operational resilience
- Security Improvement Plan tailored to the business strategy
- ISO 27001‑compatible policies and controls to establish a sound compliance baseline
- Third-party & data privacy reviews, aligning with business risk functions
- Support for investor/customer due diligence, offering expert testimony on security readiness
This wasn’t just advisory. Muse delivered defensible plans and took active steps to build them into the business.
The Outcome:
Business-Aligned Security in 90 Days
Within the first 30 days:
- Board visibility into cyber risk was established and reported
- Clear risk ownership and escalation paths had been defined
- Security became part of strategic conversations, not just IT tasks
- The Cybersecurity team, provided by Muse is embedded into risk, third party management, customer conversations on security and managing a 24/7 SOC function.
By 90 days:
- Policies, processes, audit trails, and controls were in place and ready for investor scrutiny
- Leadership confidence increased, with visible control and continuity
- Security became a differentiator in B2B sales and fundraising pitches
The result: InvestEngine gained a fit‑for‑purpose security strategy without the full-time CISO cost, and cybersecurity shifted from burden to business enabler.
“Jonathan gave us the strategic clarity and confidence we needed at a critical moment. He dropped in as part of the team, mapped our risks, and built a plan we could action without breaking stride.”
Tom Winterton, Chief Operating Officer, InvestEngine
Insights & Takeaways
- Fractional leadership can deliver board-level strategy with lower overhead
- Formal frameworks (NIST, ISO) often feel heavy right‑size them for speed and fit
- Early board metrics shift security from hidden to visible
- Well-structured security builds trust with regulators, investors, and partners
What’s Next
With a strong foundation established, InvestEngine now progresses to:
- Control validation and operational resilience testing
- Continuous improvements tailored to product growth and expanding regulation
- Capability uplift via mentoring and embedding security practices in-house