Fractional CIO and CISO for UK businesses

Harben Consulting Ltd works as a fractional CIO and CISO with businesses that need senior governance and security capability beyond what is currently in place.

Engagements typically take the shape of security leadership. The breadth of CIO-level technology governance experience is what differentiates Harben from a pure-play CISO offering.

Most engagements come through managed service providers (MSPs), who introduce Harben to clients where the governance gap warrants senior attention beyond what a productised service can offer.

How engagements are shaped

Engagements are typically retainer-based, running at a steady cadence over the duration of the work. This time is invested in working with teams and stakeholders to understand the business, both from an operational and governance perspective, and to identify ways to support the organisation's needs. The work may take the form of advice, facilitating discussion and workshops, producing documentation, or supporting research and planning, depending on client requirements.

Day-to-day technology operations, engineering, and incident response delivery remain with the client or their MSP. Work is predominantly remote, with on-site presence where the engagement warrants it.

Working alongside MSPs and internal functions

The MSP relationship is designed to be additive. Harben works above the technical delivery layer: the MSP continues to own implementation, engineering, and operational security, and Harben informs what needs to be governed and how accountability should be structured. The arrangement is intended to support the client outcome and complement the MSP's delivery, rather than to challenge it.

Harben's independence sits at the level of advice. Clients are made aware from the outset that Harben is not an MSP employee, and that the experience being engaged is Harben's alone.

Where a client already has a CIO or CISO function in post, Harben works as a peer to that function. The contribution is typically focused subject-matter depth on a defined workstream, or additional capacity that the incumbent cannot ring-fence alongside the rest of their mandate. The existing function remains strategically accountable.

Background

The active director of Harben Consulting Ltd is Michael Plant. He carries over 20 years of experience across internal technology leadership, managed service provision, and independent consultancy. His background covers IT strategy, technology governance, and information security at executive level.