No sales process. No qualification queue. Every conversation starts at the principal level. Tell us what you are dealing with and we will tell you quickly and directly whether and how we can help.
Flexible engagement. Fixed-scope packages. Defined retainer paths.
“Sapience exists to solve complex cyber and technology risk problems for organisations that need senior judgement. Our outcomes drive executive decisions, lead to actions and reduce risk.”
Sapience — Why We Exist
Australia
Primary market
United Arab Emirates
MENA advisory
India
Delivery support
United Kingdom
Europe presence
Is This You
The questions our clients ask when they first call.
If any of these resonate, you are in the right place. Tell us which one applies and we can help you move forward.
01
Are our AI systems and autonomous agents actually secure?
Most frameworks were not designed for agentic AI. Autonomous agents make decisions and invoke APIs without direct human oversight at each step. The attack surface and governance model are fundamentally different.
We have a regulatory deadline approaching and we are not ready. Where do we start?
Whether it is CPS 230, CPS 234, transitioning from Essential Eight to ASD Essentials, ISO ISO/IEC ISO/IEC 27001:2022 :2022 or PSPF, we translate obligations into prioritised actions that match your actual risk profile, not a generic checklist.
We need senior cyber leadership but cannot justify a full-time CISO.
Our Fractional CISO retainer gives you a principal-level adviser who participates in governance, strategy and executive engagement on a part-time basis without the overhead of a permanent hire.
Our encryption is not post-quantum ready. How exposed are we?
Harvest-now-decrypt-later attacks are already underway. NIST migration timelines are set. We assess your cryptographic posture and develop a sequenced migration plan before the window closes.
We are running a major cyber program and need independent oversight.
Programs stall when no senior person holds delivery accountable end to end. We provide architecture assurance, change governance and executive reporting across the full lifecycle.
The delivery model is built around accountability, not headcount.
Before you choose an engagement, understand how we deliver. Every engagement begins with a principal. That does not change.
Senior-Led Throughout
A principal leads every engagement from start to finish. Managers and consultants execute under direct principal oversight, and you are never left with a junior resource and no senior layer above them. This does not change after you sign. It is the engagement model, not a sales promise.
Single Point of Accountability
Where specialist partners are involved in delivery, Sapience remains the single point of accountability within the contracted scope. We define scope, oversee quality, integrate findings and own the remediation plan. We do not send you a report and refer you elsewhere.
Onshore, Offshore and Hybrid
All client-facing advisory and delivery leadership is conducted onshore in Australia. Backend research, control mapping, documentation and evidence preparation are supported by India-based resources under defined governance. Round-the-clock capability across time zones.
Location
Role and Engagement
Australia
Primary market across all service lines. Onshore delivery for regulated, sensitive and sovereign programs. All principal-led engagements conducted in Australia.
United Arab Emirates
MENA advisory hub. Executive-level engagements and relationship-led market entry. Senior advisory and governance work for UAE banks, financial services and enterprise clients.
India
Delivery support from Year 1. Research, control mapping, documentation and evidence preparation. Operates under defined quality governance. Not a client acquisition market.
United Kingdom
Selective Europe presence. Relationship-led and referral-driven. Advisory work for organisations with cross-jurisdictional needs spanning APAC and EMEA.
Engagement Packages
Defined Packages. Clear Outcomes. Predictable Timelines.
Packages are starting points, not constraints. If your situation does not map cleanly to one, we scope the work around what you actually need. Pricing is fixed per package and confirmed once we understand your environment. Contact us for a direct conversation about scope, fit and investment.
A — Know Where You Stand
Establish your current position before committing to a larger program.
Maturity & Posture
Cyber Posture Review
A structured assessment of your architecture, interconnections, threat exposure, processes and exploitable vulnerabilities, producing an estimate of your risk exposure and remedial advice in priority order. Benchmarked against sector peers and translated into investment decisions. The natural starting point for organisations without a clear view of their current exposure.
Emerging Technology Security
AI Security Assessment
A dedicated assessment of your AI systems and agentic AI deployments. Covers architecture gaps, threat scenarios, governance posture and key control deficiencies. Relevant for any organisation that has deployed or is deploying AI at scale, particularly where autonomous agents are involved. This is a first-class capability at Sapience, not an extension of conventional cyber advice.
Emerging Technology Priority
Post-Quantum Cryptography
PQC Readiness Assessment
A structured review of your cryptographic posture and exposure to post-quantum threats. Includes a cryptographic asset inventory, sequenced migration roadmap toward NIST-approved algorithms, and hybrid approach design where full migration is not immediately feasible. Harvest-now-decrypt-later attacks are already underway.
2030 deprecation under NIST IR 8547.
B — Address a Specific Obligation or Gap
Respond to a defined regulatory obligation, a governance gap or a known risk in a specific domain.
Regulatory Alignment
Regulatory Readiness and Uplift
Covers CPS 230, CPS 234, Essential Eight, ISO ISO/IEC ISO/IEC 27001:2022 :2022 and PSPF. We connect regulatory obligations to your actual threat exposure and business-critical services. We tell clients what controls they need and, as importantly, what they do not.
End-to-End Compliance
Compliance Assessment, Advisory and Implementation
Structured assessment of your current compliance position, targeted advisory on what matters most for your specific environment, and direct implementation management to close identified gaps. Covers the full journey from gap identification through to evidence-ready outcomes. Applicable to CPS 230, CPS 234, Essential Eight, ISO ISO/IEC ISO/IEC 27001:2022 :2022 and PSPF.
Supply Chain Risk
Third Party and Provider Risk Review
Supplier exposure, concentration risk and integration risk. Relevant for organisations with material dependencies on external providers, or where APRA or other regulators are asking questions about supply chain and third-party governance.
Data and Privacy
Privacy and Data Protection Review
Data flows, DLP controls, cross-border transfers and retention obligations. Structured for organisations with active privacy compliance obligations or where a data incident has surfaced structural gaps in data governance and protection controls. Includes an automated decision inventory and privacy policy disclosure review against the APP 1.7 obligation commencing 10 December 2026.
Detection Coverage
Detection and Monitoring Review
SOC design, telemetry coverage, threat intelligence integration and use case quality. Covers conventional monitoring requirements and AI-specific detection needs. Relevant for organisations that have invested in monitoring capability but are uncertain whether their coverage is adequate.
ASD ESSENTIALS READINESS
ASD Essentials Readiness, Transition and Implementation
A structured assessment of existing cyber security controls, risk exposure and security architecture against ASD Essentials. Covers transition from Essential Eight, applicability across enterprise IT, cloud and operational technology, control effectiveness, architecture gaps and risk-based prioritisation. Includes target state architecture, transition planning, implementation oversight and evidence preparation to address identified gaps and demonstrate security outcomes.
C — Prepare for a Known Event or Program
Structured preparation before a major risk event or a significant program of work.
Resilience
Resilience and Cyber Recovery Review
Business impact analysis, recovery design and ransomware resilience. Includes tabletop and executive simulation elements. Designed for organisations that want to validate their recovery capability before an incident exposes the gaps.
Crisis Readiness
Incident Readiness and Executive Exercise
Playbooks, crisis simulation and board-level readiness. Structured for organisations that want to test their response posture before an incident. Covers escalation protocols, external communications, regulatory notification obligations including the ransomware payment reporting decision path and the 72-hour notification window under the Cyber Security Act 2024.
Architecture
Security Architecture and Identity Review
Cloud architecture, zero trust, IAM, DevSecOps and data protection. Relevant for organisations undergoing transformation or where security architecture has grown without a coherent, risk-aligned design. Covers both IT and OT environments.
D — Strategy and Large Programs
Define the direction or provide independent oversight across a major program.
Strategic Direction
Cyber Strategy and Roadmap
Target cyber maturity, investment sequencing and operating model design. The output is a prioritised plan connected to business-critical services and regulatory context, not a generic framework sequence. Linked to measurable risk reduction, not technical activity alone.
Program Assurance
Cyber Transformation Assurance
Program oversight, architecture assurance and change governance for major cyber transformation programs. Suitable for large, complex programs where independent senior oversight is required throughout delivery, not just at inception or go-live.
These packages are guides, not boundaries. They reflect the most common triggers that bring organisations to us and represent our best-practice starting points based on experience. We are not constrained by them. If your situation requires a different scope, a combined approach or something entirely bespoke, we scope the work around what you actually need. Contact us and we will tell you quickly what makes sense.
Retainer Arrangements
Ongoing advisory at a lower effective rate. Faster outcomes. Higher quality.
A retainer is not a support contract. It is structured advisory where Sapience maintains active oversight of your cyber posture on a defined monthly cadence.
The case for a retainer is straightforward. Familiarity with your environment, your people, your technology stack and your risk history means we spend less time establishing context and more time solving problems. Lessons learnt from prior work carry forward directly. Decisions are faster. Outputs are more precise. The effective cost per outcome is lower than commissioning repeated one-off engagements.
Retainers also give Sapience the ability to expedite outcomes because we are not starting from scratch each time. We know which controls you have, which ones you have tested, where your weaknesses are and who the right people are inside your organisation. That institutional knowledge compounds over time and is a direct advantage to you.
Every one-off package has a natural retainer path. We design the transition deliberately so the shift from diagnostic to ongoing advisory is seamless rather than a separate procurement exercise.
01
Fractional CISO
Senior cyber leadership for mid-market organisations that cannot justify a full-time CISO. The principal takes an active role in governance, executive engagement, board reporting and strategic direction on a defined part-time basis. Converts naturally from a Cyber Posture Review.
02
Governance and Regulatory Oversight
Ongoing governance cadence and regulatory obligation tracking. Covers active obligations under CPS 230, CPS 234, Essential Eight and similar frameworks. Keeps your compliance position current as regulation evolves. Converts naturally from Regulatory Readiness and Uplift.
03
AI Governance Oversight
Ongoing oversight of your AI program, model lifecycle and responsible AI obligations. Covers emerging regulatory requirements and internal governance as AI deployment scales. Particularly relevant for organisations running multiple AI or agentic AI initiatives simultaneously.
04
Cyber Program Oversight
PMO and delivery assurance for major cyber programs. Suitable where a large transformation is underway and independent senior oversight is required at each delivery milestone. Converts naturally from Cyber Transformation Assurance or Cyber Strategy and Roadmap.
05
Resilience Oversight
BIA refresh, exercise cadence and recovery readiness monitoring on a structured cycle. Ensures recovery plans remain current as the threat environment and your technology footprint change. Converts naturally from Resilience and Cyber Recovery Review.
06
Third Party Risk Oversight
Ongoing supplier review and concentration tracking. Maintains visibility of your most material provider risks without requiring a full assessment cycle each time. Converts from Third Party and Provider Risk Review.
07
Security Architecture Advisory
Architecture guidance during active transformation programs. Ensures security design decisions are made at the right point in the build cycle, not retrofitted after the fact. Covers cloud, zero trust, IAM and DevSecOps decisions as they arise.
Referral Programme
If you know an organisation that needs us, we want to hear from you.
Lead generation and successful conversion.
Sapience operates a generous profit-sharing referral arrangement for successful conversions. If you refer an organisation that engages us, you participate directly in the commercial outcome of that engagement.
The programme is designed for professionals, advisors, board members and partners who encounter organisations with complex cyber and technology risk problems. There is no formal registration requirement. If you have a conversation worth having, reach out directly and we will take it from there.
Professionals and advisors who want a more structured arrangement can also join us in a partial capacity across strategy, advisory or program oversight roles. We are open to flexible collaboration and skill-sharing arrangements where there is a clear fit.
Conflict of Interest Policy
While we value the referral programme and the relationships it supports, we stay clear of any situation that could be deemed or perceived as a conflict of interest. Referral arrangements will not be entered into where they create, or could create, a reasonable perception of bias in our advice or assessment outcomes. Our independence and reputation are not negotiable.
Who the programme is for
Professionals, advisors, board members and strategic partners who encounter organisations facing complex cyber and technology risk problems. Referrers do not need a formal engagement or ongoing relationship with Sapience to participate.
How it works
Make an introduction. If the organisation engages Sapience on a substantive piece of work, you receive a share of the commercial outcome of that engagement. The terms are agreed upfront and are straightforward.
Capacity building and collaboration
Advisors who want a more structured involvement can join Sapience in a partial capacity across strategy, advisory or program oversight roles. This allows flexible collaboration and skill-sharing without a permanent commitment on either side.
Get in touch
Contact us directly to discuss a referral or collaboration arrangement. There is no formal process. A conversation is enough to determine whether there is a fit.
Our Standards
What we do not do, and why it matters.
Our reputation is built on the quality and independence of our advice. These boundaries are not caveats. They are part of what makes our advice worth having.
Independence
We do not provide conclusions that are not supported by evidence.
Every recommendation is grounded in professional judgement, technical depth and factual analysis. If the evidence does not support a preferred narrative, we communicate what the evidence says. We are comfortable saying no to maintain the integrity of our advice.
Legal Boundaries
We do not provide formal legal advice.
Our partners include independent legal advisers for cyber security legal advice, contractual terms, regulatory engagement and privacy obligations. We facilitate those connections where needed. We do not provide legal opinions or act in a legal advisory capacity.
Audit Independence
We refrain from formal audits to avoid conflicts of interest situations.
Where we have been involved in designing or implementing controls, we do not conduct the formal external audit of those same controls. We can help clients identify an independent audit partner and provide all necessary context to facilitate an effective audit process.
Scope and Positioning
We do not pursue managed services, staff augmentation or contractor placements.
Sapience is a specialist advisory firm. We provide senior advisory, implementation management and assurance. Managed security services, permanent placement and contractor-style resourcing conflict with our advisory positioning and are handled through our partner network where a client needs them.
Technology Impartiality
Our advice is impartial. Client interest above all.
We adhere to strict conflict-of-interest management principles. Our recommendations and advisory guidance are formed independently of any vendor or managed service provider alliance, including any associated commercial arrangements. Client outcomes remain the sole determinant of the advice we provide.
Volume vs Quality
We do not chase volume at the expense of quality.
We work with fewer clients and go deeper with each. Our business model is built on long-term relationships and repeat engagement, not on maximising the number of projects underway at any given time. If we cannot give an engagement the attention it deserves, we say so before we take it on.
“Quality over volume. Evidence over assumption. Long-term relationships over short-term gain. Independence and avoidance of conflicts.”
Australia — Primary
UAE — MENA
India — Delivery
UK — Europe
Speak directly with a principal.
There is no sales team and no qualification process. We engage at the executive level from the first conversation. Tell us the problem you are working on and we will tell you quickly whether and how we can help.
Sapience adheres to strict conflict-of-interest management principles. Our recommendations and advisory guidance are formed independently of any vendor or managed service provider alliance, including any associated commercial arrangements. Client outcomes remain the sole determinant of the advice we provide.
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