Richard Keenlyside brings over three decades of senior leadership in technology and transformation with specialised expertise as a board-level cybersecurity advisor. With hands-on experience across critical industries, ranging from financial services, manufacturing, and retail, to telecommunications and oil & gas, he advises boards on navigating an increasingly volatile threat landscape, aligning cybersecurity with business risk, and achieving enterprise resilience.

Cybersecurity Advisory That Builds Resilience

With experience across multiple sectors and continents, Richard Keenlyside brings credibility, strategic insight, and technical depth to organisations seeking to bolster their cyber posture at the highest level. He partners with boards, audit committees, and CISOs to deliver sustainable cybersecurity outcomes that safeguard reputation, assets, and growth.

Organisations seek Richard’s board-level cyber advisory to:

Translate technical threats into strategic board-level decisions
Establish risk-informed cybersecurity investments
Navigate compliance, audit, and legal exposure
Align security programmes with business transformation goals

Whether advising FTSE-listed companies, private equity-backed scale-ups, or mid-market firms, Richard’s impact lies in his ability to bridge boardrooms and cyber domains.

About Richard

Richard Keenlyside | Board-Level Cybersecurity Advisor for Digital Resilience

Board-Level Cybersecurity Advisor for Digital Resilience

Cybersecurity from the Boardroom Down

Cybersecurity today is more than an IT concern—it's a boardroom imperative. Richard has supported boards and executive teams across private equity, corporate, and public sector entities by:

Leading global cybersecurity strategies and governance for multinational operations
Delivering cyber risk frameworks integrated into enterprise risk management
Overseeing end-to-end security transformation, including SOC outsourcing, penetration testing, and zero-trust architecture
Advising on regulatory compliance (e.g., GDPR, NIS2, PCI DSS) and data governance

Richard’s cybersecurity advisory approach ensures board-level accountability, business alignment, and cross-functional visibility—vital in defending digital infrastructure and reputation.

1

Board-Level Cybersecurity in Action

In his recent CIO role within a multinational engineering group, Richard:

Executed a multi-million-pound cybersecurity enhancement programme
Led internal and external threat assessments, reducing vulnerabilities by over 60%
Outsourced the Security Operations Centre (SOC) to a global specialist for 24/7 monitoring
Rolled out organisation-wide awareness training, increasing phishing resilience
Delivered policy alignment with ISO/IEC 27001 and NIST Cybersecurity Framework

This initiative was embedded at the board level through detailed reporting dashboards, incident simulation exercises, and risk-based investment prioritisation.

2

Private Equity Cyber Risk and Value Protection

Richard's advisory credentials extend deeply into private equity, where cybersecurity is vital for value protection and regulatory scrutiny. As an associate for a leading technical advisory firm, Richard has:

Advised PE firms on cyber risk due diligence pre- and post-acquisition
Developed 100-day cybersecurity plans to stabilise acquisitions
Assessed maturity of IT & cyber controls against industry standards
Identified cyber liabilities with direct impact on EBITDA and exit multiples

This insight ensures investment strategies are protected from cyber threats and that portfolio companies meet investor-grade cyber readiness.

3

Enabling Cyber Resilience Through Technology and Governance

Richard combines his cybersecurity expertise with a solid foundation in IT strategy, risk, and digital transformation. Key competencies include:

Cybersecurity Strategy & Governance
Information Security Management Systems (ISMS)
Security Architecture & Cloud Security (Azure, AWS)
Data Protection and Privacy Compliance
AI & RPA Security Risks
Executive & Board-level Cyber Risk Communication

He has also authored eBooks on cybersecurity leadership and frequently contributes to thought leadership across technology forums, offering perspective on the convergence of AI, data privacy, and cyber threat intelligence.