Starkhorn Services

Cyber Security Leadership for Businesses That Can’t Afford to Get It Wrong

Independent security advisory from a senior practitioner, not a vendor, not an agency. Board-level risk ownership.

Book a Conversation

Where Businesses Get Stuck

The challenges we most commonly see when organisations come to us:

Cyber incidents are rising.
Your board can’t assess risk.
You have no internal security capability and don’t know where to start.

How We Approach This

The Security Maturity Ladder:

Phase 1: Aware, baseline assessment.
Phase 2: Compliant, Cyber Essentials / ISO 27001 roadmap.
Phase 3: Resilient, incident response, ongoing assurance.

What Starkhorn Brings

Daniel Jacobs: 20+ years in technology and security, 15+ of them in leadership roles. VetPartners (BC Partners, GBP1.2bn), Jardine Motors Group (GBP2bn). Published author. PRINCE2, ITIL, IIM Full Member. Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO 27001, NIS2, GDPR advisory delivered.

Starkhorn does not subcontract or use associate networks. You work directly with Daniel Jacobs from the first conversation through to delivery.

Who This Is For

This service is designed for:

SMEs and mid-market businesses needing practical
independent cyber leadership

This is not the right fit for: Businesses looking for a managed security operations centre (SOC) or penetration testing only.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly can Starkhorn begin?

In most cases we can begin within five to ten working days. For urgent situations such as a sudden leadership gap or an active incident, we can mobilise faster. Contact us to discuss your timeline.

What does a typical Starkhorn engagement cost?

Engagements are structured as monthly retainers or fixed-term day-rate assignments. The cost depends on scope and time commitment. We are transparent about pricing from the first conversation and will give you a clear indication on the call.

What experience does Starkhorn bring?

Starkhorn is led by Daniel Jacobs, with 20+ years in technology and security, 15+ of them in leadership roles. He has served as CIO, CISO, and interim technology director for organisations including VetPartners (BC Partners-backed, GBP1.2bn) and Jardine Motors Group (GBP2bn turnover). He holds PRINCE2, ITIL Foundation, and is a Full Member of the Institute of Interim Management.

Do I need a full-time CISO or will a virtual CISO suffice?

For most SMEs and PE-backed businesses, a virtual or fractional CISO provides everything a full-time hire would at a fraction of the cost. Unless your sector requires a dedicated CISO under regulation, a virtual arrangement is almost always the smarter choice.

What is the first step to working with Starkhorn?

Book a no-obligation conversation using the link on this page. In 30 minutes we will understand your situation, tell you honestly whether we are the right fit, and outline what a first engagement would look like. There is no sales process and no pressure.

Next step

Ready to Talk?

Starkhorn works with MDs, CEOs, and boards of growing businesses. If you have a technology leadership gap, a security concern, or a transformation that is not delivering, we can help. Book a 30-minute conversation with no obligation.