SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland has launched a Virtual Chief Information Security Officer service, giving organisations access to senior cyber security leadership without hiring a full-time executive.

The new offering is aimed at businesses that have invested in technical defences but still lack support on governance, risk ownership, compliance and long-term planning.

Those pressures have intensified as organisations face tighter regulation, greater customer scrutiny and wider business uncertainty, while cyber threats continue to evolve. Without dedicated security leadership, companies can be pushed into reactive decision-making and face added strain during incidents, audits or periods of expansion.

The vCISO service is designed to provide experienced senior advice on a flexible basis. It is available through monthly, quarterly and annual arrangements, with pricing based on the level of support required and an organisation’s size, maturity and complexity.

The group is also considering pricing for charities, third sector organisations and start-ups to help ensure cyber security costs do not become a barrier to growth or the handling of sensitive data.

Strategic support

The service focuses on areas that sit above day-to-day technical work, including governance, controls, risk visibility, compliance requirements, and support during audits or certification processes. It is also intended to help organisations respond to customer security demands and bring technology, staff and processes together under a single leadership structure.

For some organisations, that model may be more attractive than hiring a permanent Chief Information Security Officer or entering a traditional retainer arrangement. Smaller businesses in particular often need senior security input only at key points, such as preparing for external audits, seeking funding, entering regulated supply chains or expanding into new markets.

The launch adds a strategic advisory layer to the Centre’s existing Cyber Advance programme, which focuses on technical improvement, ongoing development and staff training over a year-long period. The two services are designed to work together in a phased model that combines higher-level oversight with operational follow-through.

That pairing reflects a broader issue in cyber security spending: organisations can identify weaknesses and receive recommendations, but struggle to implement them over time. By linking strategic advice with implementation support, the Centre aims to address both planning and delivery.

Jude McCorry explained the rationale for the move.

“We developed the vCISO service in direct response to feedback from clients who need strategic direction and expert guidance, but may not require – or be able to justify – a full-time CISO or traditional retainer model. Many organisations prefer a more flexible, project-based approach with clearly defined deliverables.

“Through our vCISO service, we provide the expertise, structure and strategic oversight needed to strengthen cyber resilience in a practical and sustainable way. Our clients and members also recognise that by working with us, they are helping to support Scotland’s wider cyber resilience ecosystem, enabling us to provide low or no-cost access to organisations that may otherwise struggle to afford it.” said Jude McCorry, Chief Executive Officer of Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland.

Market pressure

The launch of virtual security leadership services reflects a wider market trend, as organisations seek access to senior expertise without the salary costs of a permanent executive hire. Demand has grown among mid-sized businesses, public bodies and charities that face many of the same governance and compliance expectations as larger organisations but lack the resources to maintain a full in-house leadership team.

In practice, that can leave responsibility for cyber security spread across finance, operations or IT leaders whose roles already carry broad workloads. The result can be unclear accountability, fragmented risk management and slower decision-making when incidents occur.

As a social enterprise, Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland is also positioning the new service as a way to widen access. Work with commercial clients can help support organisations that might otherwise struggle to pay for specialist advice.

Willie Fairhurst, a board member at the organisation and Chief Executive Officer of Fairhurst Consult, said the service would be particularly useful for smaller clients facing regulatory and market access challenges.

“The vCISO service will be a valuable addition to both our service offering and the support available to our clients. It will be particularly beneficial for smaller organisations that need assistance navigating regulatory requirements to secure funding, or that are looking to expand into markets beyond Scotland. We’re here to help organisations build the confidence and resilience they need to grow securely,” said Fairhurst.

It comes after years of avoiding moving online with the closest service being its Click and Collect option which launched in 2022.

Customers can currently shop for some products online and ask for them to be delivered to their local Primark store, but the lack of online delivery options means they can’t receive their orders at their doors.

The retailer recently launched an app which allows UK customers to order items through the Click and Collect service.

Primark “knows it needs to go online”, according to sources speaking to The Times.

Newsquest has approached Primark for comment.

In April this year, Primark owner Associated British Foods (ABF) said it is to spin off its Primark retail business, breaking up one of the UK’s largest consumer businesses.

It came as Primark highlighted weaker trading in April as pressure from the Middle East conflict weighed on consumer sentiment.

UK High Street shops that no longer exist

Shares in ABF dropped lower in early trading as a result.

The company, which runs large food, sugar and agriculture operations, said it expects to separate Primark by the end of 2027.

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The move comes after a significant review into the company structure in a bid to improve returns for shareholders.

Both companies are set to be listed on the FTSE 100 following the split.

Wittington Investments, the vehicle of Associated British Foods’ founding Weston family, is to keep majority stakes in both businesses.

Would you like to see an online delivery service become available at Primark? Tell us in the comments below.

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

BT Business has entered a multi-year partnership with Accenture to deploy artificial intelligence across its operations, focused on services for UK businesses and the public sector.

The work will extend BT’s existing use of AI in service management and operations. It will also draw on BT’s network data and insight platforms, while building on its existing relationship with ServiceNow, BT’s core service management platform.

Under the arrangement, BT plans to introduce AI-led operational tools into customer-facing services, including systems designed to analyse faults and, in some cases, resolve issues automatically under controlled conditions.

In cyber security, the programme is intended to help BT identify and address threats and vulnerabilities more quickly. This has become more important as AI reshapes the security environment and accelerates the emergence of new risks.

The initiative also covers customer process redesign. BT plans to use AI-based journey mapping to reshape end-to-end customer processes across its business services division.

Operational shift

The agreement reflects broader changes in the telecoms sector, where operators are seeking new ways to automate service delivery, improve fault management and respond more quickly to customer demands. The industry has been under pressure to modernise operations while maintaining secure and reliable services for large organisations and public bodies.

Accenture pointed to its own research on the pace of that transition in telecoms. According to the findings, only one in five telecom providers are leading the shift to AI- and data-led operating models.

The research found that providers taking this approach report stronger customer loyalty, faster time to market, and better network fault detection and resolution times than their peers. The figures were 65% versus 48% for customer loyalty, 68% versus 39% for time to market, and 57% versus 39% for fault detection and resolution.

BT Business Chief Executive Officer Jon James said the partnership is linked to the company’s role in national infrastructure.

“BT has a unique responsibility in supporting much of the UK’s critical infrastructure. Working with Accenture, we are investing to bring our customers the latest in AI-Ops capability, combined with our unique data and networks, to enhance the UK’s resilience as well as accelerating the responsible deployment of efficient and autonomous systems,” said Jon James, Chief Executive Officer, BT Business.

The programme is expected to affect managed services provided to both private and public sector customers. BT plans to use a mix of specialist delivery teams, automation and agentic AI in service operations across the customer lifecycle.

Partner roles

Accenture’s role centres on service management and the application of AI tools across BT’s managed services business. ServiceNow remains part of the set-up through the service management platform BT already uses.

Andrew McCaffer, who leads the BT account at Accenture, said the project responds to rising expectations for secure and uninterrupted services.

“As customer expectations increase and technology environments become more complex, enterprises are under increasing pressure to deliver always on, secure services. Accenture is supporting BT by applying AI responsibly at scale across its managed services business, drawing on deep industry expertise to strengthen resilience, speed up resolution and enhance the customer experience,” said Andrew McCaffer, Managing Director and Client Account Lead for BT, Accenture.

ServiceNow also outlined its role in the programme, highlighting the combination of BT’s network data, Accenture’s implementation work and its own AI systems.

“By combining BT’s unrivalled network insight, Accenture’s expertise in scaling AI across complex environments, and ServiceNow’s AI control tower for business reinvention, we’re making agentic AI a reality for BT’s customers. The difference will be tangible – fewer disruptions, faster resolution, more resilient services. Together, we’re setting a new standard for enterprise managed services, and redefining the telco marketplace,” said Damian Stirrett, Group Vice President and General Manager, UK & Ireland, ServiceNow.