Arcturus Advisory · Alex Vermunt

Hold course.

From uncertainty to direction.

My name is Alex Vermunt. You bring me in when things become uncertain or unclear: a programme has stalled, a new organisation needs to get off the ground, a startup needs to scale up, or the leadership team is handed a security question. I set out what needs to happen and in what order. Then I support you through delivery, so you have help from start to finish.

Arrange a first meeting How I work

  • Interim and general management
  • Startups and scale-ups
  • Security and privacy

Where I work and have worked

  • ENC Security
  • Hello 24/7
  • OneSpace Security
  • B&S Group
  • BDO Advisory
  • Dutch National Police
  • Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA)

What I help with

For government and the semi-public sector, and just as much for companies, from startups to established businesses. It always starts at the same point: something has to change and nobody quite knows how yet.

Startups and scale-ups

  • Fractional COO
  • From idea to product and market
  • Investment and exit readiness
  • Sounding board or advisory board

A finding is not yet a direction

When you're in uncertain waters, the solution you're offered is often an analysis: an audit, an advisory report, due diligence or a list of findings. It tells you what's wrong, but not what you actually need to do.

That's the part I deliver: from what's wrong to the first thing you do on Monday. And what it costs. Because that's something you can debate, with me, with yourself and with others. And that is exactly how direction, vision and mission take shape.

The same problem, written up twice

This is what a finding sounds like

Several areas for attention have been identified in the current set-up.

This is what a direction sounds like

Three things are broken. I'd fix one of them this month. The other two can wait until Q1.

On both sides of the table

I've led organisations and helped build companies. I've been through acquisitions, and as an adviser and inspector I've examined other people's organisations. Putting all that experience together, I can quickly see when a plan on paper won't work in practice.

Pillar 01 · steering

Leading

I take organisations through a transition, such as growth, an acquisition or a restart. I've made the necessary choices in earlier roles too, and I stand by what I choose and do.

  • ENC Security, general manager. Turnaround, more than 150,000 licences, and the sale of the core software to Western Digital.
  • Hello 24/7, Head of Operations & Technology, from day one.
  • OneSpace Security, co-founder and CEO.
Pillar 02 · building

Building

I set up things that didn't exist before. I build something from nothing. What matters is that it works and pays its way, and that it has room to grow, because things are allowed to break. They always come back better afterwards.

  • Two companies co-founded: Hello 24/7 and OneSpace Security.
  • My own infrastructure: server, network segmentation and automation.

Writing policy is easy when you never have to carry it out yourself.

Security and privacy, from the inside

The same specialism runs through both pillars. I'm a manager and a builder who knows security and privacy from the inside. In a transition or a growth spurt, I know which risks you carry with you, and which questions customers, regulators and buyers are going to ask.

  • ISO 27001
  • BIO
  • NIS2
  • GDPR
  • BDO AdvisoryManager Cybersecurity & Privacy.
  • B&S GroupPrepared the organisation for ISO 27001 certification and rolled out an awareness programme for 1,200 employees. Delivered reports to IT management and at times to the executive team.
  • Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA)Enforcement officer / inspector under the Dutch Tobacco and Smoking Products Act, operational fieldwork.
  • Dutch Police (employee)Community police officer with the rank of sergeant. Since 2019 also a cyberspecial (cybercrime volunteer).
  • CertificatesISO 27001 Lead Implementer and IT-Security Foundation.

More about my background

How an engagement runs

Five steps, from first conversation to handover. After each step you know where you stand.

  1. 01

    First meeting

    You tell me what's going on. I tell you honestly whether I'm the right person.

  2. 02

    Baseline

    I look at how the work actually gets done and compare it with what's on paper.

  3. 03

    Direction

    A plan that sets out the order, owners and costs.

  4. 04

    Support

    I help with delivery and adjust course where needed.

  5. 05

    Handover

    Your organisation can carry on without me. That's what I work towards.

Read how I work

Contact

Arrange a first meeting

Email me a few lines about what's going on. The reply comes from me, personally.

alex@arcturus-advisory.nl