CISO or Information Security Manager: What’s Right for You?
As founders, we wear a lot of hats. In the early stages, security is often just one of many spinning plates. Password managers, cloud policies, maybe someone “technical” keeping an eye on things. But as your business grows, raises investment, or moves into regulated sectors, expectations change. Suddenly, board packs mention “cyber risk”, clients ask about ISO 27001, and you’re getting inbound questions about governance.
That’s when a familiar question surfaces:
Do we need a CISO? Or will an Information Security Manager suffice?
If you’re scaling a digital-first business, understanding the difference can help you invest wisely and avoid gaps that come back to bite you later.
Let’s break it down.
What an Information Security Manager Actually Does
Think of an Information Security Manager (ISM) as the person who keeps things running. They’re the operational lead, the one making sure your policies are followed, your risks are logged, your audits don’t fall through the cracks, and your ISO 27001 certification stays in good standing.
In a scale-up environment, your ISM might be:
- Maintaining your ISMS
- Managing security documentation and evidence
- Supporting internal audits and certification readiness
- Monitoring incident logs and user access controls
- Running phishing simulations and awareness training
They’re not there to define your risk appetite, debate your investment strategy, or front a conversation with regulators, but they’ll make sure your policies are live, your systems are aligned, and your teams are doing what they should be doing.
So What Does a CISO Bring to the Table?
A Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) works at a much more strategic level. They don’t just keep the train running, they help set the destination.
This is the person who’ll advise the board, make the case for security investment, align security strategy with commercial priorities, and steer the company through regulatory or reputational risk.
In the world of start-ups and scale-ups, a CISO might:
- Define your security roadmap
- Advise on third-party risk and client obligations
- Shape how security supports product, data, and growth plans
- Lead post-incident reviews and board updates
- Represent you in due diligence or regulatory reviews
It’s less about day-to-day management and more about guidance, influence, and oversight.
You Might Not Need Either Full Time
Here’s the honest truth: You probably don’t need a full-time ISM or CISO right away.
What you need is the right blend of support at the right level of maturity.
If you’re ISO 27001 certified (or heading that way), an outsourced ISM gives you the practical support to stay compliant. If you’re going for investment, building strategic partnerships, or landing enterprise clients, a virtual CISO (vCISO) can fill the leadership gap and keep you on the front foot.
Both can be delivered fractionally, and we’ve seen many firms succeed with a few days a month of each, rather than burning £100k+ on a full-time hire too soon.
A Quick Analogy
Think of your information security setup like a building project.
Your Information Security Manager is the builder. They work to the plan, handle the day-to-day coordination, and make sure the right materials (controls, policies, logs, audits) are in place. If something breaks, they fix it. If a compliance deadline is approaching, they get it done.
Your CISO, on the other hand, is the architect. They don’t lay the bricks, but they make sure the structure is sound, future-proofed, and designed to meet the needs of your business. They think about what’s coming next. The changes in regulation, investor expectations, supply chain risks, and ensure the design supports it.
You might not need both from day one. But if your environment is changing, or you’re building something complex, it pays to have both roles covered, even if just fractionally.
Which Should Be Appointed First?
It depends where your pain points are.
If your internal audits are a mess, your ISO 27001 cert is under pressure, or your team needs someone to manage the day-to-day, start with an Information Security Manager.
If you’ve had a close call with a breach, your board is asking tough questions, or you’re entering new markets with regulatory exposure, a vCISO should probably come first.
And sometimes, it’s both. One focused on execution, the other on governance.
Final Thoughts
Security leadership isn’t just about checking boxes. It’s about building confidence. In your team. With your clients. And increasingly, with your investors.
If you’re not sure which role fits best, that’s completely normal. The line between operational and strategic blurs fast in scale-ups. What matters is that someone is thinking ahead, and someone is keeping the engine running.
That’s why we offer both services, independently or together. We’ll help you work out what you need, where you are on the maturity curve, and how to invest sensibly without compromising risk.
Compare our Information Security Manager and vCISO services below: