Advesario

Advesario in a minute

Who we are

We are a boutique consultancy offering specialized services in:

• Governance, Risk, Compliance (GRC)
• Privacy Engineering & Data Protection
• AI Strategy & Risk Management
• Digital and Organizational Transformation
• Technology Leadership
• Building Intelligence-Led Cyberdefense
• Compliance & Technology SWAT teams

With a strong foundation in both governance and technology, we help organizations introduce, navigate, and operate critical frameworks such as ISO 27001 and SOC 2—turning compliance into a true business enabler.

We bring leadership experience across risk management, cybersecurity, and software delivery, combined with a practical, hands-on mindset shaped by real-world technology leadership roles. This allows us to guide clients through regulatory complexity, security architecture, and organizational change with clarity and confidence.

Our experience spans sectors and scales; from startups (E.g.: Nevis, Bitrise, Ustream) to multinational enterprises (E.g.: Citi, IBM, Novartis), delivering both strategic and operational support that aligns technology with business priorities.

Why Advesar.io?

We bring targeted knowledge in technology, security, and compliance—exactly when and where it's needed, super-flexible.

This makes us not only more agile, but also more cost-effective—especially for high-impact, time-sensitive initiatives.

Compared to fixed-term hires, we offer greater flexibility, instant onboarding, and better adaptability to your project’s scope, timeframe and pace.

How We Work

We approach every engagement with adaptability, precision, and a focus on long-term vision and mission. Whether you're aligning with international compliance and regulatory standards, scaling or building cybersecurity capabilities, or shifting toward a fast-paced delivery organization, we bring expertise and structure to every phase of the journey.

Let’s Talk

Your first hour of consultation is on us—designed to explore your needs and potential solutions, helping make your business more secure and effective.

Your Success!

.:You need a solution:.

When your compliance and technology challenge spans multiple teams, tools, or topics—you need more than just advice.

We specialize in tackling complex challenges by delivering end-to-end solutions as a package. With a unique blend of technical expertise, regulatory understanding, and leadership experience, we don’t just advise—we execute. Our cross-industry experience and multidisciplinary approach allow us to map out the problem space and bring together the right capabilities to deliver lasting results. Below is a snapshot of the domains where we deliver, combining strategic perspective with hands-on execution.

1. Governance, Risk, Compliance (GRC)
2. Privacy Engineering & Data Protection
3. AI Strategy & Risk Management
4. Digital and Organizational Transformation
5. Technology Leadership
6. Building Intelligence-Led Cyberdefense
7. Compliance & Technology SWAT teams

Governance, Risk, Compliance (GRC)

Minimize regulatory risk while enhancing resilience and decreasing operational cost.

• Design, implementation, and continuous operation of leading compliance frameworks such as ISO 27001, SOC 2, SOX 404, DORA, EU CRA, and AI governance.
• GDPR advisory services, with a focus on translating legal requirements into actionable technical and organizational controls.
• Advisory and support for certification readiness, including gap analysis, risk assessments, audit preparation, and representation during audits.
• Acting as an Information Security Officer (ISO)—as mandated by some compliance frameworks—, running and advising on your security operations, internal and external audits.
• Leveraging frameworks like the “Process–Risk–Control” (PRC) model.
• Development of a governance umbrella to unify fragmented compliance activities under a cohesive operating model.
• Transformation of static compliance functions into an adaptive, scalable, and automated GRC environment.

Risk management | Certifications | Audit | Gap analysis | ISO - SOC - NIS - DORA - SOX | AI governance | Governance - risk - compliance (GRC) | Process - risk - controls (PRC) | Regulatory Risk | Operational Risk | Information security

Privacy Engineering & Data Protection

• Designing and operationalizing GDPR-aligned and other privacy programs and requirements.
• “Matching” legal and technical requirements of Data Protection regulations.
• Conducting Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA) and risk-based vendor evaluations (mandated by ISO27001, NIS2, DORA, Etc.).
• Evaluating and creating data classification, data handling and data protection policies and procedures.

Data privacy | Impact assessment | Regulatory | GDPR | EU CRA | Data policies

AI Strategy & Risk Management

Helping organizations implement AI responsibly and strategy—balancing innovation, compliance, and trust.

• Assessing AI systems against regulatory frameworks like the EU AI Act.
• Creating AI guidelines and policies for company staff, enabling effective and safe utilization of available AI solutions.
• Designing governance models for (high-risk and generative) AI use cases at the company.
• Supporting AI risk classification, transparency, and human oversight mechanisms.

AI | AI Risk | Regulatory | EU CRA | Data leak

Digital and Organizational Transformation

Facilitating smooth transitions with a focus on sustaining employee motivation and optimizing cost-effectiveness.

• Strategic leadership and hands-on support for complex transformation programs—including organizational restructuring, financial alignment, and product roadmap evolution.
• Enablement of end-to-end change management, including scale-up/down scenarios and post-merger integration.
• Design and implementation of modern delivery/DevOps structures, including product-oriented and cross-functional team models, balancing horizontal and vertical alignments.
• Facilitation of cultural alignment through clear vision and mission setting, transparent communication strategies, and leadership coaching.
• Optimization of feedback and performance management systems (E.g., OKRs), fostering continuous improvement and accountability.
• Development of financial planning and forecasting models—including budgeting, cost allocation, and rolling forecasts—to increase agility and cost control.

Transformation | Ramp-up and scale | Vision - mission - communication transparency | Insourcing vs outsourcing | Horizontal vs vertical functions | OKRs and feedback | RACI and management | Rolling forecast vs budgeting | Cross-functional teams | Fusion center

Technology Leadership

Guiding engineering, security, and IT organizations through their full lifecycle enabling a continuous, secure and resilient delivery.

• Operational leadership and oversight of already performing delivery teams.
• Implementing or revamping CI/CD pipelines to boost delivery efficiency.
• Enabling Agile delivery methodologies (E.g.: Kanban, Scrum, ART, SAFe) tailored to your teams' real-world needs.
• Evolving DevOps culture to align delivery and operations.
• Maturing SDLC for a stable, sustainable and efficient execution.
• Establishing (Secure)SDLC for a secure and resilient delivery.
• Optimizing business continuity and disaster recovery procedures.

CICD | (Secure)SDLC | Transformation | Ramp-up and scale | DevOps | Operations | Agile | KanBan | Scrum | SAFe | ART | COB | Business continuity | Disaster recovery | Insourcing vs outsourcing | Horizontal vs vertical functions | Delivery | Leadesrship

Building Intelligence-Led Cyberdefense

Building intelligent, integrated, and responsive cyber operations.

• Design and scaling of enterprise-grade overarching cybersecurity functions.
• Implementation of intelligence-led operating models, breaking down silos between security teams to drive coordinated, proactive defense.
• Creation of governance frameworks and operational / cyber response playbooks to standardize response, streamline collaboration, and enable shared situational awareness.
• Deployment of “follow-the-sun” and globally distributed cyber operations models for continuous threat monitoring and rapid response.
• Alignment of cybersecurity operations with compliance and audit requirements, ensuring security posture meets both internal and external expectations.

Cybersecurity | Ramp-up and scale | Fusion Center | Threat Intelligence | Intelligence-Led Cyber | Transformation | Cyber Strategy & Operations | Cross-functional teams

Compliance & Technology SWAT teams

We provide multi-disciplinary "SWAT" teams to drive execution when timelines are tight, stakes are high, or internal capacity is stretched.

• Deliver cross-functional technology programs spanning multiple teams or domains (E.g. legal, security, infra, architecture, penetration testing).
• Lead urgent compliance or regulatory initiatives—especially when fast, parallel execution is required.
• Manage complex transitions, compliance, and operational programs when internal resources are limited (E.g.: introducing a compliance framework and building the underlying technology requirements).
• Oversee both technical and compliance tracks in carve-outs, integrations, or large-scale infrastructure overhauls.

Multi-disciplinary | SWAT | Tailor-made | Cross-functional | compliance | technology | operation | Implementation | end-to-end

Insights - for You

We’ve collected a selection of materials that offer a brief but clear look into how we think and work. Feel free to explore, download, and bring them with you as you shape your own initiatives.

TLDR Compliance slides

Our compact, three-slide compliance summary—designed as a true TLDR for quick understanding.

• PDF

Intro video

Our one-minute intro video gives you a brief look at our services in compliance, cybersecurity, and technology transformation.

• MP4

Intro slides

Our five-slide introduction to who we are and what we do—highlighting our core services in a concise format.

• PDF

Our Boutique Team

At Advesario, we’re a compact team of senior professionals who’ve led, built, and delivered in complex compliance, technology, and cybersecurity environments. Each of us brings a unique perspective and hands-on experience shaped by years of working at the intersection of IT, risk, and transformation.

Akos Kovacs

Having spent ~20 years in the IT industry and with a diverse background in Information Technology and Information Security, I’ve held multiple leadership and technical roles—often in parallel. Here are five key highlights from my career:

• Security & Compliance: 10+ years in total in security-related roles, including mid-sized and multinational companies, acting as a Head of Compliance. Implemented and operated various compliance frameworks (E.g.: ISO, SOC), transformed regulatory requirements into business enablers (E.g.: NIS 2, CRA, AI initiatives), and managed both operational and regulatory risk in IT and Banking.
• Cybersecurity: 4 years in cybersecurity leadership, building cross-functional collaboration & functions across cybersecurity teams. Strengthening cyber resilience capabilities by implementing a Common Operating Model and Governance Framework. Improving incident response, managing a Threat Intelligence function. Engaged with clients, representing the organization’s cyber mission.
• Strategic management: scaling and leading an IT company to 70+ employees as Managing Director (MD). Driving strategic planning and operational / technology transformation as Head of Operations & IT.
• Technology leadership & Delivery: various technical leadership roles—spanning Dev(Sec)Ops, CICD, product and project delivery, support and application portfolio management. Delivering & operating within Agile and ITIL frameworks, and acting as the First Point of Contact / Technology Partner for clients and business owners.
• Technical foundation: hands-on experience in software engineering with a focus on DevOps, CRM, PHP, Java, JS, and database architectures.

For further details, please check my personal portfolio.

Oliver Lengyel

With a strong foundation in security, compliance, and technology, I’ve led cross-functional initiatives across global enterprises and startups—driving ISMS governance, cybersecurity risk management, and audit readiness. My experience spans strategic leadership, hands-on project delivery, and engineering-based process optimization, aligning regulatory standards with business goals.

• Leadership & Strategy: I have led cross-functional compliance teams and initiatives, managed ISMS governance and BCM programs, and driven strategic security and quality efforts in global organizations like IBM, Novartis and several stat-up, combining hands-on expertise with executive-level communication.
• Security & Compliance: Over the years, I’ve built deep experience in ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, NIST 800-53, data protection regulations like GDPR, CCPA and some other frameworks such as NIS2,PCI DSS or AI management, ensuring audit readiness, aligning internal processes with international standards, and supporting both internal and external stakeholders in meeting compliance goals.
• Cyber risk management: I’ve been actively involved in cybersecurity risk management, vendor assessments, policy implementation, BCP/DR programs, and technical control validations such as PCI DSS, helping organizations strengthen their security posture and meet regulatory expectations. Furthermore, have strong knowledge in customer process management, including handling security questionnaires and developing solid support solutions for the sales team.
• Project & Delivery: I’ve successfully supported and led quality-focused IT and compliance projects, including validation, documentation control, internal audit planning, and KPI implementation — often working with global teams across complex regulatory environments.
• Technology & Engineering: Starting my career in quality engineering, I gained hands-on experience in ISO 9001, vendor audits, process improvement, and CMMI assessments. I have extensive experience in implementing compliance monitoring solutions, automating responses to customer security questionnaires, and improving process efficiency through the introduction and synchronization of supporting tools and systems.

Get in touch with us!

Not sure where to start? Reach out. We’ll walk you through our services and help you find the right path forward—tailored to your goals and challenges. No pressure, just a conversation to see how we can support your success.

Your first hour of consultation is on us—designed to explore your needs and potential solutions, helping make your business more secure and effective.

If you have specific questions or need tailored expertise, don’t hesitate to reach out. One of us will personally get back to you to see how we can help.

Some of our work

1. Initial Gap Assessment for SOC 2 (& ISO 27001) – Fixed Package for a small company
2. A recent ISO 27001 implementation from scratch at a small-mid size IT company
3. Information Security Officer as a Service (ISOaaS): running compliance operations

Initial Gap Assessment for SOC 2 (& ISO 27001) – Fixed package for a small company

TLDR

Our initial SOC 2 gap assessment (also applicable to ISO 27001) provides a concise yet meaningful snapshot of your organization’s current security and compliance posture. It helps uncover key risks, gaps, and readiness opportunities—without requiring major internal effort. For most small companies (typically under 50 people), this assessment can be completed within a week, starting at €400 (and while pricing may vary with organizational complexity, it generally stays under €1,000).

The situation

Getting started is often the hardest part. A small tech company approached us to assess their readiness for SOC 2 certification. Before diving into a full implementation, they wanted clarity on the effort required and where they currently stand.

Our approach

We conducted a rapid, high-level assessment—beginning with a short conversation with leadership to understand the business model and context. This was followed by 2–3 focused interviews with key stakeholders (e.g., Engineering, HR, Product), supplemented with targeted questionnaires and a light-touch review of existing documentation. This isn’t an in-depth audit—it’s a strategic snapshot that reveals the major gaps and focus areas.

The outcome

The assessment helped the client clearly understand their current maturity level, key improvement areas, and implementation options—whether that meant full outsourcing, internal resourcing, or a hybrid advisory model. It served as a low-effort, high-impact first step in their SOC 2 journey.

A recent ISO 27001 implementation from scratch at a small-mid size IT company

TLDR

We delivered a full ISO 27001 implementation in ~8 months for a growing IT company with a solid foundational posture, but with limited internal capacity. Operating under a “low-effort for the client, high-effort for us” model, we led the project end-to-end—from gap assessment to certification—contributing ~700 hours. Despite tight SLAs and minimal disruption to DevOps, we achieved certification with minimal findings, leveraging smart tooling, and hands-on support.

Situation

We recently led a full ISO 27001 implementation from the ground up for a small-to-mid-sized IT company, operating in a highly regulated environment. The primary driver behind the initiative was the company’s rapidly expanding customer base in sectors where security certifications are not only expected but can serve as a key business enabler.

Due to resource constraints caused by the company’s growth, we adopted a “low-effort for the company, high-effort for us.

Kick-off & approach

The engagement began with a kick-off session and a comprehensive gap assessment to understand the organization’s maturity against ISO 27001 requirements. Both our team and the client dedicated around 100 hours over the first month. The organization had a solid foundational posture and leadership commitment, which accelerated progress, but processes remained fragmented and not yet certification-ready. In other words: a part of the processes and procedures were in place, but some were missing or not providing proper coverage.

Recognizing the client’s intent to pursue additional certifications in the future, we recommended the introduction of a GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) platform to streamline the management of multiple frameworks.

Execution

One of our consultants was appointed as the lead facilitator, acting as the primary liaison across departments. Our responsibilities included:

1. Setting up tools and structure for ISO 27001 management,
2. Providing policy and procedure templates,
3. Conducting stakeholder interviews,
4. Drafting tailored frameworks and control documentation.

While we drove the majority of the implementation effort, the client retained ownership of certain internal tasks, for example:

• Implementing application whitelisting,
• Finalizing business continuity plans,
• Enhancing physical security controls,
• Executing organizational adjustments.

In each of these cases, we provided guidance and solution design, while the client handled execution internally.

Despite the company’s limited internal capacity—partly due to strict SLAs and operational demands—we completed the core implementation within six months, contributing approximately 400–500 hours from our team.

Auditing

After the implementation phase, the client conducted the Internal Audit (IA), followed by the Certification Audit. Thanks to careful preparation, the final certification process was completed with minimal findings, requiring just one additional month and around 100 hours of support from our side.

Conclusion

Over the course of eight months, we delivered end-to-end support for the implementation and certification, totaling approximately 700 hours of effort in a “low-effort for the company, high-effort for us” model—enabling the company to earn the certification, without disturbing their regular DevOps.

Please note that implementation timelines and resource needs can vary significantly depending on an organization’s internal capacity, commitment, and readiness level

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Information Security Officer as a Service (ISOaaS): running company compliance operations

TLDR

Our ISOaaS solution gives you access to security leadership and day-to-day compliance operations—without needing a full-time hire. This setup is ideal for startups or regulated companies that require guidance, compliance alignment, or help maturing their security program, but aren’t ready (or able) to cover the role internally. ISOaaS engagements typically run from a few months to several years, averaging 5–10 hours per week and offering flexibility to scale up or down as needed.

What you gain…

As your external ISO, we can handle the core functions required by many compliance frameworks, such as ISO 27001. For a mid-sized company, managing “daily” compliance operations often requires only 5–10 hours per week—making a full-time hire unnecessary. That’s where advesar.io can step in, flexibly.

If you only need lightweight support—such as reviewing policies or providing occasional guidance—we can reduce our presence to under 5 hours per week.

As your company grows, we can ramp up our involvement: leading audits, running gap assessments, refining compliance strategies, and integrating security into business operations. These activities often require 10+ hours weekly, depending on your maturity level and compliance lifecycle. This flexibility is a key benefit of ISOaaS.

When to engage…

• You need a temporary ISO—for example, when the position is vacant and you require interim leadership and support in searching for a permanent hire.
• You're facing regulatory pressure, whether ongoing or time-bound.
• You’re in the Continuous Improvement phase of your compliance program and need more than just operational support—strategic advice and hands-on experience.

Why to engage…

• Fast onboarding: quickly address security leadership gaps.
• Cost-effective: get expert coverage for a required, but not full-time, function.
• Flexible: scale services up or down based on business needs.

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