CMS Group
CMS Group is a UK-based Technology Management Consultancy founded in 1990 that delivers managed IT, cybersecurity, cloud modernisation, and strategic IT leadership (vCIO) to mid-market and enterprise clients across hospitality, legal, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersBlackburn, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CMS Group does
CMS Group is a UK-based Technology Management Consultancy founded in 1990, headquartered in Blackburn with a nationwide office footprint across London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, and Edinburgh. The firm operates as a subsidiary within the Lyra Technology Group and serves more than 100 mid-market and enterprise organisations across five core verticals: hospitality (primary), legal, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, plus professional services. It has been deliberately positioned as a category alternative to the traditional managed services provider (MSP), embedding strategic IT leadership and governance into every engagement rather than selling it as an add-on.
The company's platform is built around three proprietary assets: StrategyOS, a five-step transformation methodology (Audit, Stabilise, Optimise, Scale, Govern) that structures client engagements; CMS Strata, a client-facing transparency portal providing real-time dashboards for governance, risk, compliance, and roadmap visibility; and CMS Ether, the underlying dashboard and reporting infrastructure. These are delivered on top of a Microsoft-centric technology stack (Microsoft 365, Azure, Power BI, Power Platform, Teams Phone) with third-party integrations for backup (Veeam, Datto), security tooling, and IoT connectivity. Underneath these platforms sit four service pillars: Operate (24/7/365 managed support), Secure (SOC/SIEM, vulnerability management, endpoint protection, awareness training), Modernise (cloud, voice, backup/DR, virtualisation), and Transform (strategy roadmaps, process automation, data analytics, bespoke applications, AI adoption, and programme leadership). Reported operational metrics include 18-second average answer time, 99.94% SLA attainment, 87% first-contact resolution, and 98% client retention.
Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring and project-based streams: managed IT services subscriptions, fixed-fee vCIO engagements, per-user/month services for voice and Microsoft 365 backup, and project-based governance and modernisation consulting. Pricing is quote-based, with selective intake capped at roughly eight new StrategyOS clients per quarter. Distribution is direct field sales, supported by a content-led marketing function anchored on a free maturity audit diagnostic, an online risk calculator, and a resource hub of guides and case studies. The leadership team is led by Managing Director Darcy Coop; ownership sits within the Lyra Technology Group structure with no public market listing or disclosed venture or private equity backing.
CMS Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CMS Group
- Legal name
- CMS Group Ltd
- Website
- https://cms-group.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CMS Group is a UK-based Technology Management Consultancy founded in 1990 that delivers managed IT, cybersecurity, cloud modernisation, and strategic IT leadership (vCIO) to mid-market and enterprise clients across hospitality, legal, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CMS Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Managed IT Services
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Management Services (8741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- IT Service Management (ITSM) Platforms (HDAEALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cloud Management Platforms (CMP) & Single-Pane-of-Glass Control (HDABABAD), IT Service Management for Data Centers (ITSM/CMDB/Change) (HDABANAF)
Keywords
Where CMS Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Blackburn
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
CMS Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Managed IT Services: Fully managed IT support with 24/7/365 coverage including strategic IT partnership model combining operational support with embedded vCIO leadership and governance transparency.
- vCIO Engagement: Fixed monthly subscription for virtual Chief Information Officer services providing executive board-level engagement, vendor management, investment guidance, and governance framework implementation.
- IT Governance Framework: Project-based consulting engagement for framework design, RACI definition, meeting cadence, reporting structure, and continuous improvement governance maturity.
- Voice Service Management: Per-user monthly ongoing voice service management for Teams Phone and unified communications including user changes, queue updates, carrier escalation, and license oversight.
- Microsoft 365 Backup: Per-user monthly third-party backup services for Microsoft 365 data using Veeam/Datto with automated backup, granular restore, and retention policies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | vCIO Engagement - Fixed monthly subscription for executive IT leadership |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | IT Governance Framework - Project-based consulting engagement |
| Per seat | Monthly | Voice Service Management - Per user/month ongoing support |
| Per seat | Monthly | Microsoft 365 Backup - Third-party backup per user/month |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
CMS Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CMS Group is a UK-based Technology Management Consultancy providing managed IT support, vCIO leadership, IT governance, cybersecurity, cloud and infrastructure modernisation, and strategic technology transformation to mid-market and enterprise organisations across hospitality, legal, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing verticals. The company wraps its services in proprietary frameworks (StrategyOS) and a client transparency portal (CMS Strata) that deliver embedded executive IT leadership and real-time governance visibility.
Product overview
CMS Group operates as a Technology Management Consultancy offering a unified platform-plus-services architecture built around StrategyOS, their proprietary 5-step transformation methodology and governance framework. The core platform consists of StrategyOS (governance and transformation), CMS Strata (client portal for real-time transparency and performance visibility), and CMS Ether (dashboard and reporting platform). These are supported by four service pillars: Operate (24/7 support and service desk), Secure (cyber security and risk management), Modernise (cloud and infrastructure transformation), and Transform (strategic leadership and innovation). The portfolio includes named service offerings such as vCIO Services, Governance & Compliance, Backup & Disaster Recovery, Voice & Communications, Process Automation, Data Analytics & Reporting, Bespoke Applications, AI & Emerging Technology, Strategy Roadmaps, and specialized security services (SOC/SIEM, Vulnerability Management, Endpoint Protection). Tools include Maturity Audit and Risk Calculator. StrategyOS and embedded vCIO leadership are built into every partnership as standard, not add-ons.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- StrategyOS: Proprietary 5-step transformation framework: Audit, Stabilise, Optimise, Scale, Govern. Embedded vCIO leadership governance framework.
- CMS Strata
Products and services
- StrategyOS Proprietary 5-step transformation methodology and governance framework embedded in every engagement, providing vCIO leadership, strategic roadmap development, and continuous governance.
- CMS Strata Client portal providing real-time governance, risk, and performance visibility through live dashboards covering security, compliance, roadmap tracking, and service performance.
- vCIO Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 75% downtime reduction in 3 months for Village Hotels (34+ sites, 4,108 employees)
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use CMS Group
Customer profileNamed customers22 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
CMS Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability6 records
Feature3 records
CMS Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Lyra Technology GroupcoreCMS Group is part of Lyra Technology Group, operating as a local partnership with the depth of a broader operating group. This provides CMS with the backing and resources of a larger technology group while maintaining local expertise and relationship focus.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CMS Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Computacenter: UK-headquartered enterprise IT infrastructure and services provider with broad managed services, cloud, and strategic advisory offerings. Comparable as a larger-scale UK IT services player serving enterprise and mid-market customers across similar verticals.
- Softcat: UK IT reseller and infrastructure provider offering managed services, cloud, and advisory. Comparable as a UK-based mid-market and enterprise IT services company, though Softcat operates at significantly larger scale.
- SCC (Specialist Computer Centres): European IT services and solutions provider with strong UK presence offering managed services, cloud, and infrastructure. Comparable as a UK-headquartered IT services company serving enterprise customers with similar Microsoft-centric capabilities.
- Capgemini: Global IT services and consulting firm with significant UK presence offering strategic IT advisory, managed services, and digital transformation. Comparable as a strategic IT leadership provider, though operating at global scale across enterprise clients.
- Kyndryl: Global IT infrastructure services provider spun out from IBM, offering managed infrastructure, cloud, and digital workplace services. Comparable as a managed services and IT transformation partner serving large enterprise customers.
- Accenture: Global management consulting and technology services firm with significant UK practice offering strategic IT advisory, cloud, and managed services. Comparable as a higher-tier strategic IT consultancy competing for enterprise technology leadership engagements.
Direct peers
- Trustmarque: UK-based managed service provider offering IT support, cloud, and strategic IT services to mid-market and enterprise customers. Closely comparable as a UK MSP with similar Microsoft-centric service portfolio and vertical specialisation focus.
- Littlefish: UK-based IT managed services provider delivering IT support, cybersecurity, and cloud services to mid-market organisations. Comparable as a UK-focused MSP of similar scale serving customers across multiple sectors.
- Bytes Software Services: UK IT services and software licensing provider offering managed services, cloud solutions, and security services. Comparable as a UK-focused IT services provider serving mid-market and enterprise customers with similar Microsoft ecosystem expertise.
- Six Degrees: UK-based managed service provider offering cloud, security, and IT managed services to mid-market and enterprise customers. Comparable as a UK MSP with similar service pillars covering cloud transformation, security, and managed IT support.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CMS Group social profiles
Digital presenceCMS Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
CMS Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CMS Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
CMS Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CMS Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CMS Group
What does CMS Group do?
CMS Group is a UK-based Technology Management Consultancy providing managed IT support, vCIO leadership, IT governance, cybersecurity, cloud and infrastructure modernisation, and strategic technology transformation to mid-market and enterprise organisations across hospitality, legal, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing verticals. The company wraps its services in proprietary frameworks (StrategyOS) and a client transparency portal (CMS Strata) that deliver embedded executive IT leadership and real-time governance visibility.
Is CMS Group a public or private company?
CMS Group is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was CMS Group founded?
CMS Group was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CMS Group based?
CMS Group is headquartered in Blackburn, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does CMS Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Managed IT Services are the primary driver. The others are vCIO Engagement, IT Governance Framework, voice Service Management and microsoft 365 Backup.
Who are CMS Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Computacenter, Softcat, SCC (Specialist Computer Centres), Capgemini, Kyndryl and Accenture. Direct peers are Trustmarque, Littlefish, Bytes Software Services and Six Degrees.
Does CMS Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for CMS Group.
What industry is CMS Group in?
CMS Group's product category is Managed IT Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEALAA, IT Service Management (ITSM) Platforms, with a secondary code of HDABABAD, Cloud Management Platforms (CMP) & Single-Pane-of-Glass Control. Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7370.