What Symphonise Consulting does

Symphonise Consulting is a South Africa-based professional services firm that delivers accredited training and bespoke consulting in IT governance, IT service management, project management, and information security. Operating as Symphonise Digital (Pty) Ltd (registration 2024/132244/07), the firm is headquartered in Randburg, Gauteng, and is led by founder and CEO Etienne Shardlow. Its clients include government ministries, central banks, and private sector enterprises across Southern Africa (Botswana, Eswatini, Zambia, Namibia, Lesotho, Mauritius, South Africa), the Middle East (Saudi Arabia), and the United Kingdom. The firm is privately held with no recorded external institutional funding and operates with a headcount of 1–10.

The firm's core offering is a portfolio of 16 accredited instructor-led training courses built around established frameworks — ITIL 4, COBIT 2019, COBIT 5, PRINCE2, AgilePM, Scrum, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 20000, FitSM, BRMP, Praxis Framework, WISP, BCS Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence Practitioner, and Robotic Process Automation — supplemented by GamingWorks business simulations and e-learning delivered via the Cademy platform. Training is delivered in instructor-led, e-learning, and simulation formats. The company holds accreditations from APMG International, EXIN, and PeopleCert, and is Africa's first APMG-accredited training organisation to offer the RPA Foundation course. Consulting services cover maturity and compliance assessments, ISO/IEC 27001 gap analysis and certification support, governance framework adoption, and ISMS implementation, with the ISMS.online platform optionally resold as a documentation tool.

Symphonise monetises through two primary streams: quote-based professional services consulting engagements and one-time course fees or annual e-learning subscriptions. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales (with free consultations as lead generation), accreditation-channel distribution, content marketing (blog, podcast, LinkedIn, email), and selective event presence such as AI Expo Africa 2024. The firm also engages on regulatory thought leadership — notably King V corporate governance commentary in coordination with IoDSA — and collaborates with bodies such as SAAIA on AI governance topics, reflecting a deliberate positioning at the intersection of compliance, governance, and emerging technology advisory in the African market.

Name

Symphonise Consulting

Legal name

Symphonise Digital (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://symphonise.consulting

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Symphonise Consulting is a South Africa-based accredited training and consulting firm specialising in IT governance, information security, and project management frameworks, serving government ministries, central banks, and private enterprises across Africa, the Middle East, and the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IT Governance Consulting

NAICS

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Risk, Compliance & Internal Controls Consulting (BPAHACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Compliance Technology, GRC Platforms & Controls Automation Advisory (BPAHAFAO)

Keywords

• IT governance consulting
• IT service management training
• Information security consulting
• Accredited training courses
• ISO 27001 certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Symphonise Consulting generates revenue through bespoke consulting engagements in IT governance, service management, project management, and information security. Services include maturity and compliance assessments, governance framework adoption, ISO/IEC 27001 certification support, and gap analysis. Pricing is quote-based, typically sold as professional services contracts to enterprise clients.
2. Accredited Training Courses: The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of accredited training courses spanning IT Service Management (ITIL 4 Foundation), IT Governance (COBIT 5, COBIT 2019), Project Management (PRINCE2, AgilePM, Praxis Framework, WISP), Information Security (ISO/IEC 27001, BCS Artificial Intelligence, AIP), and emerging technology (Robotic Process Automation). Training is delivered in multiple formats including instructor-led, e-learning, and business simulation games by GamingWorks. Revenue is generated through course fees, which may be structured as one-time per-course payments or annual subscription for access to e-learning platforms.
3. ISO/IEC 27001 Certification Services: Symphonise Consulting offers end-to-end ISO/IEC 27001 certification support including gap analysis, roadmap development, ISMS implementation, internal audits, and pre-certification checks. The company also offers an optional ISMS.online platform subscription as a tool to streamline documentation and compliance management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Symphonise Consulting is a South African professional services firm that delivers IT governance, IT service management, and project management consulting alongside an accredited training portfolio. The company sells bespoke consulting engagements (maturity and compliance assessments, ISO/IEC 27001 certification support, governance framework adoption, and gap analysis) to enterprise clients, and offers accredited courses in ITIL, COBIT, PRINCE2, AgilePM, Scrum, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 20000, FitSM, BRMP, RPA, BCS AI, and related frameworks under accreditations from APMG International, EXIN, PeopleCert, and GamingWorks.

Product overview

Symphonise Consulting operates as a training and consulting firm offering a portfolio of accredited courses and professional services. Their training offerings include 16 instructor-led courses covering IT governance (COBIT® 2019, COBIT® 5), IT service management (ITIL®4 Foundation, FitSM®, ISO/IEC 20000), project management (AgilePM®, PRINCE2®, Scrum, Praxis Framework™, WISP®), and specialized domains (Robotic Process Automation, Artificial Intelligence Practitioner, BCS Artificial Intelligence, Business Relationship Management, APMG Change Management). They are Africa's first APMG-Accredited Training Organisation to offer the RPA Foundation course. Their consulting services span IT governance, information security, and project management, with specialized offerings including ISO/IEC 27001 certification support and migration from 2013 to 2022 versions. Business simulations by GamingWorks complement traditional training. The company is accredited by APMG International, EXIN, PeopleCert, and works with ISMS.online as an optional compliance tool.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Symphonise Education: A brand under Symphonise Digital (Pty) Ltd, mentioned alongside Symphonise Consulting in privacy policy.

Products and services

• AgilePM Training Agile project management methodology training based on the Agile Business Consortium framework, providing flexible and iterative approaches to project delivery for project teams and organisations adopting agile practices.
• APMG-International Change Management Training Change management training accredited by APMG-International, covering organisational change frameworks and methodologies for change managers, project leaders, and transformation teams.
• Artificial Intelligence Practitioner (AIP) Training AI practitioner training covering the design, implementation, and management of AI solutions in enterprise environments, for AI practitioners and technical leads building AI systems.
• BCS Artificial Intelligence Training BCS-accredited artificial intelligence training covering foundational AI concepts, ethics, and practical applications for IT and business professionals.
• Business Relationship Management Professional (BRMP) Training BRMP training focused on establishing effective business relationship management practices between IT and business stakeholders, for relationship managers and business partners.
• COBIT 2019 Training IT governance framework training based on COBIT 2019, helping organisations align IT strategy with business objectives, for governance, risk, and compliance professionals.
• COBIT 5 Training Legacy IT governance framework training based on COBIT 5, providing a comprehensive approach to enterprise IT governance and management for organisations maintaining the older framework.
• FitSM Training Lightweight IT service management training based on the FitSM framework, offering a simplified approach to ITSM implementation for smaller teams and organisations.
• ISO/IEC 20000 Training International standard for IT service management systems training, covering requirements for establishing, implementing, and improving service management for ITSM professionals.
• ISO/IEC 27001 Training Information security management system standard training, accredited by APMG International, covering the requirements for establishing, implementing, and maintaining an ISMS for information security professionals.
• ITIL 4 Foundation Training ITIL 4 framework training covering the fundamental concepts and principles of modern IT service management, accredited by PeopleCert, for IT service management practitioners.
• Praxis Framework Training Integrated project and programme management framework training combining PRINCE2, MSP, and MoP methodologies for project and programme managers.
• PRINCE2 Training Process-based project management method training providing a structured framework for effective project delivery, available as instructor-led and e-learning via the Cademy platform, for project managers.
• Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Training Africa's first APMG-accredited RPA Foundation training course covering the deployment of bots to automate repetitive, rule-based tasks in cybersecurity and IT operations contexts, for IT operations and automation professionals.
• Scrum Training Agile framework training covering Scrum methodology for iterative project management and team collaboration, for scrum masters, product owners, and agile teams.
• WISP Working In Small Projects Training Project management methodology training specifically designed for small-scale projects and initiatives, for practitioners managing smaller project portfolios.
• Business Simulations Immersive simulation games delivered in partnership with GamingWorks that combine team building with practical skills development, offered alongside traditional accredited training for organisations seeking experiential learning.
• Expert Consulting Services Tailored consulting solutions in IT governance, service management, and project management to harmonise IT and business strategies for sustainable growth, delivered to enterprise clients and government bodies.
• Information Security Services Cybersecurity framework guidance, risk management, and compliance services, including GDPR, POPIA, and ISO/IEC 27001 support, to keep organisations resilient against emerging threats.
• ISO/IEC 27001 Certification Service End-to-end consulting support for achieving ISO/IEC 27001 certification, including gap analysis, roadmap development, ISMS implementation, internal audits, and pre-certification checks, with the optional ISMS.online platform for documentation and compliance management.
• ISO/IEC 27001:2013 to 27001:2022 Conversion Service Conversion service helping organisations currently certified against ISO/IEC 27001:2013 transition to the 2022 version, including gap analysis, action planning, policy updates, and staff training, completed within the certification body deadline.

Quantifiable outcome

• Organisations can achieve ISO/IEC 27001 certification through Symphonise Consulting's end-to-end support including gap analysis, roadmap development, ISMS implementation, internal audits, and pre-certification checks.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and secondary.

• SAAIA (South African Artificial Intelligence Association)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2024Symphonise Consulting engaged with SAAIA around AI governance, privacy, and responsible AI topics. The company attended AI Expo Africa 2024 where SAAIA spotlighted issues around POPIA compliance in AI model training. SAAIA filed a POPIA complaint against LinkedIn, with Symphonise Consulting providing coverage and commentary on the issue.
• APMG InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSymphonise Consulting is an APMG International accredited training organisation (ATO), delivering courses that lead to APMG-recognised certifications including AgilePM, COBIT, Change Management, ISO/IEC 27001, and the RPA Foundation course. This accreditation is a foundational element of the company's training business.
• EXINcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSymphonise Consulting is an EXIN-accredited training organisation offering EXIN-certified courses including BCS Artificial Intelligence, Business Relationship Management Professional (BRMP), and FitSM training. EXIN accreditation enables the company to deliver globally recognised certifications in these domains.
• PeopleCertcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAs a PeopleCert accredited training organisation, Symphonise Consulting delivers PeopleCert-certified courses including ITIL 4 Foundation. PeopleCert is the examination institute for several leading IT and project management certifications.
• GamingWorkssecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSymphonise Consulting partners with GamingWorks to deliver immersive business simulation games that combine team building with practical skills development. These simulations complement traditional course delivery and differentiate the company's training offering by combining experiential learning with accredited curriculum.
• IoDSA (Institute of Directors South Africa)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IoDSA published the King V Code draft for public comment. Symphonise Consulting provides commentary and analysis on the King V draft, positioning the company as a thought leader helping organisations navigate upcoming governance changes in South Africa.
• ISMS.onlinesecondaryTechnology or IntegrationSymphonise Consulting optionally offers ISMS.online as a tool to streamline documentation, management, and maintenance of ISO/IEC 27001 compliance for clients. The platform provides templates, secure collaboration, and ongoing compliance support, integrated into Symphonise's certification consulting service offering.

Scale indicators1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IT Governance Ltd: UK-based specialist in ISO 27001 consultancy, training, and packaged compliance solutions. Closely comparable to Symphonise in combining governance/cyber compliance consulting with accredited training, though serving primarily UK and European clients.
• The Knowledge Academy: Global training provider with strong presence in ITIL, PRINCE2, and ISO certification courses. Comparable in offering an extensive accredited course catalogue to enterprise and individual learners.
• ITpreneurs: Global provider of best-practice IT training and certification courses (ITIL, DevOps, agile). Comparable as an accredited training organisation distributing framework-based certifications to enterprise audiences.
• Pink Elephant: Long-standing ITIL and IT service management consulting and training firm. Directly comparable to Symphonise's ITIL, COBIT, and ISO/IEC 20000 training portfolio with a similar framework-centric delivery model.
• ALC Training: Africa-focused training provider offering PRINCE2, ITIL, and other accredited certifications across the continent. Directly comparable as a regional competitor targeting the same Southern African enterprise audience.

Broad incumbents

• PeopleCert: Owner of the ITIL trademark and a major certification body. Overlaps with Symphonise as both an accreditor and content creator in the IT service management training market, but operates at vastly greater scale.
• Global Knowledge: Worldwide IT and project management training provider offering ITIL, PRINCE2, Agile, and cybersecurity courses. Comparable curriculum breadth but with much larger scale and global delivery infrastructure.
• Skillsoft: Large enterprise learning platform offering IT certification, leadership, and compliance training content. Overlaps with Symphonise on ITIL/cybersecurity course content but operates as a SaaS learning platform rather than a consulting firm.

Emerging players

• Infosec Institute: Cybersecurity education and certification provider. Comparable on the information security training side of Symphonise's portfolio, particularly for ISO/IEC 27001 and security framework certifications.
• Simplilearn: Online bootcamp and certification provider covering ITIL, Agile, cybersecurity, and project management. Comparable training catalogue but differentiated by digital-first delivery rather than instructor-led consulting engagements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/symphonisec
• Facebookfacebook.com/Symphonise
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/symphonise-consulting
• Instagraminstagram.com/symphonise.consulting

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Symphonise Consulting