BSS
BSS is a UK cyber security, risk and assurance consulting firm founded in 2020 as a spin-off from Barclay Simpson, serving large, highly regulated enterprises across financial services, insurance, banking, manufacturing and the public sector.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What BSS does
BSS (Barclay Simpson Solutions Limited) is a UK-based cyber security, risk, assurance and compliance consulting firm founded in 2020 as a spin-off from Barclay Simpson, a 30+ year specialist recruitment business in the cyber and GRC sector. The company serves large, highly regulated enterprises — primarily in financial services, banking, insurance, investment management and manufacturing — delivering bespoke consulting engagements structured as Statements of Work. Its go-to-market is direct enterprise sales supported by thought leadership content, proprietary CISO research, case studies, and participation in events such as CISO 360 Congress.
BSS offers three core service lines: CyberAdvise (advisory including virtual CISO, DevSecOps support, and framework maturity assessments against ISO 27001, NIST CSF, IEC 62443 and Cyber Essentials), CyberTestAssess (CREST-accredited penetration testing, red teaming, and security assessments across infrastructure, applications, cloud and OT environments), and Cyber3RM (end-to-end third-party cyber security risk management). Delivery is primarily human-led via a small permanent team (approximately 9 named individuals) supplemented by an extensive network of associate subject matter experts built over Barclay Simpson's three decades in the sector. The company holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001 and CREST certifications, and is registered on UK public sector procurement frameworks (Crown Commercial Services DOS5, GCloud 12).
Revenue is generated through professional services and managed services contracts, with pricing quote-based and tied to scope, duration and consultant seniority. Notable client engagements include a cyber recovery programme for Santander, an OT supplier assurance programme for a FTSE 100 packaging and recycling group, operational resilience and regulatory compliance work for major UK banks and insurers, and penetration testing for a US-based technology firm. BSS is privately held, has no external funding rounds disclosed, and operates only in the United Kingdom.
BSS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BSS
- Legal name
- Barclay Simpson Solutions Limited
- Website
- https://bss.uk.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- BSS is a UK cyber security, risk and assurance consulting firm founded in 2020 as a spin-off from Barclay Simpson, serving large, highly regulated enterprises across financial services, insurance, banking, manufacturing and the public sector.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where BSS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
BSS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Consulting Services: BSS provides consulting and managed services, supplying teams of subject matter experts (SMEs) to deliver specific outcomes or ongoing services. They engage clients through Statements of Work (SOW) to deliver outcomes. Associates are typically engaged under SOW arrangements, outside IR35 classification.
- Third-Party Risk Management Services: Cyber3RM provides end-to-end third-party cyber security risk management services including backlog management, change management, and ongoing risk control. Delivered as managed services with process optimisation and skilled professionals.
- Security Testing and Assessment: Penetration testing, red teaming, and security assessments delivered by CREST-registered testers. Includes both one-time engagements and retainer arrangements for ongoing security support.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
BSS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BSS (Barclay Simpson Solutions) is a cyber security, risk, and assurance consulting firm that delivers three core service lines to large, highly regulated organisations. CyberAdvise provides security advisory, virtual CISO, DevSecOps, and framework maturity assessment services. CyberTestAssess delivers CREST-accredited penetration testing, red teaming, and security assessments across infrastructure, applications, cloud, and operational technology. Cyber3RM provides end-to-end third-party cyber security risk management, including backlog clearance, supplier risk assessment, and ongoing risk control.
Product overview
BSS (Barclay Simpson Solutions) is a cyber security, risk, and assurance consulting solutions provider offering three core service products: CyberAdvise (advisory and SME services including VCISO, coaching, DevSecOps support, and framework assessments), CyberTestAssess (full-service penetration testing, red teaming, and security assessments covering infrastructure, applications, cloud, and OT), and Cyber3RM (end-to-end third-party cyber security risk management). The company works with large, highly regulated organisations to deliver against ongoing cyber, risk, assurance, and compliance needs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CyberAdvise Cybersecurity advisory and SME support service providing flexible consulting expertise for scaling, accelerating change, and augmenting security functions. Includes virtual CISO services, coaching, DevSecOps support, and framework maturity assessments against ISO27001, NIST CSF, and Cyber Essentials. Targeted at CISOs and security leaders needing elastic access to specialist expertise.
- CyberTestAssess
- Cyber3RM
Quantifiable outcome
- Delivered cyber recovery vault programme for Santander supporting ongoing cloud migration and regulatory compliance
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use BSS
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
BSS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
BSS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
BSS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Mandiant (Google Cloud): Global incident response and cyber security consulting firm (now part of Google Cloud) offering penetration testing, red teaming, and managed services to large regulated enterprises - overlaps BSS's enterprise assurance and red-team capabilities.
- PwC UK (Cyber and Risk): Big Four firm with a large cyber, risk and regulatory practice serving FTSE-listed financial services and industrial clients - competes with BSS on operational resilience, third-party risk, and assurance mandates.
- KPMG UK (Cyber Security Services): Big Four advisory firm offering a broad cyber security, risk, and compliance practice to large UK enterprises - competes with BSS on enterprise assurance mandates but operates at much greater scale and breadth.
Direct peers
- Cyberis: UK cyber security consultancy providing penetration testing, security assessment, and advisory services to enterprise clients - directly overlapping BSS's CyberAdvise and CyberTestAssess offerings.
- Bridewell Consulting: UK-based cyber security consultancy offering penetration testing, managed detection, and advisory services to highly regulated sectors including financial services and critical infrastructure, closely overlapping BSS's GTM and service catalogue.
- Prism Infosec: UK-based cyber security consultancy delivering penetration testing, risk assessment and assurance services to regulated enterprises, similar in size and customer profile to BSS.
- NCC Group: UK-listed cyber security and risk consultancy providing penetration testing, red teaming, and managed security services to regulated enterprises - directly comparable in service mix, customer base, and CREST-accredited delivery to BSS.
- Pentest Ltd: UK CREST-accredited penetration testing specialist serving enterprise clients - a direct competitor on CyberTestAssess engagements and comparable in delivery model and accreditation posture.
Others
Emerging players
- Hadrian Security: Emerging UK/Netherlands-based offensive security and attack surface management company whose services partially overlap BSS's CyberTestAssess and Cyber3RM capabilities, though it leans more product/technology-led.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Customer concentration
BSS social profiles
Digital presenceBSS compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
BSS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BSS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
BSS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BSS 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 BSS
What does BSS do?
BSS (Barclay Simpson Solutions) is a cyber security, risk, and assurance consulting firm that delivers three core service lines to large, highly regulated organisations. CyberAdvise provides security advisory, virtual CISO, DevSecOps, and framework maturity assessment services. CyberTestAssess delivers CREST-accredited penetration testing, red teaming, and security assessments across infrastructure, applications, cloud, and operational technology. Cyber3RM provides end-to-end third-party cyber security risk management, including backlog clearance, supplier risk assessment, and ongoing risk control.
Is BSS a public or private company?
BSS is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was BSS founded?
BSS was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is BSS based?
BSS is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does BSS make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are third-Party Risk Management Services and security Testing and Assessment.
Who are BSS's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Mandiant (Google Cloud), PwC UK (Cyber and Risk) and KPMG UK (Cyber Security Services). Direct peers are Cyberis, Bridewell Consulting, Prism Infosec, NCC Group and Pentest Ltd. WithSecure (formerly F-Secure Consulting) is listed as an others. Hadrian Security is listed as an emerging player.
Does BSS have an API?
No public API is recorded for BSS.