Rhizome

What Rhizome does

Rhizome (legal entity Rhizome Advisory Group Pty Ltd, ABN 86 626 041 478) is a Sydney-headquartered, privately held specialist advisory firm providing risk management, culture and conduct, assurance, and regulatory advisory services to Australian and New Zealand financial institutions. The firm was founded by Tamara Scicluna (Executive Director), Leon Vrontamitis, Will Peterson, and Ashly Hope, with an Advisory Council that includes Vaughn Richtor (former CEO of ING DIRECT Australia and former regional CEO at ING Group Asia) and Cris Parker. Its service portfolio spans risk framework design and review, risk culture assessment and uplift, independent reviews, co-sourcing arrangements with internal audit and risk functions, and regulatory advisory on APRA prudential standards (including CPS 220, CPS 230, FAR, BEAR, SPG 530, and SPS 220).

The firm operates an explicitly expert-led delivery model: every engagement is staffed by senior risk management practitioners working directly with client executives and Boards, with no use of junior staff or generalist auditors. The stated value proposition centres on connecting insights across financial and non-financial risk types and converting risk management from a compliance exercise into a strategic enabler. Customer evidence spans Australian deposit-taking institutions (including a Tier 2 ADI and a regional bank), an ASX-listed wealth manager, and unnamed superannuation funds and insurance companies. There is no proprietary software product, AI/ML capability, API, mobile app, or patent portfolio; the offering is people-delivered professional services only.

Rhizome runs no disclosed external funding, has no parent or subsidiary entities, and has completed no acquisitions or public capital events. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Geographic coverage is Australia and New Zealand. GTM is enterprise field sales driven by thought leadership content (website Insights publication and LinkedIn), direct executive engagement, and the personal networks and credibility of the founder-Principals and Advisory Council.

Name

Rhizome

Legal name

Rhizome Advisory Group

Website

https://rhizome.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rhizome is a Sydney-based specialist risk transformation advisory firm serving Australian and New Zealand financial institutions with expert-led consulting across risk management, culture and conduct, assurance, and APRA regulatory advisory (FAR, CPS 220/230, BEAR).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Risk Management Advisory

NAICS

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Business Support Services (5614)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Advisory (BPAHAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Change Management & Transformation (Org/HR) (BPACAJAD), Turnaround, Restructuring & Crisis Management Consulting (BPAHACAO)

Keywords

• Risk management advisory
• Regulatory compliance consulting
• Risk culture assessment
• Financial institution consulting
• Governance and assurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Risk Management Advisory Services: Expert-led consulting engagements providing risk management advisory services to financial institutions including risk framework reviews, governance assessments, and strategic risk advisory.
2. Culture and Conduct Services: Risk culture design, assessment and assurance services including framework design and independent reviews for financial services organizations.
3. Assurance and Independent Reviews: Independent review and assurance services covering financial and non-financial risks, compliance management, risk culture, regulatory requirements, and corporate governance. Includes co-sourcing arrangements with internal audit and risk functions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Rhizome is a specialist risk transformation firm that provides expert-led advisory services to financial institutions, covering risk management, risk culture and conduct, independent assurance, framework design, and regulatory compliance. Services are delivered by senior risk management practitioners working directly with executives and boards to transform risk practices from compliance exercises into strategic enablers, with deep specialization in APRA prudential regulation.

Product overview

Rhizome is a specialist risk transformation firm offering professional advisory services to financial institutions. The company provides a integrated suite of risk management consulting services including Risk Management, Culture and Conduct, Assurance, Risk Transformation, Framework Design, and Independent Review and Assessment. These services are delivered by senior experienced risk management experts and are designed to work together, enabling financial institutions to transform risk management from compliance exercises into competitive advantages. The firm operates as a professional services organization rather than a software product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Risk Management Specialist risk management advisory services covering risk framework design, implementation, and ongoing management, centered on understanding client needs and taking a practical approach to enterprise risk for financial institutions.
• Culture and Conduct Advisory services helping companies understand and shape organizational culture and conduct risk, including risk culture design, assessment, and assurance for financial institutions.
• Assurance Independent review and assurance services covering financial and non-financial risks, compliance management, risk culture, regulatory requirements, and corporate governance, including co-sourcing arrangements with internal audit and risk functions.
• Risk Transformation Transformational advisory services helping firms shift risk management from compliance exercises into a competitive advantage through framework design and implementation, governance redesign, and culture and conduct uplift.

Quantifiable outcome

• Engagements are staffed with senior experienced experts rather than junior staff, ensuring direct access to experienced practitioners
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Oliver Wyman: Global management consulting firm with deep financial services risk and regulatory practice. Competes for senior-led risk transformation mandates in Australian banking and insurance markets.
• Promontory Financial Group (an IBM Company): Specialist risk and regulatory consulting firm serving global financial institutions on governance, conduct, and compliance. Closely comparable to Rhizome on risk culture, conduct risk, and APRA-style regulatory advisory work.
• PwC Australia: Big Four firm with a sizeable Australian risk and compliance practice serving banks, insurers, and super funds on APRA-mandated transformations. Competes head-to-head with Rhizome on large-scale risk transformation programs.
• Deloitte Australia (Risk Advisory): Big Four firm operating a dedicated Australian Risk Advisory practice covering regulatory compliance, risk transformation, and governance. Competes for the same APRA-driven mandates as Rhizome but with broader cross-functional capabilities.
• McKinsey & Company (Risk Practice): Global management consulting firm with a Risk & Resilience practice advising financial institutions on enterprise risk transformation. Comparable on senior-led, principal-engaged risk transformation mandates.
• EY (Ernst & Young) Australia: Big Four firm with significant Australian Financial Services risk and regulatory consulting practice, particularly strong in superannuation and banking regulatory compliance. Directly comparable to Rhizome on risk and regulatory advisory mandates.
• KPMG Australia: Big Four professional services firm with a large Australian risk consulting practice covering APRA regulatory mandates (CPS 230, FAR), risk culture, and enterprise risk transformation. Overlaps directly with Rhizome's core offerings but operates at vastly greater scale across audit, tax, and consulting.
• Accenture (Risk & Compliance): Global consulting firm with a Risk & Compliance practice serving Australian banks and insurers. Provides overlap on regulatory-driven transformation work, though typically at larger scale than boutique firms.

Emerging players

• BCG Platinion: Specialist consulting arm of BCG focused on risk, compliance, and technology transformation for financial institutions. Competes for senior-led risk and regulatory mandates in Australia and APAC.
• Norton Rose Fulbright (Australia): Global law firm with a strong Australian Financial Services regulatory practice covering APRA mandates, governance, and conduct risk. Provides an adjacent alternative for clients seeking legal-led rather than consulting-led risk transformation support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rhizome-advisory-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Rhizome