THIRD PARTY RISK MANAGEMENT
Understand Third-Party Risk.
Strengthen Resilience.
Protect Your Business.
Third-party relationships introduce cybersecurity, operational, regulatory, and business risks that require ongoing oversight. I help organizations design, implement, and operate practical, risk-based Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) programs that are effective, efficient, and appropriately scaled to their size, complexity, and risk exposure. My approach emphasizes meaningful risk assessments, streamlined workflows, clear accountability, and automation wherever practical—helping organizations make informed vendor decisions, manage third-party risks, and strengthen operational resilience without unnecessary administrative burden.
Start a conversation >>THE BUSINESS CASE
48%
Third Parties Are Involved in Nearly Half of Breaches
Third-party involvement was identified in 48% of breaches analyzed in Verizon's 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report, up from 30% the previous year. This growing exposure reinforces the need for risk-based vendor due diligence, meaningful security assessments, and ongoing monitoring of critical third-party relationships.
(Verizon, 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report)
54%
MSP Requirements & Strategy
Supply Chain Complexity Challenges Cyber ResilienceMore than half of large organizations identify supply chain challenges as their greatest barrier to cyber resilience. Limited visibility into third-party security practices and complex vendor dependencies make a compelling case for right-sized risk assessments, clear accountability, and streamlined oversight.
(World Economic Forum, Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025)
$4.91M
MSP Requirements & Strategy
The Cost of Third-Party and Supply Chain BreachesIBM's 2025 research found that breaches involving third-party vendors and supply chain compromise averaged $4.91 million in costs. Effective TPRM programs help organizations prioritize critical vendor relationships, identify material exposures, and focus limited resources where risk reduction matters most.
(IBM, Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025)
WHAT I BRING
I bring more than 25 years of executive technology, cybersecurity, and risk advisory experience, including CIO leadership and national cybersecurity practice leadership. Having worked with organizations across industries and regulatory environments, I understand how third-party relationships introduce cybersecurity, operational, compliance, and business risks. I help executive teams establish appropriate governance, accountability, and risk-based oversight that aligns third-party risk management with business objectives and organizational risk tolerance.
I design and implement practical Third-Party Risk Management programs that focus resources on the relationships and exposures that matter most. This includes vendor inventory and criticality assessments, inherent risk tiering, security due diligence, control evaluations, remediation tracking, and ongoing monitoring. My approach is deliberately right-sized, applying the appropriate level of scrutiny based on vendor risk rather than imposing the same assessment requirements on every third party.
I help organizations move beyond manual spreadsheets, repetitive questionnaires, and fragmented vendor oversight by establishing streamlined workflows and leveraging automation wherever practical. From vendor onboarding and assessment scheduling to evidence collection, risk reporting, and continuous monitoring, I focus on reducing administrative burden while preserving meaningful risk analysis and decision-making. The result is a sustainable TPRM program that strengthens oversight, supports procurement efficiency, and scales with the business.
WHAT I HELP WITH
TPRM Program Design & Implementation
Design, implement, and optimize Third-Party Risk Management programs that align with your organization's size, complexity, regulatory obligations, and risk tolerance. Establish practical governance, policies, and workflows that prioritize material risks without creating unnecessary administrative burden.
TPRM strategy, governance & policies
Vendor inventories & criticality classification
Inherent risk tiering & assessment methodologies
Risk-based workflows & process automation
Third-Party Risk Assessments & Due Diligence
Evaluate the cybersecurity, operational, and compliance risks associated with prospective and existing vendors. Apply proportionate due diligence, leverage available independent assurance reports, and identify material control gaps to support informed vendor selection, contracting, and risk acceptance decisions.
Vendor security & inherent risk assessments
SOC 2, ISO 27001 & security evidence reviews
Control gaps, remediation & risk acceptance
Procurement, contracting & onboarding support
Continuous Monitoring & TPRM Operations
Maintain visibility into third-party risks throughout the vendor lifecycle with efficient monitoring, reassessment, and reporting processes. Implement automation where practical to reduce manual effort, improve consistency, and ensure critical vendor relationships receive appropriate ongoing oversight.
Continuous monitoring & periodic reassessments
Automated assessment & evidence workflows
Risk remediation tracking & escalation
Vendor risk dashboards & executive reporting
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Effective Third-Party Risk Management requires more than vendor questionnaires and compliance checklists. Organizations need practical, risk-based processes that identify material exposures, support informed decisions, and scale without unnecessary administrative burden. These are some of the questions I address when helping organizations build, improve, and operate TPRM programs.
What is Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM), and why is it important?
Third-Party Risk Management is the process of identifying, assessing, managing, and monitoring risks associated with vendors, suppliers, service providers, and other external relationships. These risks can include cybersecurity incidents, data exposure, operational disruption, regulatory noncompliance, and financial or reputational impacts. An effective TPRM program helps organizations understand critical dependencies, make informed vendor decisions, and maintain appropriate oversight throughout the vendor lifecycle.
How do you right-size a TPRM program for our organization?
I begin by understanding your organization's size, complexity, regulatory obligations, vendor population, and risk tolerance. From there, I establish practical vendor classifications, risk tiers, and assessment requirements that align the level of due diligence with each vendor's potential impact. Critical vendors receive more comprehensive oversight, while lower-risk relationships follow streamlined processes. The objective is meaningful risk management without unnecessary administrative complexity or cost.
Do all vendors need to complete a security questionnaire?
No. Applying the same questionnaire to every vendor is rarely efficient or necessary. Assessment requirements should be based on the vendor's inherent risk, access to sensitive information, connectivity, criticality, and potential business impact. Depending on the relationship, appropriate due diligence may include reviewing SOC 2 reports, ISO 27001 certifications, security documentation, independent assessments, or targeted questionnaires. The goal is to obtain sufficient assurance without duplicating work or creating unnecessary procurement delays.
Can you help automate our vendor risk management processes?
The process typically includes assessing your current environment, defining service requirements, identifying qualified providers, developing and evaluating proposals, conducting due diligence, and supporting contract negotiations. I can also oversee implementation and transition activities.
What does continuous third-party risk monitoring involve?
Continuous monitoring involves maintaining appropriate visibility into changes in vendor risk throughout the relationship. Depending on vendor criticality, this may include periodic reassessments, monitoring security incidents and external risk indicators, reviewing updated assurance reports, tracking remediation commitments, and evaluating changes in services, data access, or business dependencies. Monitoring frequency and depth should be proportionate to risk, with defined escalation and accountability for material findings.
Can you manage our TPRM program on an ongoing basis?
Yes. I can provide ongoing advisory leadership and operational support for TPRM programs, including vendor assessments, risk classification, documentation reviews, remediation tracking, continuous monitoring, executive reporting, and process improvement. Engagements can be structured around program development, targeted assessment projects, or recurring TPRM oversight, including integration with fractional CISO services. The objective is to provide effective third-party risk management capabilities without requiring an unnecessarily large internal function.
MSP Requirements & Strategy
LET'S STRENGTHEN YOUR THIRD-PARTY RISK MANAGEMENT
Manage Third-Party Risk Without Unnecessary Complexity.
Whether you're establishing a Third-Party Risk Management program, improving existing vendor oversight, or looking to automate inefficient assessment processes, I can help. Together, we'll build an effective, efficient, and right-sized approach that prioritizes material risks, streamlines vendor due diligence, and strengthens ongoing oversight—without unnecessary cost or administrative burden.
Schedule a TPRM Consultation. >>