Nick Smith

InfoSec Auditor | Red Team Manager | Pentester

London, England, United Kingdom

About

A cyber security professional with over 15 years of experience leading penetration testing, red team operations, and cyber assurance engagements across financial services, corporate, and public sector organisations. My expertise lies in managing the end‑to‑end lifecycle of security engagements; from proposals, legal engagement letters, scoping, and planning, through delivery, team leadership, analysis, and reporting. I specialise in insider threat testing, SOC resilience assessments, and full‑scope red team exercises, ensuring clients gain a realistic view of their security posture. I am recognised for building trusted client relationships and acting as the primary point of contact for senior stakeholders. I translate complex technical findings into clear, business‑focused insights, presenting risks and remediation advice to boards, non‑executive directors, and audit committees. I combine deep technical expertise with strong leadership and communication skills to deliver security outcomes that matter, helping organisations strengthen resilience, meet compliance standards, and make informed risk decisions.

Experience

  • IAFA Tech Audit and Advisory Subject Matter Expert at Protiviti UK
    Apr 2026 - Present · 3 mos

    IAFA Tech Audit and Advisory practice, supporting cyber security and technology risk engagements.

  • Senior Manager - Cyber Risk Auditor / Red Teamer / Red Team Manager at Grant Thornton UK
    Apr 2016 - Apr 2026 · 10 yrs 1 mo

    End‑to‑end leader in penetration testing and red team operations, scoping, pricing, and managing engagements from proposal through to delivery. I head the Penetration Testing team within Cyber Security Services, driving consultancy across penetration testing, compliance, and training. I oversee global teams across EMEA, ensuring consistent, high‑quality delivery of services, and manage a diverse portfolio of testing engagements including insider threat simulations, SOC resilience assessments, and data leakage exercises. I build trusted client relationships and provide technical expertise through bespoke cyber audits and red team exercises, translating complex findings into clear, actionable business‑focused advice.

  • Systems Manager & Network Engineer at IT4Automation Limited
    Oct 2009 - Apr 2016 · 6 yrs 7 mos

    • Network and Systems Administrator, utilising physical, virtual, and cloud-based software. implementation of network infrastructure and configuration of systems and applications inhouse and for clients. • Managed bespoke 3rd line critical infrastructure monitoring for SCADA and PLC networks for mulitple clients including, large water utility and Highways across the United Kingdom. • Provide 3rd line support at ISP level, including diagnostics, troubleshooting, and scaled deployment of broadband services.