Fractional Chief Strategic
Intelligence Officer
Board-level strategic intelligence — without the $800K+ overhead of building it internally. SAS Intel's Fractional CSIO embeds directly into your leadership team, delivering the foresight, assessments, and analytical support your organization needs to operate ahead of its risks.
Experience
Experience
Agency pedigree
Small Business
In my experience briefing executive teams, the most dangerous gaps aren't in cybersecurity tools — they're in the intelligence layer above them. Organizations invest millions in technical controls and almost nothing in the strategic intelligence capability that tells leadership what those controls are actually protecting against.
The Intelligence Gap
Most organizations have no systematic process for collecting, analyzing, and acting on intelligence about the threats, opportunities, and risks in their operating environment.
The Cost of Reactive Leadership
Reactive organizations manage crises. Intelligence-led organizations prevent them. The difference is a structured analytical capability that delivers foresight before the decision window closes.
The Build vs. Buy Problem
Building an internal intelligence function costs $800K–$1.2M annually before you produce a single deliverable. The Fractional CSIO model delivers full-agency capability at a fraction of the investment.
Who This Is For
The Fractional CSIO model is purpose-built for organizations that operate in complex environments and need intelligence-grade foresight — without the overhead of building it internally.
PE-Backed Companies
Portfolio companies operating between acquisition and exit that need strategic intelligence support during high-stakes growth, integration, or transition periods. Leadership teams that need to operate with institutional-grade intelligence without institutional overhead.
- Pre-exit strategic risk assessment
- Leadership team vetting during M&A
- Competitive and market intelligence
Public Company Boards
Governance bodies that need independent intelligence perspective on strategic risks, executive exposure, and the geopolitical and regulatory environment affecting their organization — without routing it through management.
- Independent board-level intelligence briefings
- Executive digital footprint monitoring
- Governance risk assessment support
Family Offices
Multi-generational wealth management organizations with complex, multi-market investment portfolios that need geopolitical and regulatory intelligence tied directly to investment decision support — not generic risk reports.
- Geopolitical risk briefings by market
- Regulatory signal monitoring
- Investment counterparty vetting
High-Growth Mid-Market Firms
Organizations scaling rapidly through new markets, new leadership, or new competitive environments — where the intelligence needs are growing faster than the internal capability to address them.
- Market entry and expansion intelligence
- Supplier and partner risk monitoring
- Competitive threat assessment
Retainer Options
Three structured retainer models designed around the scope of intelligence support your organization needs. All engagements are led personally by Richard Frederick.
Situational Awareness
Retainer
Entry-level intelligence partnership — structured for organizations beginning to formalize their strategic intelligence capability.
- Quarterly strategic intelligence briefings
- Annual Crown Jewels Exposure Audit
- Priority threat and risk monitoring
- Quarterly written intelligence report
- Executive briefing call (90 min/quarter)
Strategic Advisory
Retainer
Full-cadence intelligence partnership — for organizations that need ongoing analytical support tied to active business decisions.
- Monthly strategic intelligence reporting
- On-demand intelligence requests (48–72hr)
- Board briefing preparation and support
- Quarterly Crown Jewels review
- Regulatory and policy signal monitoring
- Monthly executive briefing call (60 min)
Full-Scope Fractional
CSIO
Fully embedded intelligence partnership — for organizations requiring the complete Fractional CSIO capability across all operational and strategic functions.
- All Strategic Advisory Retainer deliverables
- Dedicated analyst access — named resource
- Embedded advisory across all business units
- Priority response SLA — same business day
- Executive and board in-person briefing support
- Annual full-scope strategic intelligence review
What It Costs vs.
What It Costs Not To
Two senior intelligence analysts, tooling, databases, overhead, management, and 12–18 months before your first deliverable reaches the board.
- Senior intelligence analyst (×2): $280K–$360K
- Intelligence databases and tooling: $80K–$120K
- Management and operational overhead: $200K–$400K
- Recruiting, onboarding, ramp time: $60K–$120K
One unvetted hire. One unmonitored supply chain disruption. One executive exposure that becomes a media crisis. The cost is rarely known in advance — only after.
- Failed C-suite hire: $500K–$2M+ in replacement costs
- Supply chain disruption: operational and contractual losses
- Executive reputational event: transaction and brand value
- Regulatory surprise: compliance remediation + exposure
Full-agency intelligence capability, led by a former Defense Intelligence Agency professional, available from day one — at a retainer investment that delivers measurable ROI from the first quarterly briefing.
Your Organization's Intelligence
Capability Starts Here.
Retainer availability is limited. Most engagements begin with a 30-minute briefing — no pitch, no pressure. Just an honest assessment of where your intelligence gaps are and what the right starting point looks like.
- Assess your current intelligence gaps
- Identify the right retainer tier for your needs
- Discuss current retainer availability
- No obligation — candid conversation only