The Forrester Wave™: Cybersecurity Consulting Services In Asia Pacific, Q4 2023

Cybersecurity Consulting Services In Asia Pacific Vendor Product Comparisons 2023

Key features and pros and cons of top Cybersecurity Consulting Services In Asia Pacific products:

Accenture - Leaders

Pros:

Brings a forward-thinking vision, scale, and innovation to APAC
Sees cybersecurity as an ESG priority and uses technical prowess and onshore/offshore capabilities
Recently announced $3 billion investment in genAI to make security faster and cheaper for clients
Invests heavily in upskilling cybersecurity talent, partnering with Immersive Labs on platform-based academy delivering 30,000 learning modules
Delivers large service portfolio across APAC with unique tech consolidation IP such as MyDiagnostic tool
Integrates global and local cybersecurity practices in 'glocal' approach
One of few vendors to cite examples of assessing genAI risks on clients

Cons:

Large firm that can be challenging to navigate its structure
Reference customer noted mix of expertise and attitudes at working levels despite senior staff engagement

EY - Leaders

Pros:

Offers forward-thinking vision, customer centricity, and stability
Vision and purpose for consulting is to build a better working world with human-centered cybersecurity
Innovates with IP such as cloud-based Cyber Program Assessment tool using AI to identify gaps
Built Neurodiversity Centres Of Excellence in 21+ global hubs with 93% retention of neurodiverse talent
Makes partnerships with clients tangible via mutually agreed service-level agreements
Reference customer mentioned EY as only firm willing to take a loss to meet client outcomes
Excellent cybersecurity strategy deliverable quality and client engagement
Shows how cybersecurity can fast-track client's ambitious growth strategy

Cons:

Has yet to achieve gender parity among partners - only 14 of 40 APAC cybersecurity partners are women
One reference customer mentioned fit and capability issues with some junior staff despite praise for senior team members

PwC - Leaders

Pros:

Has compelling vision driven by customer-first mindset
Sees cybersecurity as human-centric, board, and ESG matter while understanding clients' need for speed and value
R&D funding includes $1 billion for genAI with APAC R&D allocated locally
Developed Cyber Portfolio Rationalization platform jointly with Microsoft
Prioritizes customer partnership and repeat revenue with 75-90% repeat business
Reference customers delighted with PwC's business understanding, work culture, and ethics
Excels at strategy - collaborated with industry and government to develop Australian Energy Sector Cyber Security Framework
Offers successful virtual CISO capability

Cons:

Australian clients cited caution in using PwC due to Australian tax advisory misconduct
Virtual CISO capability success depends on individual resources

KPMG - Strong Performers

Pros:

Has dedicated alliance team across APAC with APAC cybersecurity leader on Global Cyber Steering Committee
DEI program includes initiatives for empathic workforce and physical and mental health
Global Cyber Day Initiative seeks to empower half a million students and parents with cybersecurity skills
Boasts 90% client retention rate with extensive customer satisfaction process
Reference customers feel they can have frank conversations with all team members regardless of seniority
Cyber Risk Insights cyber risk quantification tool is promising solution focused on user experience
Impressive technical assessments for SmartGrid, SCADA, and IoT

Cons:

Vision calls cybersecurity a golden thread - solid but hardly visionary
Lack of clarity around R&D investment in APAC
Can afford to be more ambitious and disruptive
i4 CISO collaboration program has been less of a program than knowledge-sharing event with only two recent events in region
Technical assessments for SmartGrid, SCADA, and IoT no longer differentiating

PwC - Strong Performers

Pros:

Vision to be enterprises' most trusted strategic partner
Invests 2-3% of APAC revenue in R&D
Has partners across spectrum of security tools including identity, cloud, operating technology, and network security
Technology consolidation capabilities helped one reference reduce security spending by 30%
Highly technical and tactical strategy engagement

Cons:

Vision hampered by deep roots in technology and technical processes
Services focus on technical challenges, not strategic aspects of security
Lacks future-focused, nontechnical vision for cybersecurity or consulting
Lacks governance mechanisms to operate in full partnership with customers
Reference customer noted initial tensions working with firm
Lacks well-defined process for resource allocation leading to variances between skills of delivery and management resources
Did not provide examples of genAI use cases or investments
Strategy engagement better fit for practitioners than customers' executives

Wipro - Strong Performers

Pros:

Vision of becoming destination for cybersecurity services
Differentiated by purpose-driven nature with two-thirds of profit going to charitable causes
Cut attrition rate nearly in half from 31% in 2021 to 17% today
Received employer awards in Australia, Singapore, and India
Allocates senior resources and measures 'say/do ratio' of promises kept
Reference customers noted pragmatic, client-first approach
Localizes by building capabilities like Wipro Shelde for Australian government critical infrastructure
Virtual CISO capability with seasoned CISOs operating as client team members
Cloud Application Risk Governance solution is differentiated single pane of glass for cloud workloads

Cons:

Transforming from systems integrator into respected service provider
One reference customer noted firm better suited to operate at practitioner level
Virtual CISO engagement success depends on individual resources

Deloitte - Contenders

Pros:

Offers comprehensive range of cybersecurity capabilities to APAC clients
Worked with Australian universities to launch Academy program - three-year earn-as-you-learn degree
Committed to taking 10% of all program students on as employees
Announced acquisition of ParaFlare for managed detection and response capabilities in August 2023
Has polish and comprehensive set of capabilities

Cons:

Vision employs buzzwords such as trust, confident futures, culture, and cybersecurity for powered people
Customers said they would use Deloitte for technology rather than strategic or visionary capabilities
Size and cadence of 2023 APAC R&D investment not clear
Brochures reveal predominantly male cybersecurity leaders in APAC despite diversity programs
Customers in APAC including Japan and India rejected firm due to lack of resourcing and depth in understanding their business
Declined to participate in full Forrester Wave evaluation process

IBM - Contenders

Pros:

Has four R&D labs in Australia, India, Singapore, and Taiwan
R&D drives innovation in digital trust and threat management
Scientists contributed to development of US NIST quantum-safe standards
Offers opportunities for traineeships, lateral hires, career pivoters, and neurodiverse individuals
Uses IBM Garage Design Thinking methodology to elicit stakeholder understanding
Strong execution capabilities

Cons:

APAC cybersecurity consulting vision hasn't changed since 2021 and was already lagging
Focuses on helping clients execute cybersecurity promises - does not lead market forward or anticipate future
Portfolio remains undifferentiated aligned to standard operational outcomes
Still deals with legacy as systems integrator
Customer decided against IBM due to regional resource constraints
Not clear how much genAI center of excellence investment will seep into APAC cybersecurity consulting IP
Declined to participate in full Forrester Wave evaluation process

Trustwave - Contenders

Pros:

R&D led from Israel focuses on emerging threats and vulnerability discovery
Aims to make 80% of IP available via Security Colony IP sharing platform
Sharing IP with APAC clients gives faster way to uplift security capabilities
Completed project as part of Australia's Cyber Cooperation Program across Indo-Pacific region
Delivers unique human risk engagements
Good choice for strong technical assessment and incident response capabilities

Cons:

Vision to convert services to managed delivery models using online platforms is narrow and short-term
Vision has led key leaders and staff to depart
Generally delivers consulting services only where it has onshore presence and staff
Cautiously approaching use of emerging tech in client delivery citing ChatGPT data exposure risks
Declined to participate in full Forrester Wave evaluation process

Tech Mahindra - Challenger

Pros:

Some reference customers delighted with firm's collaboration and pragmatism
Has pool of onshore and offshore resources at multiple APAC locations
Technically competent and delivery-oriented with pragmatic resources

Cons:

Current vision for APAC is least differentiated in evaluation
Services cater to traditional methodologies like plan-do-check-act which fall short of 2023 expectations
Idea of innovation is to meet demands of today's threat landscape
Unfortunately named 'Juniorization' strategy reflects lack of understanding that CISOs want more experience
Not all reference customers would use again - would limit to operational delivery
Struggles with strategic insight and thought leadership
Minimal triage process may undertake engagements lacking capability or capacity to deliver
One customer disappointed in firm's focus on keeping customers warm by selling despite lacking delivery substance
Local resources deliver less than 30% of business leading to concerns about missing local market and regulatory nuances

FAQs

Q: Which vendors are Leaders in 2023?

A: Accenture, EY, PwC

Q: What does "Leader" mean in Forrester Wave terms?

A: Leaders in the Forrester Wave demonstrate the strongest current offering and strategy in the cybersecurity consulting services market for Asia Pacific. These vendors offer forward-thinking visions, customer-centric approaches, significant scale and innovation, comprehensive service portfolios, strong talent development programs, and excellent client engagement capabilities. Leaders prioritize customer needs, invest heavily in R&D and emerging technologies like genAI, maintain global-local integration, and consistently receive high customer satisfaction ratings.

Q: How do I interpret a Forrester Wave?

A: https://www.forrester.com/policies/forrester-wave-methodology/

Report:

Top Vendor Products for Cybersecurity Consulting Services In Asia Pacific in 2023

Cybersecurity Consulting Services In Asia Pacific Vendor Product Comparisons 2023

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FAQs

Q: Which vendors are Leaders in 2023?

Q: What does "Leader" mean in Forrester Wave terms?

Q: How do I interpret a Forrester Wave?

Reference