Modernizing Cybersecurity and IT Strategy for a U.S.-Based Commercial Bank
Snapshot
A U.S.-based commercial bank with over $20B in assets partnered with Kalles Group over a multi-year period to transform its cybersecurity and technology operations. Facing increasing regulatory pressures and shifting business priorities, the bank needed a strategic partner to assess its current capabilities, define a future-ready roadmap, and build the operational maturity required for long-term success.
Challenge
The client’s cybersecurity and technology functions were heavily oriented around tactical, reactive work. Legacy systems and long-established ways of operating made it difficult to shift resources toward strategic initiatives. The security team was under-resourced, tools were fragmented and poorly integrated, and governance structures lacked clarity. Meanwhile, executive leadership and business stakeholders were calling for more proactive, strategic contributions from IT and security to support innovation and risk reduction.
Approach
Kalles Group provided a blended team of cybersecurity, architecture, and strategic consultants to assess and mature the bank’s capabilities across multiple domains, including:
- Cybersecurity Program Maturity: Evaluated the current state of operations, toolsets, and process documentation. Developed roadmaps for security operations and engineering, including cloud posture, application security, and governance.
- Strategic Security Architecture: Defined new policies and standards across key security domains and supported the evaluation and implementation of a modern cloud security posture management solution.
- IT Governance & Organizational Transformation: Worked directly with the CIO and technology leadership to assess the structure, mission, and resource alignment of the broader technology function. Created an actionable plan to shift investment toward strategic initiatives, modernize legacy toolsets, and improve team accountability.
- Portfolio & Prioritization Frameworks: Introduced governance structures and decision-making models to help leadership align investment with enterprise objectives, reduce executive bottlenecks, and empower middle management to take ownership of delivery.
Throughout the engagement, Kalles Group focused on translating technical needs into business-aligned plans, supporting cross-functional alignment, and balancing near-term wins with long-term transformation goals.
Results
- Comprehensive strategic roadmaps for cybersecurity and technology operations were developed and mapped to enterprise priorities.
- Cloud security architecture was modernized and tools were implemented to reduce risk and improve operational efficiency.
- A revised governance and prioritization model was enacted that enabled more autonomous, accountable decision-making across leadership layers.
- Kalles Group helped the organization rebalance its technology portfolio, freeing up resources and budget to invest in strategic innovation.
- The bank improved it’s ability for timely response to regulatory scrutiny and aligned it’s security efforts with business risk and executive goals.