Fractional CRO services · South Africa
Senior risk leadership,
without a full-time CRO.
Blindspot Risk Advisory provides fractional Chief Risk Officer services to South African insurers and financial services firms who cannot justify a permanent executive hire, but who face rising expectations from regulators and their own boards.
The problem we solve
The risk gap most businesses face
Risk expectations have never been higher. Internal capacity rarely keeps pace.
Risk is everyone's responsibility — and no-one's
No single owner is accountable. Gaps appear, blind spots widen, and issues surface at the worst possible time.
Your board expects more than your team can deliver
Governance expectations keep rising while internal capacity stays flat. The gap keeps widening.
Growth creates blind spots that compromise decisions
Major decisions are made without a clear view of the risks involved. The cost of incomplete information compounds.
You need a CRO, but can't justify one full-time
The business has outgrown ad-hoc risk management but isn't at the scale for a permanent hire yet.
What we do
Our focus areas
Practical, senior risk expertise across the areas that help regulated and growing organisations make better decisions, strengthen resilience, and build lasting capability.
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Building practical frameworks, reporting, and oversight that connect risk management to strategy, decisions, and performance.
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Strengthening day-to-day risk oversight through risk and control self-assessments, incident management, and key risk indicators.
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Defining clear boundaries for risk-taking and translating them into limits, escalation triggers, and useful management information.
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Establishing where your risk capabilities are today, where they need to be, and the practical roadmap to close the most important gaps.
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Preparing the business to withstand disruption through important business service mapping, scenario testing, response planning, and recovery.
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Supporting ORSA design, independent review, stress and scenario analysis, capital assessment, and board-ready reporting under SAM.
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Bringing assurance activities together so boards and executives can see where coverage is strong, where gaps remain, and what needs attention.
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Strengthening accountability, challenge, decision-making, and governance practices so risk becomes part of how the organisation operates.
Who this is for
Organisations that have outgrown ad-hoc risk management
We work with small and medium-sized businesses in insurance, financial services, and other regulated industries that lack the internal infrastructure to manage risk at the level stakeholders demand, and those navigating change where independent senior expertise bridges the gap.
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Insurers operating under SAM (Solvency Assessment and Management), banks, asset managers, and other regulated entities facing heightened governance and capital requirements. If your risk function must satisfy a regulator, an internal audit committee, or a board — this is where we operate.
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Businesses growing quickly enough that informal risk practices are no longer sufficient — whether entering new markets, expanding headcount, or taking on institutional partners who expect structured risk oversight.
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Boards and executives who recognise that risk management has lagged behind business complexity — and want to close the gap with frameworks, policies, and reporting that genuinely reflect how the business operates.
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Businesses that have received findings from the Prudential Authority, FSCA, or an external auditor — or that are preparing for an upcoming review and need credible, well-documented risk practices in place before the process begins.
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Organisations between CROs, undergoing ownership changes, or restructuring their risk function — where an experienced interim or fractional risk leader provides continuity and keeps critical workstreams moving.
Why choose us
Boutique attention.
Specialist expertise.
We design pragmatic solutions with actionable insights, built around your specific risk challenges — no generic frameworks or templates.
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Direct accessYou work directly with a qualified risk leader — no account managers, no hand-offs.
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Independent perspectiveAn external vantage point on risks that internal teams often miss.
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Tailored & proportionalOur approach is designed and sized according to your specific context and business needs.
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Flexible costEngagements are shaped around your business and can be scaled over time, from one-off projects to ongoing support.
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Hands-on, outcomes-orientedEngagement doesn't stop at the report — support extends to implementation and board-level follow-through.
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Collaborative by designWorking alongside your existing team and structures, we leave lasting capability behind.
Most of our clients come to us after realising they've been managing risk reactively. It doesn't have to stay that way.
See engagement optionsFounded on a recognised gap
Blindspot Risk Advisory is a Cape-Town based boutique advisory firm founded by Wade Butlion, a Chartered Actuary and Risk Executive. We provide fractional Chief Risk Officer services to South African small and medium-sized businesses operating in regulated insurance and financial services, where governance expectations have outpaced risk maturity.
The firm exists because the alternative — appointing a full-time CRO at executive cost without the scale to justify one — has left a generation of SMEs exposed. We pair actuarial rigour with a flexible delivery model so boards and executives can access first-class risk leadership and expertise.
Our founder has extensive experience leading risk functions at various growth stages in both local and global markets.
| 15+ Years | CRO and Head of Risk Control Function |
| FIA | Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (UK) |
| FASSA | Fellow of the Actuarial Society of South Africa |
| FRM | Financial Risk Manager — Global Association of Risk Professionals (US) |
| RMA-IRMSA | Associate Member — Institute of Risk Management South Africa |
| IFoA Risk Board | Member, Risk Management Board — Institute and Faculty of Actuaries |
| ASSA ERM Committee | Member, Enterprise & Financial Risk Committee — Actuarial Society of South Africa |
"Our mission is to help organisations uncover their blind spots before they become breaking points."
Wade Butlion | FounderFIA · FASSA · FRMWhat We Offer
Risk leadership structured around your needs
Outsourced Chief Risk Officer and ERM consulting for South African businesses on a part-time, retained, or project basis. Engagements are sized proportionately to your business needs and scale as your needs evolve.
Diagnostic
Risk reviews, projects & workshops
Project-based and facilitated engagements designed to assess, strengthen, and embed effective risk management practices across your organisation.
Typically includes
- ERM health check & maturity assessment — benchmarked against industry and regulatory standards with a scored improvement roadmap
- Risk framework enhancement — optimising risk framework design, risk appetite calibration, and supporting governance structures
- Board & executive risk workshops — practical sessions on topics including risk oversight, governance responsibilities, and emerging risks
- Specialist risk projects — including combined assurance, risk culture, scenario analysis, and testing strategic assumptions to improve resilience
Choose this if
You don't yet know where your gaps are, or want to test working with Blindspot before any ongoing commitment.
Actuarial
ORSA & capital management
Specialist actuarial and risk oversight services to support robust solvency assessment, capital management, and regulatory compliance under SAM.
Typically includes
- ORSA process design & support — end-to-end assistance including stress and scenario design, documentation, and board reporting
- ORSA independent review — objective third-party review for regulatory submission and governance purposes
- Capital & solvency assessment — advisory review of capital adequacy, SCR drivers, and balance sheet resilience
- Risk appetite and capital management — aligning risk tolerance with capital strategy and strategic planning
Choose this if
You need specific actuarial or technical firepower — for an ORSA cycle, a capital review, or a regulatory submission — rather than a broader retained role.
Regulatory
Head of risk control function
Outsourcing engagement to fulfil the regulatory obligations of the Risk Control Function for insurers operating under SAM.
Typically includes
- Risk Control Function oversight — fulfilling the regulatory mandate as required under SAM Pillar II governance requirements
- Regulatory reporting & engagement — supporting regulatory submissions, queries, and correspondence
- Board & committee reporting — risk-focused reporting to support governance and oversight obligations
- Independence & challenge — providing the objective, independent risk perspective required of the function
Choose this if
You have a statutory obligation to fill the Risk Control Function specifically, and need it discharged by a qualified, independent person.
Fractional
Fractional CRO & risk leadership
Ongoing retainer-based access to senior risk leadership providing strategic expertise and independent oversight.
Typically includes
- Board & risk committee representation — active participation in board and committee oversight activities
- Board reporting & executive advisory — clear, decision-useful risk reporting and ongoing strategic guidance
- Independent challenge — objective scrutiny of key risk decisions, assumptions, and management actions
- Risk function leadership — mentoring internal teams and supporting capability development over time
Choose this if
You want ongoing senior risk leadership across the whole function — including, where relevant, Risk Control Function or ORSA responsibilities — not just one defined role.
Not sure which engagement is right for you?
Book a free consultationOur Approach
How we engage
Every engagement starts with a no-obligation conversation. From there, we design a tailored scope that fits your situation.
Ready to start the conversation?
No obligation. A focused conversation to understand your situation and whether we can help.
Book a free discovery callOur insights
The Blindspot
Practical thinking on risk management, governance, and the evolving regulatory landscape. Published monthly by Wade Butlion.
Why your risk appetite statement isn't working — and how to fix it
Most organisations have a risk appetite statement. Far fewer have one that actually changes how decisions get made.
The five elements of an effective board risk report
Board risk reports are often too long, too technical, and too backward-looking. Here are the five things that make risk reporting genuinely useful at the top of the house.
The rise of the fractional CRO: is it right for your organisation?
The fractional executive model has transformed how organisations access senior finance and legal expertise. Risk is now following suit.
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Get in touch
Let's talk risk.
Ready to find your blind spots and strengthen your risk capabilities? We work with businesses across South Africa — remotely or on-site. No obligation. Just clarity.
Free consultation — 30 minutes, no commitment, no sales pitch. We respond within one business day.
OUR PROMISE
Every enquiry goes directly to our founder. You will speak with the person who will actually do the work — not a business development team.