Independent Technology &
AI Advisory

I help boards spot technology and AI problems before auditors or regulators do.

Usually as a board advisor, fractional exec, or interim leader—for both regulated firms and fast-growing companies.

Sergey Lebedev - Independent Board Advisor
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Sergey Lebedev - Independent Board Advisor
20+ Years
Technology leadership
Board-Facing Roles
Advisor, executive, authorized manager
2× Scale-Ups
Founding to sustained operations
Long-Term Engagements
Continuity, not crisis response

Why Boards Struggle with Technology & AI Risk

  • Most boards approve big tech and AI projects without really knowing what could go wrong.
  • DORA and the AI Act require more than your standard board reports can deliver.
  • Your CTO or vendor will tell you everything's fine. But are you sure?
  • Tech problems usually show up during audits—when it's too late to fix them quietly.

What I Do

I give you an independent view of what's actually happening with your tech and AI. Early warnings, proper governance, decisions you can defend—before auditors or regulators start asking questions.

How I Work

Three ways to work together, depending on how much involvement you need.

Advisory

Board Advisor & NED

Independent oversight of your tech, AI, and regulatory risks. Also help founders who need guidance but aren't ready for a full board.

Best for: Founders, Boards, PE/VC oversight, regulated scale-ups
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Embedded

Fractional CTO & CISO

Senior tech leadership when you need it, without hiring someone full-time. Get the governance and controls your business actually needs.

Best for: Start-ups, scale-ups, regulated growth phases
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Transformation

Executive Leadership

Hands-on leadership when things get messy—turnarounds, M&A, major changes. Someone who's done it before and can keep things on track.

Best for: Turnaround, M&A, spin-off, major platform change
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Sergey Lebedev - FinTech CTO and Board Advisor in Luxembourg

Credentials & Substance

I know how to scale fast, and I know what regulators are looking for. Not many people do both.

I’ve spent half of my 25-year career in Luxembourg’s financial sector. I’ve built two scale-ups from the ground up and navigated regulators more times than I can count. My advice isn't based on textbooks; it’s built on decades of doing the work—from coding complex trading systems to leading as a Bank CIO and Board Advisor.

  • ✓ Authorized Manager
    Board-approved for ICT & Internal Controls
  • ✓ ILA Associate Director
    Luxembourg Institute of Governance NED/iNED
  • ✓ Expert Certifications
    Stanford ML, TOGAF, PRINCE2, PSM, AWS
  • ✓ Regulatory Mastery
    CSSF, DORA, PSD2, GDPR, MiFID II

"I tell boards what's actually happening with their tech and AI—not what vendors or internal teams want them to hear."

Areas of Focus

The regulatory and tech issues that keep boards up at night.

DORA Compliance

Making sense of DORA's digital resilience requirements—what you actually need to do, not just what the regulation says.

Explore DORA Insights

AI Governance

Navigating the EU AI Act without panic. What counts as high-risk, what your board needs to know, and how to actually govern AI systems.

Explore AI Insights

ICT Risk Oversight

Managing the risk from all those vendors and cloud providers you depend on. What happens if they fail? Do you actually know?

Explore ICT Risk Insights

Frequently Asked Questions

A full-time CTO or CISO is there every day running operations. A fractional one focuses on the big stuff—governance, regulatory prep, and stopping projects from going off the rails. You get senior experience without the salary, hiring process, or commitment of a permanent role.

I build the governance structures, controls, and reports that regulators expect to see. ICT risk, vendor oversight, resilience, AI governance—the works. When regulators come knocking, I make sure your documentation and controls will actually hold up under scrutiny.

No. Most of my work is in regulated banking and payments, but I also help scale-ups, SaaS companies, and e-commerce platforms when they hit complexity, investor pressure, or M&A. If you're growing fast, going for a license, raising money, or expanding internationally, you need proper governance—that's what I bring.

Consultants provide recommendations. Vendors sell implementations. I act as an independent executive partner to the Board, focused on governance, accountability, and long-term institutional resilience. My role is to protect the organization’s interests—challenging assumptions, managing risk, and ensuring delivery integrity.

When you're facing regulatory heat, big changes, missing leaders, licensing needs, M&A, or investor pressure. The earlier you bring me in, the less likely things blow up. Most clients call me before they commit to something big, not after it's already falling apart.

Request an Initial Discussion

Independent tech leadership for regulated firms and companies going through major changes.

When people usually call
  • Need to get ready for DORA, PSD2, or the AI Act
  • Approving a big tech or AI project and want independent validation
  • Dealing with a turnaround, missing leadership, or M&A tech issues
Luxembourg & Vienna based EU / UK / US markets ILA Associate Director

Everything stays confidential. I work on licensing, audits, transformations, and deals all the time.

Tell me what's going on and I'll get back to you.
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