Autumn and spring are the two seasons for the industry to hold events, so let me tell you about some of last month’s.
Thanks to the Security Institute, for their invite to their annual conference. As ever, the talks were pretty high level, some on national security by people I can’t tell you their names, even if I knew them! Below is a picture of some of the room when Teresa Quinn, head of global security for the travel firm TUI, gave a talk.
Youth event
The same day a couple of miles away, ASIS UK meanwhile were holding their ‘Security is Youth event’, run by chapter chair Farah Benis and the NextGen lead Shakirra Patel. Master of ceremonies who kept things to time was Phil Tennent. At last year’s, four teams gave presentations about a dictional security scenario; this year, 11. One of the judges hailed what they saw as ranging from ‘great to absolutely fantastic’, but there had to be a winner. In second was a team of Worshipful Company of Security Professionals (WCoSP) apprentices; and first, a team of individuals, who were strangers until they met for the event. Judges and industry figures who attended were full of praise and said how the industry is in good hands. A word of praise to the judges for giving up a day: Simon Harris of Superstruct Entertainment Robin Hughes of Secur Logiq, Farah, Association of Security Consultants chair Simon Crane, and Matt Blake of the consultancy LMS. ASIS UK stalwarts Tim Molden and James Willison were able to attend, as was Simon Imbert.
Eye launch
Last month saw OnSiren launch. It’s a platform for security officers to share information beyond an employer or site, founded by Shahzad Ali. Now he goes as far back as Securicor, which merged with Group 4 in the 2000s to become G4S, and later founded Get Licensed, which offers training towards SIA badges. You may have seen their booth at the Olympia Expo. Among those there was director of industry and stakeholder management Steve McCormick. Now if his name rings a bell, that’s because he retired in 2024 as the SIA’s director of licensing and standards. The launch was in a pod of the London Eye. To quote Shahzad, their aim is to build ‘a new national capability’. IPSA chief Satia Rai is chief ambassador. Perhaps most important of all to tell you, it’s free to sign up to the app.
In brief
Some gossip more briefly for you, a past master, Steve Emmins, has been invested as a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights. I can’t speak for you but certainly I haven’t had reason to call on any wheelwright services lately, and indeed that Company (one of the 112 in the City of London) now mainly does charity work. Paul Spencer has launched a ASOKIVA as a specialist consultancy, aiming at manufacturers looking to enter new territories, or to take products to certification. The consultancy LMS Security Advisors has appointed Simon Pears CSyP, pictured, as its Managing Director. You may recall Simon was a chair of IPSA; and he flew around the world as part of his work for the French FM (facilities management) firm Sodexo. Staying with consultancy, that’s how Amanda McCloskey, former sales and marketing director at the guard firm CIS Security and ASIS UK stalwart, has set up. Some additions in sales at Assa Abloy Door Group: Kamil Frodyma joins as trade area sales manager; Glen MacNab as area sales manager for the north; and Peter Walsh for the south west. And now, company news.
Ranger again
As of January 1, the manufacturer Hirsch is merging with Prysm, the French software firm behind the AppVision command-and-control platform, which will now be branded ‘Prysm by Hirsch’. It wouldn’t be a gossip column without the latest acquisition by Ranger Fire and Security. It’s in the Republic of Ireland; Fire Protection Ireland, bringing the total of Group businesses to 26. That Irish firm set up in 2011 and based in County Cavan, itself recently acquired two fire and security businesses in Ireland, Red Blaze and Red Fire. This latest acquisition brings the group employees under the Ranger umbrella to over 550. Ranger is continuing its strategy of buying what it terms ‘local hero’ businesses. Ranger CEO Mark Bridges describes Ireland as a key market ‘and will help us on our mission to become the one stop shop for all fire and security needs’.
