Una Riley, as the oldest member of the WiS (Women in Security) Academy board, starts to introduce you to the rest; first, with the youngest member.
She is Shivanshi Sharma, pictured, founder and CEO, Shivanshi Sharma Consultancy Ltd (SSC). The board is picked for their contribution to the profession. I have worked with Shivanshi on many projects in my role as the chief of the new IPSA (launched in 2020 by chairman Simon Pears, and myself). The three of us worked on many creative initiatives that are now the foundation of IPSA. Shiv also worked with me on other projects outside IPSA and I was so impressed by her work ethic and professional attitude that it was essential, for me, to harness this dynamic young businesswoman. I recently caught up with Shiv (her accepted abbreviated name) to talk about how she chose private security as her career of choice. I asked her, how did she get into the security profession? What motivated her to become her own boss at such a young age?
Step out of India
Shiv replied: “Until 2018, I had never imagined I would step out of India, let alone into a niche industry like security in the UK. As I was finishing my bachelor’s in mass media in Mumbai, I stumbled upon Cranfield University’s MSc in Management course, and thought it would be a perfect fit for my interests. It was just a month before my orientation week that I got my passport, and two days before my flight out of India that I received my visa. Having never travelled abroad in all my 20 years, this was the first time ever I was stepping out of the country, and, to add to the thrill, I was all alone! It was by the end of my master’s that I landed an internship with the Security Institute and was introduced to a completely new world that soon captured my attention. I was tasked with developing a five-year marketing strategy for the organisation, which supported their plan for exponential growth in terms of both membership numbers and brand awareness. What particularly intrigued me was the sheer size and many different aspects of the security industry. Until that point, much like my classmates at Cranfield, I had given little thought to what the industry might encompass outside the front-line officers we see every day. So, when I got a chance to learn about the roles of the CSOs, risk management consultancies, security systems, asset protection, et cetera, I realised how no country or economy could function without the security industry.
A gap in the market
“After working with the Institute for a year, having extended my internship into a marketing consultant role, I went back to India and joined a risk management consultancy operating in South Asia. At this point, I had explored both the UK and Asian security landscapes and recognised a gap in the market. There was a lack of marketers specialising in the security industry. Marketing an organisation or body that could have target audiences ranging from government departments to MNCs (multi-national companies) and direct consumers, without disclosing its biggest wins, was a challenge it seemed no one had tackled before. I thought to myself, ‘I can change that!’ And with that, Shivanshi Sharma Consultancy was born.” I asked what are her immediate goals. “Alongside all this time familiarising myself with the world of security, I developed an interest in cross-cultural management, as a result of my master’s, internships, travelling and jobs. As a young professional, I got a chance to see the ground-level impacts that different work cultures, industries, and settings had. My goal has since been to harness the best of all diversity; finding people that bring different perspectives and giving them an environment where they can excel. It genuinely excites me to now be able to put this into practice within my own company. Another of my core goals in life has been to give back to the community in whatever way I can. Establishing a company which has the potential to shift a portion of its focus to work with charities and other community organisations seemed like a good way to do this. Little did I know those opportunities would come so soon for SSC. I am proud to say that SSC already provides support to an independent air force, Army and Navy cadet unit, and a group of schools for children from military families. Fortunately, I have been able to play this role in other ways too, such as through my time as director of marketing for the International Professional Security Association (IPSA), and now as a board member of the Women in Security Academy.”
Celebrated
I asked Shiv to explain her thoughts on the breakthrough for Women in Security, all those years ago by the WiS Awards and now the Academy, paving the way for other female-focused organisations who would follow? Shiv said: “I have never seen women be celebrated as loudly and proudly as they are by Women in Security Awards! To a young entrepreneur working in a tightly knit industry that works mostly on connections and relationships, having a forum like WiS Awards and Academy is pure gold dust. The WiS Academy, as a platform, is already proving to be a catalyst to its members’ personal and professional growth. I can attest to that. The way I have used it for my own and SSC’s development is by connecting with women from many different backgrounds, experience levels, and age groups. While the experienced female leaders in the WiS Academy have shared their stories and advice with me, newer industry members give me an opportunity to mentor and contribute to the future of security.”
The WiS Awards was of course the first initiative to recognise the contribution of leading women of our industry. It’s started a wave of more associations and bodies that would do the same. Now, with the launch of the WiS Academy, the underlying purpose of the initiative has been given another push. We are proud to be a part of the organisation that started it all and led to so many more great programmes being established with the goal of doing more for women in security. Shiv and I talked at length about her ideas and contribution to the Academy that started at February inaugural meeting. Shiv is a great ambassador for the Academy and the security profession. With her attitude of giving to the industry I asked what she gets in return. She said: “The security profession has given and continues to give me so much, whether it is life-long relationships, opportunities to grow professionally, or chances to make a difference, and so I always wanted to give something back. My role as a board member of the Academy will enable me to mentor women at all stages of their careers as they embark on their own entrepreneurial journeys, helping them to achieve their business aspirations. I am privileged to be on this entrepreneurial expedition, with a growing clientele and employee base across India and the UK, and will always want more people to benefit from my journey. This is why I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share my experiences and knowledge with more women, young professionals, and upcoming entrepreneurs.”
I asked her, as a board member, what do you want to see, and how does she intend to shape her ideas? She replied: “Some of the most inspiring female leaders are a part of the WiS Academy. That, combined with a strong panel of board members, means we have people not just advocating for women’s representation, but also putting in actual work to ensure they get the opportunities to succeed in the industry. For the future, I would really like to see the work we do as part of the WiS Academy to be an inspiration. We can already see a number of organisations and other bodies be inspired by the work WiS Academy is doing. I believe this will only continue, especially with the proactive work done by the board members. More specifically, I don’t just want to see more women in security, I want to see more women in leadership roles. We cannot do this by just attracting more women to the industry and hoping they stay, we also need to offer them exciting opportunities and a clear pathway to career progression. I am confident that WiS Academy will actively push for positive change in organisations’ work culture and career development programmes to make this happen.” We went on to talk about the role of the Academy in informing the Government. Shiv went on to say that in the relatively short time on the Academy board, she had already had many opportunities to promote its vision and goals. She has been talking to many audiences on diversity, the cultural and industrial differences between continents … gathering lots of feedback. Shiv added: “This is intelligence that will help me and the other board members greatly to provide even better support to the members of the WiS Academy.”
What to change
To conclude I asked Shiv what she would change about the profession? Shiv laughed and said. “If I could wave a magic wand to change anything about the industry, it would be to change its perception. Security is so much more than being on the front-line, and I fear many people are missing out on their ideal career opportunities only for their lack of awareness as to what security can also mean. On the other hand, the security industry is also missing out on new talent and diverse perspectives. The spell I cast would educate society about the industry to enable the much-needed exchange of knowledge and talent.” I think that sums up the WiS Academy.
