Last month we pictured Lynn Watts-Plumpkin, Director and General Manager of IQ Verify in Baghdad. She was wearing body armour, surrounded by armoured vehicles, with the close protection PSDs (Private Security Detail) having just transported her in a convoy, each carrying an AK47. Una Riley, separately, interviewed Lynn – while in the UK. Una writes:
What was funny was in the midst of all that she still has her handbag over her shoulder – it seemed so unconventional in one way but from a female perspective so essential. It was that quirky scene that prompted me to get in touch with the company that Watts-Plumpkin had been over to Iraq to audit, namely Harlow International. Harlow has two security companies, Al Murabit based in Baghdad and Basra; and Al Thaware, based in Baghdad. I understand they are the first private security company in Iraq that has achieved PSC-1 (briefly, a standard from the US-based security management body ASIS with the American National Standards Institute, for private security companies – PSCs – that work in areas of conflict and where law has been undermined). I wanted to know more.
I contacted Mike Lord, the managing director of both security service companies (Al Thaware Security Services and Al Murabit Security Services). Lord also has a business development role across the Harlow International group. Although I was already aware that Lord had been a former member of the Parachute Regiment and later the Royal Military Police, as always I am still interested in how people decided to make the private security industry their profession. Therefore my first question was how did he get into the private security industry.
Lord answered: “I had a full military career and the next logical step was to look at the security industry when I left. I set up a consultancy in Manchester called Stirling Security Ltd. I gained several contracts from government and non-government to do risk assessments including some in Northern Ireland and Algeria. Having spent many years in Ireland I went back there doing compliance for insurance. I was also asked to conduct a risk assessment in Algeria. Six months later I was requested to fulfil that proposal, so I mobilised 20 ex-pats with weapons, and bullet-proof cars … 23 years later I left Algeria.” I asked him to tell me more about Stirling Guards. Lord went on: “I built a business: Stirling Guards, Stirling Security, Stirling Risk Management, and Stirling Facilities Management. We found local partners and built a large company. BP was our longest client in Algeria for 20 years, delivering projects such as the In Salah Pipeline, establishing Hassi Messaoud, the base camp for BP and their operations. I had over 100 ex-pats and 400 locals as guards, drivers and security. We also had clients such as Shell, ExxonMobil, Amerada Hess, Repson, and Petronas. I have operated everywhere where there was oil and gas and a security challenge, specialising in knowing what oil and gas companies need to do – in social and economic areas as well as security issues – when they enter a country. In particular corruption, transparency, and political stability. I also led the first external project for Woodside Energy from Australia to Mauritania (the first time they’d come out of Australia) and looked after them through two coup d’états and led the emergency response, working with the country manager, giving him the right things to say and do during heightened risk scenarios. We set up Virgin Atlantic in Algeria, carried out airport risk assessment in Lagos and set up security for Virgin crew, ticketing and cash in transit. We also did the inaugural flight for Branson.”
With such a potentially dangerous job and especially what happened at BP I asked whether he didn’t think that it was time to retire. Lord replied: “In fact last November I retired. My plan was to perhaps do a bit of consultancy and to be able to spend more time at home. One week later I was in Dubai with the chairman of Harlow International. Two weeks later I was negotiating a contract in Korea for the T50 fighter jet for Iraq, to conduct security, life support and logistics for the project.” I wanted to know more about Lord’s current role within the Harlow International group. He said: “I started in Global BD (Business Development) across the group with a particular eye on security and life support. That’s now developed in to me becoming the managing director of both security service companies (Al Thaware Security Services and Al Murabit Security Services), while still maintaining a BD role across the group.” I asked what’s his vision for the companies? He replied: “My first objective was to attain external international accreditation to the company, which we have achieved with PSC-1. We are sending key staff on training courses to build up capability and credibility. We have a great platform with which to build the company. The vision is to be the first tick in the box to take on the international competition in our back garden, as we are a 100 per cent Iraqi-owned security company. Traditionally Iraqi companies couldn’t compete as they lacked the international accreditations required by the hydrocarbon sector. Our objective is to close that gap, which we have achieved. We want to improve health and safety, training, etc, 100 per cent locally with international standards. Traditionally international security companies dominated by having the relevant certification. This resulted in local companies operating on the periphery and being mostly utilised as the sub-contractor. Therefore, the local organisations were not getting their market share. We want to change that as we now have the accreditation required by the hydrocarbon sector. It will be a while before we dominate the market, but we are now considered a driving force to be reckoned with in the future. I am happy to say that we have the assets, management, credibility, and external accreditation to compete on a level playing ground from that perspective. Today, we have the largest armoured vehicle fleet of its kind in Iraq. We have built up a network of security awareness in the wold of oil and gas and service company providers. People are recognising our ability and are aware of us as service providers. We are being invited to tender for the type of work we want to pursue. When I first arrived we didn’t have any tenders, today I just received two on my desk. Our profile is changing. Increased marketing. More standardisation. Projection into the market place. The AMS / ATS brand is now recognised in the regions.” I asked why two companies; I was confused. Building the brand of one company is difficult enough? Lord replied: “Both have unique aspects. AMS is based in the south with lots of oil and gas experience, focused on compliance for oil and gas companies. Our experience is in very remote and very risky areas of the world with country-specific knowledge and security and risk assessment expertise. Whilst ATS is based in Baghdad and has the construction, defence and VIP security experience. We have created two very different organisations each with their own USPs and opportunity to sell into specialised markets, whilst being supportive of each other as and when required. Whichever company is best placed to assist clients, either through presence in a specific location or resource we act accordingly, providing a strategised resilience in a place like Iraq … where things can and do go wrong. However, we are looking to the future and it is our intention to become the IQ Verify representative for Iraq once we have completed the necessary requirements. Therefore, we become the governing body through them, thus helping other Iraqi companies to achieve the required standards, which is turn will enable them to compete in their own market. This is a unique opportunity for us to help design in quality and standards to empower other local companies to seek the accreditation route.”
That sounds admirable but every night on the TV we see eruptions in the Middle East and the hostile environment for foreign workers in some parts of the region. I asked what are the challenges working in the Middle East? Lord replied: “The biggest challenge is the political environment and the instability throughout the region. If there is no investment there is no work. People don’t want to invest in an unstable environment, but investment is exactly what they need. The falling oil price has affected projects and slowed the energy sector down so they are not looking to make huge advances with their projects. Iraq is a tough market right now.” I asked what solutions could he identify for the security environment he works in. Lord answered: “People in our industry face extreme risk, therefore there aren’t many solutions when you’re trying to mitigate that kind of hazard, so for the foreseeable future I can see bullet-proof cars, jackets and weapons on the horizon. What I envisage is that locals will slowly replace the international companies due to commercial and certification reasons. Price has a bigger value than technical ability. So if you are technically competent that’s good, but you also need to be cheaper – it’s definitely a buyer’s market. In the end people will cut corners and this causes more risk. Companies are having to merge to try and take volume. This is not sustainable. The future is highly trained, internationally-accredited Iraqi companies. Subjectively speaking I consider our companies to be the best thing that has happened to Iraqi security companies – we are driving nationalisation. We can operate, we can be commercially savvy. We are employing 90pc of our workforce from the local market, but we are training them and ensuring they are following procedure. I asked; if he could change one thing in the security market place what would it be? Lord quickly replied: “Stricter regulation of the security industry. I would urge the industry not to get into a pricing war with competitors. This has an adverse effect long term on the industry, which eventually affects quality. Right now the client wins, but ultimately the client will be the one to lose. Oil and gas have been affected by the oil price, but salaries are being reduced – so I would encourage oil and gas companies to keep the standards and continuity of staff by lowering their own profits. The industry is currently its own worst enemy – contracts are being won on price rather than ability. We need to get away from this cut-throat undercutting leaving nothing to reinvest back into the company and your people.” I would agree! Bottom line in, quality out, has always been my philosophy. Finally I asked him that, having retired for a nano-second, what are his latest plans? He said: “Professionally, I am determined to see both our Iraqi security companies grow and get the recognition they deserve within the industry. To gain the confidence of new clients in the long term. To keep an open mind on acquisition and merger. To encourage diversification within the group and that could extend to cross-border commercial activity. Personally speaking I would like to stay living in the region although I have maintained a UK home. I am finishing my masters in security management – I will be the oldest one in a black hat on my graduation day!” Age is in the mind … not on the calendar. That’s what I call future thinking.
