The Shard offices of Mitie in central London were the venue yesterday of the panel that whittled down more than 300 entries to Professional Security Magazine’s 2025 Women in Security (WiS) awards, to 17 finalists, in five categories.
Emma Shaw of Mitie was the host of Magazine MD Roy Cooper, and a new judging panel: Ellie Hurst of consultancy Advent IM; Jayne King, president of the NAHS (National Association for Healthcare Security), who had least far to travel as head of security for Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust – Guy’s standing across the road from The Shard; Emma Shaw, the host, Managing Director, Mitie Intelligence Services; consultant Sarah Cork; and Lynda Moore, who runs the ACS Pacesetters, the group of highest-scoring SIA-approved guarding contractors; and Figen Murray, the Martyn’s Law campaigner who’s due to do on-stage duties at the WiS awards night. WiS 2025 will be held as in previous years at the Underglobe, the atmospheric underground event space at Shakespeare’s Globe, on the South Bank of the Thames near Tower Bridge (and The Shard).
Those 2025 finalists are –
Business Manager:
Onur Korucu – GovernID
Daisy Carr – Ward Security
Claire Shrosbree – CYS Security Ltd
Front line:
Ashley Attard – CIS Security – The Minister Building
Ingrid Lucas – Carlisle Support Services
Kerry Driver – Guarding UK Ltd
Elena “Lori” Cracovschi – SecuriGroup – Silverburn
Industry:
Lynn Watts-Plumpkin – SSAIB
Lorraine Mansfield – Mitie (City Security Council)
Liz Lloyd – BSIA
Julie Nel MA CYSP FSyI – as the Security Institute chair; and B4Secure Ltd
Security Manager:
Meg Ridley – Midcounties Co-op
Ruth Ripley – Carlisle Support Services
Louise Harrison – Carlisle Support Services
Molly Edwards – Total Task Consultancy
Technical:
Prof Emmeline Taylor – City St George’s University of London; and
Sophie Malone – Zinc Systems.
Roy Cooper thanked Emma Shaw and Mitie for their hospitality; and all the finalists’ panel for giving up their time – not only the work of going through entries all day to 6pm, but when continuing the discussion until 9pm in a private dining room upstairs at The Shard. “It was a long day with lots of debate – really good,” Roy said.
What next
The judges will now receive emailed packs of finalists’ entries, and choose their winners for each category, which will be announced after the WiS dinner, on Thursday evening, September 11. Judges will also send the name of someone they feel ought to receive the Baroness Ruth Henig Award in memory of Baroness Henig, a former SIA chair and long-standing well-wisher and judge of the Awards. She died in spring 2024 and the award in her name was introduced last year, and won by Lynda Moore.
Judges come from ten industry bodies:
Association of Security Consultants (ASC);
ASIS UK Chapter;
British Security Industry Association (BSIA);
Fire and Security Association (FSA);
International Professional Security Association (IPSA);
National Security Inspectorate (NSI);
Security Industry Authority (SIA);
Security Institute;
Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB); and
Worshipful Company of Security Professionals.
For last year’s winners and further details, visit https://professionalsecurity.co.uk/wis-awards/.
Photo by Vicki Poole at Mitie’s head office, pictured from left to right: Emma Shaw, Jayne King, Figen Murray, Lynda Moore, Ellie Hurst, Sarah Cork and Roy Cooper.
