Angela Vernon Lawson CSyP FSyI is joining the Security Institute’s head office as Chief Operating Officer (COO), a new position.
The Institute reports that Angela was unanimously selected from a strong set of candidates, after a long and rigorous selection process. The COO will provide operational leadership oversight of membership engagement and aspects of routine business administration. Angela will support the Institute in the five business objectives as outlined by the Chair and Board of Directors in 2021: ‘Membership experience’, ‘Professionalisation’, ‘Influence’, ‘Next Generation’ and ‘Ethics, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’.
Angela has a long career in security and business continuity consultancy, supporting the global and national operations for clients in the finance, aviation, media, sport, oil industry and defence. In 2021, she became a Chartered Security Professional.
Since 2011, Angela has been a member of the Security Institute; and was the Director of Education for the Institute between 2015 and 2021. As the education lead, Angela created the Approved Training Provider scheme, wrote a security apprenticeship strategy paper and continues to represent the Institute as part of the security apprenticeship Trailblazer group.
She was also a member of both the Remuneration and the Ethics Committees and was the sponsoring Director for the Security, Education, Accreditation, Training and Standards (SEATS) and Business Continuity, Emergency Planning, Crisis Management and Resilience (BECRes) special interest groups. Since leaving the board in 2021, she has remained involved with the Membership Management Advisory Group (MMAG) and mentoring. Besides that volunteering she is a Unit Coordinator for the Volunteer Police Cadets in her area, serves as a magistrate in a family court, and is part of a Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy local forum. That has led to completing ‘train the trainer ‘for restorative relationships, DASH risk assessments and Bystander intervention strategies.
Angela, pictured, said: “I am delighted to be joining the Security Institute as the newly appointed Chief Operating Officer at a time when the security sector is changing. The need for a well-informed, professional and disciplined workforce with the knowledge, skills, and behaviours to successfully protect people and assets in various settings is increasing. Since I joined the Institute in 2011, I have witnessed it go from strength to strength. I firmly believe the Institute will be intrinsic in supporting those in the industry to prepare for what lies ahead in an evolving security landscape, and I am excited to be part of that journey.”
The Institute’s Chair, Peter Lavery FSyI, said:”Angela joins us after serving as a Director of the Institute for 6 years and we are delighted to gain her invaluable experience and knowledge as a Chartered Security Professional. As well as being a key influencer within our community, Angela’s passions align with the Institute’s key business objectives as demonstrated through her extensive experience within the Institute. Her new role will be linked to these objectives, and she will no doubt prove instrumental in the Institute’s continued growth and influence. We are very privileged to have Angela’s expertise within our team and I am very much looking forward to working with her.”
And Chief Executive, Rick Mounfield CSyP FSyI, said: “Angela brings a whole new set of skills to the executive function and the leadership of the operational staff. Her ability gives me confidence to change the tac of the Institute to achieve bigger and better outcomes for the benefit of the members and the security industry. Her knowledge of the training and development world will be invaluable, but it is her ability to inspire and enhance the outstanding work our staff deliver on a daily basis, that gives me most optimism. I am personally delighted with her appointment.”
