SOCA is an ‘Executive Non-Departmental Public Body’ that tackles serious organised crime affecting the UK and its citizens. That crime includes Class A drugs, people smuggling and human trafficking, major gun crime, fraud, computer crime and money laundering.
SOCA’s main functions are to prevent and detect serious organised crime, contribute to the reduction of such crime in other ways and to lessen its consequences.
In addition, SOCA gathers, stores, analyses and disseminates information relevant to the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of offences, or the reduction of crime in any other ways or the mitigation of its consequences
Sir Ian Andrews was appointed chairman of SOCA in August 2009. Before that, from 1975 onwards he has spent much of his career working for the defence sector and the Armed Forces.
After studying geography at Bristol University, he worked in various Head Office policy branches, at HM Naval Base in Rosyth, in the Defence Arms Control Unit and on the China desk in the Defence Sales Organisation.
During this time, he also attended the NATO Defence College in Rome and, as a member of the Territorial Army, served for a year as a regular officer in Germany while on leave of absence from the civil service.
After working in the Private Office of the then Secretary of State for Defence in the late 1980s, Sir Ian was involved in the post-Cold War review of the size and shape of the Army before returning to Germany as the senior civilian on the staff of the British Forces’ headquarters.
Subsequent appointments included a spell as managing director of the Defence Research and Evaluation Agency (where Sir Ian was responsible for systems and equipment test and evaluation as well as for facilities), and as chief executive of the (then) Defence Estates Agency.
Sir Ian became Second Permanent Under Secretary of the MoD in 2002 where his Board responsibilities included transforming the effectiveness of the management of the department during a particularly challenging period for Defence and the Armed Forces.
Sir Ian also led a number of cross-Government initiatives, most notably around sustainability and joint working.
High-level educational sessions
The 2012 ASIS European Security Conference & Exhibition will kick off on Sunday 15 April with the President’s Reception.
Over the following two days, delegates will be able to attend 44 high-level educational sessions divided over four parallel tracks.
In addition, the conference programme will feature keynote presentations by:
The 11th Annual ASIS European Security Conference & Exhibition is expected to attract between 500 and 700 senior security executives from all over Europe and the world. The educationAL programme will include:
For information about the European Security Conference & Exhibition 2012 and to register visit <a href=”
