No less than 100 top security professionals attended the event, at which several eminent speakers focused on the ongoing terrorist threat and how we might fight back.
Chapter chairman Barrie Millett took the opportunity to thank the membership and main Committee for their efforts in making 2008 “a great year” for the UK Chapter of ASIS International, its membership having risen by 6%. Apparently, the Chapter is looking forward to “double-digit growth” in 2009.
Hugh McLeod from Assynt Associates updated attendees on the continuing threat from Al Qaeda, his presentation dovetailing neatly with that of Lord Toby Harris of Haringey (who focused on ‘Terrorism: Current Threats and Events’).
Harris is currently chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group concerned with policing and also treasurer of the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee. Harris also served as a member of the House of Lords Select Committee that recently reported on personal Internet security, and sits on the Metropolitan Police Authority’s Management Committee as the Home Secretary’s representative.
The Security Company (International’s) Martin Smith spoke on the fallibility of human beings as part of a total security solution.
Mervyn David Award goes to Flower
At the event, well-known and respected security consultant Nigel Flower was presented with the Mervyn David Award, bestowed in memory of the late Air Commodore Mervyn David.
Nigel joined ASIS in 1984 following a career in the Army, retiring with the ranking of colonel having served both with the infantry and the Intelligence Corps. Fluent in Russian, Flower has worked extensively in that country and right across Eastern Europe.
He joined the ranks at Honeywell (UK) as head of security responsible for EMEA until departing in 1989 to establish his own security consultancy. A mere two years later, Flower was instrumental in helping to form the Association of Security Consultants. Indeed, he became one of the organisation’s first chairmen.
It’s perhaps fitting that Flower received the Mervyn David Award as his Certified Protection Professional (CPP) qualification was presented to him in 1985… by none other than Mervyn David. It’s also worth mentioning that Nigel served on the Chapter 208 Committee for a number of years (covering membership).