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:
- Adrian Kendry (Senior Defence Economist and Head of Defence and Security Economics, Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, NATO headquarters, Belgium)
- Baroness Harris of Richmond (Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords and Patron of ASIS UK Chapter 208)
- Stephen Cooper (Head of Security for the Olympic Delivery Authority)
- James Brokenshire (Minister for Crime and Security at the UK Home Office)
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:
- Sessions on professional certification, security convergence and international standards
- Sessions dedicated to Chief Security Officers (CSOs) organised by the CSO Roundtable of ASIS International
- an enlarged exhibition featuring the latest in security technology and services
- unrivalled networking opportunities at the President’s Reception, business lunches and networking breaks
- a closing reception at the House of Lords organised by the ASIS UK Chapter and hosted by Baroness Harris of Richmond
For information about the European Security Conference & Exhibition 2012 and to register visit <a href=”
- www.asisonline.org/london</a> or contact the ASIS EMEA Bureau at europe@asisonline.org or via telephone on: +32 (0)2 645 26 74