Skills for Security is the sector skills body for the private security industry and is a not-for-profit organisation.
We are governed by a non-executive Board whose role is to guide, advise and monitor the work of the executive directors.
Our Board members are:
Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington (Chair)
Lord Stevens served for 42 years in the Police Service which culminated in his appointment as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from February 2000 until February 2005. He was knighted in 2000, appointed Deputy Lieutenant of London in 2001 and made a Knight of St John in 2002. On 24th May 2005 he entered the House of Lords as Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington. Lord Stevens has been our chairman since Skills for Security came into existence on 1st January 2006.
David Dickinson (Vice Chair)
David Dickinson was appointed Chief Executive of the British Security Industry Association on 1 April 2002. For the previous 14 years he held director appointments with Group 4 in the UK. His experience covered marketing, sales, special events operations and, latterly, he was Director & General Manager of Group 4 Immigration Detention Services. On retirement from the BSIA in December 2008 David accepted an international position with the Ligue Internationale des Sociètè de Surveillance.
Jude Brimble
As the GMB National Officer for members working in the security sector, Jude represents the industry's workforce on the Skills for Security Board. Prior to her current responsibilities Jude's career with the GMB has encompassed national and international responsibilities, particularly in the public services arena, where her roles have involved her in school workforce remodelling and local government reform. Prior to joining the union Jude was a Community Mental Health Practitioner.
Mike Britnell
Following a career with BT that incorporated investigation of fraud, theft and corruption, and led to roles in strategic security planning and management as BT's Security General Manager, Mike became Director of European Security Programmes with Johnson Controls before joining the Bank of England, where he served as Head of Security until retirement.
Peter French MBE
Peter French is the Chief Executive of SSR Personnel, the leading global consultancy in the recruitment of professionals engaged in the Security, Fire, IT and Health & Safety sectors. He is a Fellow of the Security Institute; Past-Master, Founder Member and Trustee of the Worshipful Company of Security Professionals and a Senior Regional Vice President of ASIS Europe.
Tim Geddes
Tim Geddes is a Director of Yeoman Monitoring Services Ltd and Active Security Group Ltd. He has represented security industry views throughout the many sectors of the security industry for the last thirty years. Tim is a board member of the National Security Inspectorate and has been Chairman of the NSI Systems Section since its formation.
Bruce George
Bruce George served as Member of Parliament for Walsall South from February 1974 until his retirement in May 2010. He served as a member of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee from 1979 to 2005 and as its chair from 1997 to 2005. He was appointed a member of the Privy Council in 2001. In 2002 he was elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and was re-elected to this role in 2003. During his tenure in Parliament, Bruce founded and chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Private Security and for many years led the campaign in the House of Commons to regulate the private security industry. He is Vice-President of the Security Institute and a Visiting Professor at the University of Portsmouth, Institute of Criminal Justice Studies.
Richard Kemp CBE
During the last 5 years of his 30 year service in the British Army, Richard was attached to the Cabinet Office working for the Joint Intelligence Committee, heading a team responsible for gathering and assessing intelligence on domestic and international terrorism in Iraq. He was also a member of the government crisis management committee, COBR, and was appointed Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan following service in the Middle East, Balkans and Northern Ireland. He now runs a security company in London.
Stuart Lowden
The current Vice-Chairman of the British Security Industry Association and Managing Director of Wilson James, one of the leading providers of security guarding services, Stuart has 25 years experience of the sector. He is a well known and outspoken champion of front line staff, constantly promoting the need for Guarding companies to improve the pay and working conditions of their employees as part of a general drive to professionalise the industry.
Geoffrey Padgham
Whilst serving in the Metropolitan Police Geoff specialised in close protection, latterly as a senior manager in the Royalty Protection department. His service was recognised in appointment to the Royal Victorian Order, a personal award from the Queen. On retirement from the service in 2001, Geoff became a security consultant to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, and in 2005 formed Anubis Associates, a security company specialising in close protection services.
Dai Prichard
Following a career in the Welsh Guards and Special Forces Dai formed Resolution Security. He sold this company to the OCS Group in 2004, accepting chairmanship of the new Board until recruited onto the Board of Wilson James. Dai's commitment to the security industry is demonstrated in his memberships of various industry bodies, which include the Boards of the Security Institute and National Security Inspectorate, the Company of Security Professionals, ASIS and British Standards Institute, to name a few.
Adam Wiseberg
Adam's career in technology encompasses the earliest days of personal computers and the introduction of cellular telephones. He brought this expertise into the security industry when he joined AD Group, a company which pioneered mobile CCTV systems for use on passenger transport and now provides security technology worldwide, in addition to operating remote video monitoring centres. A past Chairman of the British Security Industry Association, Adam Wiseberg is a long standing champion of and contributor to British Standards for CCTV.
Our Chief Executive:
David Greer
David Greer was appointed as the Chief Executive of Skills for Security in May 2007. David has come to the organisation with a wealth of experience, having been Director for all Support to Business skills policies, in the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for 5 years. Working with Government Ministers and departments including HM Treasury, the Department for Education and Skills and the Home Office, David ran the Employer Training Pilot and was responsible for the design and delivery of the Government's employer's skills service - Train to Gain. David has been a project manager for major commercial IT projects, including, the physical security of systems and the electronic security of data and information.
David's long term career interest has been promoting the critical role of improving the nation's skills, to benefit UK business. He has worked with major companies and SMEs in industries as diverse as automotive, financial services, retail, healthcare and the public sector.
