Appointments

Bob Holmwood has joined Buro Happold IATC as senior security strategist, specialising in incidence response, business continuity planning and risk assessment. Bob brings

20 years’ of experience to his new role, gained within the Ministry of Defence and the commercial sector. Bob is currently chairman of the British Institute of Facilities Management’s Special Interest Group tasked with examining Security and Business Continuity.

Having spent the past five years with Securiplan plc, where he was a director of the Hillingdon-based guarding company, Paul Collis has joined Reliance Security Services as commercial director. Before joining Securiplan plc, Paul spent 17 years with Mars (UK) where he held various positions in sales, management and operations.

Irona Dixie has joined guarding contractor CIS Security as the company’s new sales and marketing director. CIS boasts nearly 600 members of staff, an 80-strong client base and a turnover of £15 million. Irona used to work at Securicor Security for six years, and in her last role was strategic account manager for facilities management and the finance sector.

As part of a reorganisation to enable closer focus on different business areas, Securitas Security Services (Europe) has unveiled a new organisational structure in which its current European operation is being divided into four sections including central Europe, which will consist of Austria, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and the UK. This will be headed by the current UK managing director, Morten Ronning (pictured). Succeeding Morten as managing director across the UK and Ireland is David Robinson, who has been a director of the company for just over a year. In order to focus more closely on the patrol and response market a new division has been created under the stewardship of Andrew Natt.

Ken Allison – chairman of Reliance Security Services, and the guarding contractor’s former managing director – retired with immediate effect following the Uxbridge-based concern’s annual general meeting on Tuesday 7 September. Everyone at Security Management Today wishes Ken well for a long and happy retirement after many years’ excellent service to the industry.

Security has been stepped up at United Co-operatives with the appointment of a dedicated group security manager. Ken Makin – who has worked for the Society for the past 12 months as corporate security manager with responsibility for its healthcare and department store operations – is now in charge of security and safety for all members of staff. Before working for United Co-operatives, Ken held senior posts with major retail and pharmaceutical companies, including Matalan (where he was head of security).

Verint Systems – the leading provider of networked video security and surveillance solutions – has appointed John Humphrey to the position of general manager EMEA at Verint Video Solutions. John was formerly group managing director of Dedicated Micros and, more recently, co-founder of digital CCTV start-up Braddahead. He brings a wealth of experience to the role, having also worked at Unisys and Fujitsu-ICL.

Ray Hodgson has joined Siemens Building Technologies in the UK as head of sales and marketing for security systems. Hodgson brings 20 years’ experience to the role. Previously, he headed the systems business at Pinkertons, where sales topped £8.5 million. Following the Securitas buy-out of Pinkertons in 1999, Hodgson became head of sales for the company’s electronic security division in Europe.

First City Care (one of the UK’s leading access control and integrated security systems specialists) has promoted Chris Richards – formerly senior project manager – to the post of Board director. Five years ago, Chris made a career move into security after working as a First City Care supplier, and showing interest in working for the company. Initially, he worked as part of the customer services team before developing into the role of account manager and then senior project manager.

Due to its consistent growth in the supply of CCTV and access control systems, national installation concern Quadrant Video Systems has expanded its technical sales team. The latest appointments see Paul Verner and Steve Buckley take on the role of new business development in positions designed to reach customers across an array of market sectors. Their roles will focus on expanding Quadrant’s business in the supply of CCTV, access control and new technology solutions.

Identity verification specialist TSSI has made two appointments to strengthen its structured magnetic sales division.

Francis Tuffy has been appointed to the position of business development manager for South America and eastern Europe. Meantime, Joseph Fong takes on the role of sales manager for the Far East (including Taiwan, China and Asia). Fong is responsible for developing new sales opportunities in what is a rapidly expanding market.

Martin Taylor has joined the Sigma Group. Martin takes on the post of product manager responsible for the UK and the Middle East, with the company’s FAST Video Security digital video recorders – including the mid-range units – due for launch at Essen later on this month.

Hoppe (UK) has made two senior executive appointments. Peter Rea, who has been with the company since 1998, has been appointed business development manager with responsibility for creating awareness of the Hoppe and Arrone brands. Meantime, Lee Piper has been appointed sales centre manager.