Judges announced for IFSEC Global security and fire 2019

IFSEC Global has announced its judging panel for the 2019 edition of its Security and Fire Influencers, with Labour peer Lord Toby Harris and National Basketball Association (NBA) security chief Jerome Pickett starring.

Lord Harris has previously represented the Home Secretary in overseeing the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terror work. Subsequently a member of the Police Counter Terrorism Board, he has a keen interest in policing, cybersecurity and counter-terror.

Pickett, who joined the NBA last month as executive vice president and chief security officer, is an expert in crisis management, cyber investigations, and critical infrastructure protection. He is currently also vice chair for the Commercial Facilities Sector Coordinating Council at the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Infrastructure Protection.

Jonathan O’Neill OBE, MD of the Fire Protection Association, is a standout name judging the fire safety category.

Both in global reach – with 12 countries represented – and stature, it’s as impressive as any influencers judging panel yet.

Lead judge Grant Lecky, a co-founder of the Security Partners Forum, has appointed a 28-strong judging panel with eclectic expertise spanning the eight influencer categories.

A new category is being introduced for 2019: ‘One to watch’, which spotlights security professionals who’ve made a big impact in a relatively short career.

Grant Lecky commented: “We have a whole new panel of distinguished judges for 2019 from across the globe, and just like last year, these judges have been appointed based on a combination of strong recommendations from across the security and fire industries, and are, of course, award winners themselves in their respective fields within our shared industry.

“Many of the judges have themselves appeared among IFSEC’s influencers in previous years and with the new category, ‘One to Watch’, being introduced, these judges could hardly be better positioned to identify the current and future generations of influencers coming through.”

Lecky himself featured among the IFSEC Global influencers in security and fire in 2014 and 2017, has featured on the Canadian Who’s Who and, most recently, won the Bill Zalud Memorial Award for professional excellent/outstanding service in the security profession.

Categories for 2019:

1. Commercial security executives

2. Commercial security management

3. Commercial security tech leaders

4. Commercial security thought leadership

5. Cybersecurity

6. Fire safety

7. One to watch – NEW FOR 2019

8. System design, installation & integration

The judging panel for IFSEC Global influencers in security and fire 2019:

Abeer Khedr, information security director, National Bank of Egypt

Anders Hemli Rimstad, chief security officer, Aker ASA

Andrew Thorburn, national brand manager, security, Atlas Gentech NZ

Bonnie S Michelman, executive director of police, security and outside services, Massachusetts General Hospital

Chenxi Wang, managing general partner, Raid Capital

Dave White, president, Institute of Fire Safety Managers

Eddie Reynolds, president and CEO, Iluminar Inc

Dr Eduardo Fulgencio, president and CEO, Cure Unlimited Resources Inc

Emerald de Leeuw, CEO and founder, Eurocomply

Francisco Ramirez, country manager, Mexico, Central America & The Caribbean, Axis Communications

Jerome Pickett, executive vice president & chief security officer, National Basketball Association (NBA)

Joe Connell, chairman, Association of Security Consultants

Jonathan O’Neill OBE, managing director, Fire Protection Association

Kirsty Bradley-McMurtrie, branch manager, Securitas

Magda Chelly, managing director, Responsible Cyber Pte Ltd

Malcolm B Reid, managing director, Brison

Neil Sutton, editor, Canadian Security and SP&T News

Phil Brownhill, head Of training, Association of Specialist Fire Protection

Dr Roger Harrison, technical director, fire safety, BRE

Rowena Fell, global and EMEIA technology risk operations leader, EY

Sandi Davies, executive director, International Foundation for Protection Officers

Sandra Ragg, first assistant secretary for cybersecurity, Australian Department of Home Affairs

Stephen Ackroyd, senior lecturer in aviation security, Buckinghamshire New University

Stephen Martin MIET, head of specialist groups, Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA)

Lord Toby Harris, House of Lords

Dr Vallop Kinchansilp, APSA International president & APSA Thailand chapter president, GUTS Group of Companies

Warren Spencer, managing director, Blackhurst Budd Solicitors

Wesley Simpson, chief operating officer, (ISC)2 Inc

Nominations for The IFSEC Global influencers in security and fire 2019 can be submitted here:

The 2019 influencers will be announced in the IFSEC Security Briefing (which you can register for here) in the early part of May 2019.

You can network with some of the influencers during a meet-and-greet session at IFSEC International, 18-20 June 2019, ExCeL London, in the ASIS Lounge – date and time to be confirmed.