Security and Risk professional Guy Mathias has been appointed as Chairman of the Eastern Region of the CSSC (Cross-sector Safety and Security Communications). Operating on a charitable basis and founded in June 2011 by a team of senior UK security experts, the CSSC was started as a means of facilitating communications between the private and public sectors on issues surrounding security and business resilience.
Guy Mathias, who is the Risk and Operations Director at Lucozade Ribena Suntory and a strategic adviser to Dardan Security said: “The CSSC is all about information sharing and helping businesses be prepared for a host of different safety and security issues. Membership of the CSSC enables businesses and organisations to have instant access and an information-sharing partnership with the emergency services and government. A platform like this can prove invaluable to its members.”
The CSSC acts as a ‘one stop shop’ for information and helps companies prepare for various scenarios ranging from counter-terrorism, cyber-crime, fraud and security alerts to safety issues. Initially set up in the run into the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it shares bulletins and security alerts and is in permanent direct contact with the police and other authorities as well as industry sector groups and businesses.
Guy, who is a former recipient of the prestigious UK Security Manager of the Year Award for Services to Industry, added: “There are a great many threats to businesses, from, at one end, cyber-crime and terrorism, through, to the effects of environmental issues such as flooding, extreme weather events, infrastructure and service interruptions, fire, disease and industrial accidents. The CSSC provides an information-sharing communications platform right across private and public sectors, while its members can also benefit from opportunities to gain best practice experience, better plan for critical threats and demonstrate their commitment to running a safe and secure organisation.
“During my chairmanship, I am looking to encourage businesses across the east of England to engage with the CSSC and contribute to building and contributing to this important communications platform.”
Guy Mathias has previously directed counter extremist operations for the research and pharmaceutical sectors, most notably at Huntingdon Life Sciences where he was responsible for security, staff protection and pre-employment/contractor screening. He was also a strategic security advisor for Glaxo Smith Kline.
He takes over from Dardan Security’s chairman, Mark Duffy, as regional chairman for the CSSC’s Eastern Region. He has also lectured on the threat posed by extremism to the industrial, academic and government sectors to police and government bodies and delivered numerous presentations to international industry and government audiences.
In addition, Guy was chairman of the UK Pharmaceutical Industry Security Forum 2009 – 2014, working in a pivotal role to develop and maintain close working relationships with industrial, academic and government sectors.
Guy is also the new chairman of The Security Commonwealth.