Organisers of the latest women in security gathering, by the UK chapter of the security management association ASIS, hailed yesterday’s meeting in London as the best-attended yet. It was on the afternoon of the second and final day of the UK Security Expo at Olympia.
Dave Clark, chairman of ASIS UK, opened the event – open to women and men – with the point that the group existed to work until it was not needed any more; seeking to make the security industry less male-dominated, and more inclusive, and with more women in senior positions. He introduced senior ASIS Europe man and ASIS International board member Godfried Hendriks; the Dutchman described the ASIS Europe 2018 conference in Rotterdam in April.
Two of the winners of this year’s Professional Security Magazine Women in Security (WiS) awards, presented with the NSI in September, Keeley Watson and Samantha Bamford, were among the audience, and they were invited by Dave Clark to stand up and receive a round of applause. The most recent UK person to gain the CPP (Certified Protection Professional) qualification through ASIS, Jo Day of Amazon, was presented with her certificate by Dave Clark (pictured). How to enter for the 2018 WiS awards will be announced on the Professional Security website.
The meeting organiser, Amanda McCloskey, welcomed attenders and described the gathering as the best attended so far. She described the ASIS UK women’s section as an inclusive network community for both men and women to develop business skills, give and seek advice, and learn from others.
The rest of the event proper before networking was given over to three speakers: London’s Air Ambulance pilot Adam Meyer; Jade Davies, describing her career so far including service as a special constable and gaining a master’s degree from King’s College London (KCL) and work abroad; and Vanessa King, author of The Fire Inside, on ‘top tips on developing your personal brand’.
The next ASIS UK event is the winter quarterly afternoon seminar, and AGM and annual chapter awards, at Westminster Cathedral, on Friday, December 8 from 2pm. Talking of King’s, some of the war studies graduates from KCL will give brief presentations. The chapter will hear of ASIS UK 2018 activity (including to mark the chapter’s 25th anniversary). Visit http://asis.org.uk/eventscalendar.shtml.
