ASIS Europe 2014 saw a record attendance of over 700 registered delegates from 51 countries at its 13th European Security Conference & Exhibition from April 1 to 3, at the World Forum in The Hague, Netherlands.
ASIS President Richard E Widup, Jr, CPP, said: “Today more than ever security professionals need to have a vibrant network based upon a common body of knowledge to help secure the assets intrusted to them and advance the security profession. ASIS International is the only organisation in the world that provides these value-added opportunities for security practitioners worldwide. The growing interest and demand for professional security managers is clearly evident today here in The Hague as we celebrate the ASIS 13th European Security Conference & Exhibition which is our largest to date.”
On Tuesday, the programme started with professional tours at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) headquarters. After a short briefing on the organisation, visitors attended a presentation by Chris Stretton, Head of the Office of Confidentiality and Security of the OPCW, on how to secure international organisations such as the OPCW, and on the role and adaptation of security organisations to support missions in high risk areas. The tours continued with a visit of The Hague Security Delta Campus. Visitors attended a presentation on the importance and potential of public-private partnerships in security, and on joint programmes developed at The Hague Security Delta. In the afternoon, a few delegates visited Europol’s headquarters, followed by a presentation on Europol’s activities, and on Europol and public-private patnerships. The first day was concluded by a Welcome Party with live music giving delegates a first opportunity to network.
On Wednesday, April 2, Deputy Mayor of the City of The Hague, Henk Kool, and ASIS President, Richard E. Widup, Jr., CPP, welcomed delegates. The opening continued with a video of European Council President, Herman Van Rompuy, stressing the need to guarantee that security is a business enabler and not a business inhibitor. Van Rompuy added that an organisation such as ASIS is important to secure our societies due to its global representation, as it helps enhancing knowledge of security professionals and creates networks.
Ivo Opstelten, Minister of Security and Justice of The Netherlands spoke about the importance of public-private partnerships to create synergies. Mr Opstelten took the organisation of the Nuclear Security Summit 2014 in The Hague, as an example of cooperation between both sectors, stressing that the organisation of such an event would not have been possible without the cooperation of the private sector. Mr Opstelten finally said that The Hague Security Delta, which is a cluster for companies, governments, and research institutions, allows the development of innovative solutions and products.
A discussion covered the future of security technology, featuring Ray Mauritsson, President and CEO of Axis Communications (Sweden), Roland Y Billeter, President Continental Europe of Tyco Integrated Fire & Security (Germany), and Ruben Wegman, CEO of Nedap Security Management (Netherlands). The panellists highlighted trends that will drive the future of the security industry such as the increased use of open standards to integrate security products.
The first day was concluded by the President’s Reception held at the Peace Palace. The Peace Palace houses the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the Hague Academy of International Law, and the Peace Palace Library.
On the second day, Rob Wainright, Director of Europol spoke on the scale of the challenge facing Europe with organised crime. Wainright highlighted trends such as the increased mobility of organised groups which enjoy opportunities offered by the globalisation and the diversication of illicit routes of traffic to commit crimes in several jurisdictions. He also said that internet reduces the importance of distances, creates opportunities for criminals as it allows them to conceal their activities and identity, and offers a platform for radicalisation. However, legislative frameworks are not kept up to date with the speed of technological changes. Finally, Wainwright stressed the role of professional organisations in public-private partnerships, as Europol does not have the means of other organisations, but only offers a platform to pull expert advice.
The conference was closed by Ray Mabus, Secretary of the US Navy who spoke about maritime security.
The conference also featured 44 educational sessions by speakers that included Brendan Healy, Vice President, Business Unit Information Security Officer of Morgan Stanley (USA) on The Insider Threat: Protecting Information Assets In a Global Environment, Arjan Jonge Vos, Programme Manager Security for NSS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands presented a case study on the Nuclear Security Summit 2014 in The Hague, Dr Paolo Salieri, Principal Scientific/Policy officer of the European Commission (Belgium) on The “Secure Societies” challenge in Horizon 2020, Chris van Steenkiste, Project Manager IPR Crime Unit of Europol (Netherlands) on Europol’s fight against intellectual property crime, Mike Croll, Head of Field Security of the European External Action Service (EEAS) (Belgium) on Diplomatic Security, and Jason Brown, National Security Director of Thales (Australia) on The Contribution Of Security To Building and Managing Resilience.
A Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) Workshop gave delegates an understanding of risks, challenges and opportunities for companies in the region. Sessions for Chief Security Officers (CSOs) were organised by the CSO Roundtable, the ASIS forum for the most senior security professionals from the largest organisations in the world.
The event also featured an exhibition where 39 sponsors, exhibitors, media and supporting organisations presented their products and services.
Meanwhile Ray Mabus visited Europol’s Headquarters in The Hague and met Europol Director Rob Wainwright. Secretary Mabus and Director Wainwright exchanged views on the threats posed by maritime piracy for the global economy and the need to adopt a cohesive strategy grounded on collaboration between the military and law enforcement. They agreed that maritime piracy, in particular in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali Coast, is linked to international organised crime. To tackle such networks, it is essential to enhance the operational coordination between tactical maritime forces in charge of deterring piracy acts and those in charge of criminal investigations and prosecutions.
