Our Security Experts

Niall was integral to the overhaul of conference policing between 1988 and 2001 where he identified inefficiencies created by the types of products utilised to secure events such as these. This internal review and acceptance of an alternative security model saw the establishment of the National Barrier Asset in its infancy.

After his role as Logistics Manager for conference policing, Niall went on to be the Deputy Planning Co-ordinator in his role as a Counter Terrorism Security Co-Ordinator for the Sussex Police (CT SecCo). This involved the development of security plans covering all facets of security relating to temporary events and VIP visits. This covered the full spectrum of security, from firearms, to physical and technical security.

Gathering information from all specialities Niall was responsible for presenting security plans to key government stakeholders to obtain agreement on proposed strategies. This involved submitting information on perceived threats, residual risks, and potential mitigation tactics.

Niall’s resulting experience allowed him to co-write a police guidance document which has become part of Authorised Professional Practice in securing events such as a party conferences or, G7 and NATO conferences.

With a forensic background as a traffic collision investigator, Niall was trained to understand energy dissipation and the laws of motion in relation to vehicle impacts. This experience stood him in good stead to ultimately manage the National Barrier Asset.

Now the General Manager of Hardstaff Secure, Niall can provide expert advice on temporary security plans and assist clients in finding the best solution for a site. Because of his experience in different disciplines (assessing risk, managing logistics and having to build business cases for funding and resources), Niall understands the wider picture very well and is able to advise clients on all aspects of temporary security schemes.

Paul’s role soon extended beyond the UK, looking after business development in the Far and Middle East as well as some Nordic countries. It soon became obvious that the attention to aesthetics and the idea that this was considered within security specification reached beyond the UK market.

Now working with ATG Access as their Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Sales Manager (UK); Paul works alongside clients on public realm projects and protecting crowded spaces schemes. Utilising his knowledge to recommend and assist clients to design security schemes to be operationally successful, as future proof as possible, aesthetically pleasing and to meet the identified threat profile.

One of the huge developments that Paul has experienced within his career in security has been the change of focus from protecting fixed buildings and assets to the need to protect people. This change in focus has altered security schemes in the public realm to become more complex. More stakeholders are required to be involved from an early stage to ensure that their needs are being accommodated and considered within the security measures being proposed. It has become a more collaborative process.

The public are becoming more aware of the terror threat to crowded spaces and have become savvier regarding the requirements for security measures. Over five years ago, public realm security schemes were trying to design out hardened measures by integrating them into street furniture items or landscaping. There seems to have been a shift over the last 2 years to favour more obvious security measures to act as deterrents.

Paul continues to utilise his extensive experience and understanding of public realm projects to work alongside councils, architects, and security consultants to deliver successful, high-profile schemes across the UK.

Russell’s journey into the security industry started while he was running the Barkers Fasteners division (part of the Hill & Smith PLC Group of companies since 1987) and supplying the wider Hill & Smith Group PLC fastening solutions for both fencing and highway barriers.

An Australian company approached Barkers in 2006 as they were experiencing a very high number of security breaches, targeting one of their high-profile mines in Papua New Guinea. The mine faced constant threat from criminals looking to profit from illegal mining and was facing an incredible 100 + intruder incursions every month. Russell worked alongside the engineering team within Barkers to marry incredibly strong fastenings with a security fencing design to withstand the types of attacks and criminality that the gold mine was experiencing. The final design was comprehensively tested and went on to be the birth of the highly regarded Barkers ‘StronGuard™’ fence.

Once this project had been supplied and installed, Russell moved across to Barkers Fencing to head up the security division. The timing of this coincided with the early chapter of the UK’s hostile vehicle mitigation testing programme, instigated by CPNI (Centre of Protection of National Infrastructure). Working alongside the Home Office, Russell and Barkers Fencing were approached to successfully test the StronGuard™ fence.

Now Business Development Director for Barkers Fencing and operating within the HS Security group of companies; Russell is heavily involved in driving the testing and development programmes forward for Critical National Infrastructure in line with emerging industry requirements and in response to client needs.

One of Russell’s proudest achievements over the last decade was working alongside the UK’s Border Force in the winter of 2015 when the migrant crisis was at its peak. Russell ensured that Barkers Fencing were successful in a bid to supply over 6,500 meters of security fencing to protect vulnerable sites from theft, vandalism and to ensure that migrants weren’t crossing onto the lines of the Euro Star by accident and risking loss of life. Projects like this one have led on to larger contracts with Network Rail, the National Grid and many more.

A reputation for safety best practice is of paramount importance when operating within the Nuclear and Energy industry. As such, the Nuclear sector has had to move to standardise its supply chain to ensure that suppliers and contractors are operating within the same strict safety and quality parameters. Any mistake made, no matter how small could have catastrophic consequences.

Normally to achieve the ‘Fit for Nuclear’ accreditation takes anything up to four years. Due to Kathryn’s vast experience in quality and safety improvement procedures and training, Hardstaff Barriers were able to become accredited within twelve months. Hardstaff Barriers now supply a range of equipment for edge protection, delineation, and segregation for Nuclear sites in the UK.

After identifying the Nuclear and Energy sector as a growth opportunity, Kathryn is now working towards ensuring that the business is accredited to work on contracts for the renewable energy sector which will have the same highly regulated environment and the requirement for safety and security measures.

Very much of the firm belief that business is about people, Hardstaff Barriers with Kathryn’s help encourages a culture of leadership which drives innovation, diversification of thought and ultimately a competitive advantage.

With a background in strategic development for blue chip companies, Tabu moved to Interserve in 2007 as part of the National & Strategic Accounts team. As part of this team he led and managed the relationship between Interserve and high profile clients with large, national framework contracts.

Assigned to British Telecom, Tabu managed a framework totalling circa £300m. This national programme created new space within BT’s telephone exchanges to facilitate the installation of new equipment to form the ‘21st Century Network’, strengthening the UK’s broadband network to drive faster and more reliable connectivity nationally.

Soon after this Tabu moved into the Data Centre sector, identifying a significant growth market. He recognised that partnering with a specialist company who were already strong in the sector would be a critical success factor.

Pinpointing a specialist data centre, design and build company who could manage the design and installation within the data centre ‘shell’, Tabu identified a collaboration between the two companies.

After successfully establishing this new partnership the two companies worked together to approach some of Interserve’s existing clients who had data centres within their estates and secured a number of highly technical projects.

Now as Head of Strategic Business Development for Hill & Smith Holdings’ Roads & Security division Tabu’s working knowledge of the data centre market combined with his knowledge security products provided by the HS Security Group of companies is an invaluable asset to the HS Security team.

One of the significant projects in Adam’s security career was his involvement in a natural gas inlet terminal project in 2005. The site required between 3,000-4,000 kilometres of accredited mesh fence. The size of this project at the time was quite unique and it signalled the change in security standards and methodology in the UK market and the acceptance of investing in tested measures.

This project led on to others such as supplying the Bank of England, and further afield – US Air Bases in Germany, University campuses in America and Perth Airport.

Adam’s knowledge of security testing standards and his first-hand experience with perimeter protection schemes has stood him in good stead to understand in advance a range of customer challenges. Whether those challenges relate to working within planning constraints or navigating access control vulnerabilities.

After twenty years in the evolving security industry, Adam is very knowledgeable within the perimeter protection sector and can assist clients in achieving their security objectives whatever the end goal might be.