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Spotlight on a Chartered Security Professional Sean Purnell MBE CSyP


S


ean Purnell is one of


several recent Registrants admitted to the Register of Chartered Security Professionals.


He is a highly qualified professional with a military background, possessing expertise in many areas. Sean has considerable experience in advising on operational risk and audits, delivering solutions in risk management and risk control frameworks, specialising in ISO 27001, GDPR and cyber security projects. Sean was awarded an MBE for services to the RAF in 2000. I recently caught up with Sean with some questions about his career and the impact of being admitted into the Register.


Spotlight on a Security Officer


Ron Liles, In-house security, The Savoy O


n a recent visit to the


Savoy I met Ron Liles, to discuss his career in security.


Following an injury sustained


in 2009, Ron needed to seek a new career path. Through friends’ recommendations he chose the security sector and in 2010 obtained his SIA licence and “has not looked back since”.


He describes his role at the Savoy as, “Providing a 5-star service to guests from around the world and understanding a variety of cultures means my job can be extremely dynamic. We are not the stereotypical black suits you see in most lobbies around the world. We anticipate our guests’ needs and deliver them to the highest level. I also provide Service Quality training to new starters, known as Heartist within AccorHotels, which gets us


How did you transition into the corporate security sector from the RAF?


Looking back on my career thus far, there has been a focused development from my time in the Royal Air Force, where I had a successful career until departing as a commissioned Provost Officer. I specialised in policing, security and counter intelligence, which created the foundation for my future career in the corporate security sector. I completed an MSc in Security & Risk Management which firmly established the foundation of my security risk management skills, and facilitated my move into the financial sector.


How has professional development supported your career?


Security is ever evolving with the dynamic threat environments that we face, and there is the ever increasing and obvious convergence between physical security, information security and cyber security. Professional development is key to our success as security professionals to ensure that we are at the table for all ‘security risk’ discussions.


Completing an MSc in Security & Risk Management, along with a wide variety of other training including financial crime


prevention, incident management, operational risk management and cyber security, has given me the tools to perform varying roles with UBS AG. For example, Security Risk Controller, IT Risk Controller, Director Regional Security and, more recently, as an Internal Security Auditor.


What has been the impact of Chartered Security Professional (CSyP) status?


The process of applying for CSyP is the way to have your security skills, expertise and strategic thinking independently verified by “top tier” security professionals. Lord Alex Carlile QC CBE, (the former Chair of the Chartered Security Professionals Registration Authority), has described CSyP status as the security sector’s ‘Gold Standard’. I felt so deeply privileged, and proud, when I learned that I had met the required standards in all five of the required disciplines, and had been awarded CSyP status.


Well done Sean! You have every reason to be proud. Congratulations again on being awarded CSyP!


Mike Bluestone CSyP


Ambassador for the Register of Chartered Security Professionals


https://security-institute.org/csyp/


thinking about the different ways we can communicate and form connections with our guests, building on our Forbes Travel Guide standards.”


I asked about the highlight of his career to date? Ron answers with a big grin on his face, “My team and I winning the ‘In-house Security Team of the Year' award for 2018 at the Security and Fire Excellence awards. It was an amazing evening which I felt privileged to attend.”


We discussed the skills he believes are important for his role:


“Communication: It's an area where mistakes or misinterpretations can be made. To excel in security, you need to understand the importance of information. Even more so in 5-star hospitality when looking after royalty, dignitaries and the world’s rich and famous.”


“Situational awareness: We need to be able to adapt ourselves to the situation we are dealing with rapidly to ensure the correct decisions and actions are taken.”


I asked Ron if technology plays a part in his role. “From the CCTV systems to Access Control, key card issuing to information sharing technology plays an instrumental role in today’s security roles and the systems and platforms we use are developing year on year.”


© CI TY S ECUR I TY MAGAZ INE – SUMME R 2 0 1 9 www. c i t y s e c u r i t yma g a z i n e . c om


We discussed how Ron’s role has changed. “Today there is a lot more emphasis on Counter Terrorism than there was ten years ago. Of course, there was still a high level of awareness and training available, but in comparison, in the last two years I have attended Project Griffin (twice), Argus, REAct and SCaN provided by the Met Police plus a live scenario initiative provided by CPNI.”


What’s his next step? “To finish my hospitality diploma and continue developing my service quality/training skills. I'll use all the knowledge gained from these when looking at leading a team/managing others as my position develops in the future.”


Tim Molden, Director of Security & Risk at the Savoy commented on Ron’s contribution and success at the Savoy.


“Ron is an exceptional Duty Security Officer who balances the need to provide a 5-star guest service along with keeping our guests and staff safe. He utilises his experience of dealing with VIPs in his previous role to great effect. His clear communication skills make him a natural leader and he often turns a negative situation into a positive. In 2018, Ron was shortlisted internally as employee of the year which was a credit to him and the rest of my department.”


Graham Bassett MD GBRUK


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