Security Matters Podcast - Episode 6 now live to view

Episode 6 of the Security Matters Podcast includes fascinating in-depth interviews with David Rubens CSyP FISRM (executive director at the Institute of Strategic Risk Management and also managing director of Deltar Training Solutions) and Gary Mercer, UK sales manager for specialist video analytics developer VCA Technology.

The Institute of Strategic Risk Management was established in order to create a global centre whereby practitioners, academics and policy-makers alike can join forces to share information, help progress and promote the underlying understanding and capabilities associated with the discipline of strategic risk and crisis management and, importantly, develop their own personal and professional networks.

The scale, range and nature of emergent threats now facing the world are changing at a pace that can make it somewhat difficult for professionals to model, prepare for and/or respond to them. On that basis, it’s the firmly held belief of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management that there’s a need to explore in great detail the issues surrounding the development of the range of multiple stakeholder frameworks, policies and capabilities that will be necessary to face up to (and successfully engage with) threats as time passes.

David Rubens’ excellent Fast Learning for Leadership in Crisis webinar programme has been running during the COVID-19 crisis and is purpose-designed to give leaders (whatever sector or risk environment in which they operate) an introduction to the fundamental building blocks of crisis management in a way that’s immediately accessible to them, as well as offering templates and frameworks applicable to their own situation.

The programme has consisted of a series of weekly 30-minute webinars that build into a comprehensive ‘Masterclass’ of crisis management, designed both for those with a CV in security and risk management and, indeed, practitioners emanating from a more general background.

Wake-up call

COVID-19 has most certainly served as a wake-up call in terms of how important a correct understanding of crisis management really is in today’s world. Many organisations, up to and including Governments, have been shocked not only by the external events associated with COVID-19, but also by the failure of their own crisis management frameworks to respond appropriately and effectively when called upon to do so.

On the Security Matters Podcast, Rubens offers his considered views on how he thinks the world looks right now from a security and risk management perspective. There are clearly issues and challenges in play, but Rubens also pinpoints the opportunities now arising.

Rubens’ own background encompasses the business world, consultancy, teaching and academia. This allows him to have a well-rounded and far-reaching comprehension of what’s happening during the Coronavirus pandemic and how risk and security practitioners can actively engage with the chaotic world that has been addressed by the Institute of Strategic Risk Management in that aforementioned webinar series.

It’s evident that some companies have been caught out by the pandemic in terms of a lack of preparedness. Isn’t it now long overdue that topics such as security and business resilience sat atop the agendas of Boards of Directors both here in the UK and overseas? Rubens offers his opinions on the matter.

Given the extensive impact of COVID-19, many security and risk-focused professionals may well be somewhat worried about their own futures. On that basis, Rubens provides some salient and timely words of advice.

Developments in the surveillance arena

As a business, VCA Technology is all about providing intelligent data such that the Teddington-based business’ end user customers can make a proactive response and/or realise business decisions based on the information or alerts provided by the analytics that its solutions ably deliver.

VCAcore is at the heart of the company’s products, providing a modular, cross-platform engine that “unleashes the true power” of networked video. VCAcore delivers proven object tracking and security algorithms, in fact, combined with a Logical Rules engine and deep learning classifiers. The end result of that is precision video analytics performance with flexible integration options.

During his conversation with Security Matters’ Editor Brian Sims, Gary Mercer picks out the most exciting developments within the video space at the present time as well as examining the role of Artificial Intelligence in the video surveillance world and outlining what he believes to be the pros and cons of using it in this particular sphere.

In addition, Mercer focuses on the challenges COVID-19 has presented for security professionals in general and asserts how those challenges might be tackled by using the technologies now available on the market.

Businesses are presently striving to return to some form of normalcy, with retail stories no re-opening to the public and warehouses necessarily ramping up their operations to make up for all the downtime. With money at a premium in some cases when it comes to procurement spend, what considerations should be front and centre for end users when making their technology investments? Access Episode 6 of the Security Matters Podcast and find out.

Listen to the Security Matters Podcast

You can listen to the Security Matters Podcast - which is kindly sponsored by The Security Event - for free on iTunes or Spotify. To download the Security Matters Podcast on iTunes or Spotify, all you need to do is enter the term ‘Security Matters’ into the platform search box. Alternatively, you can listen to the Security Matters Podcast online at https://securitymatters.podbean.com/ or via the dedicated Security Matters YouTube channel by clicking here.

*If there are any particular topics you would like us to cover on future editions of the Security Matters Podcast (which are live to view every fortnight on Wednesdays) please do contact us. You can do so on Twitter by using the hashtag #SecurityPod or simply send an e-mail direct to bsims@westernbusiness.media

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