
Brian Sims
Editor
Brian Sims
Editor
THE SECURITY Institute celebrated 25 years of leadership, learning and collaboration within the security sector at the organisation’s 2025 Annual Conference, which ran under the headline ‘25 Years of Community: The Past, The Present, The Future – What Have We Learned?’ Conference brought together leading figures from Government, the business community, academia and law enforcement in order to reflect on the evolution of the profession and chart its path forward.
Hosted by Hayley Elvins CSyP FSyI, director and vice-chair of The Security Institute, conference opened with a call to recognise the enduring value of community across every generation of the profession. “For 25 years,” stated Elvins, “our Institute has stood as a home for shared learning, professional growth and mutual support. That spirit of collaboration will continue to define the future of security.”
In her own address, Julie Nel MA CSyP FSyI (chair of The Security Institute) reaffirmed the Institute’s strategic vision as a “cornerstone of societal resilience”: one that ensures the profession is recognised for its essential role in safeguarding people, organisations and national interests.
Nel duly emphasised that the Institute remains the “destination of choice for all who wish to engage with the security community” (from those entering the profession to the most senior leaders).
Lord Evans of Weardale KCB DL, the Institute’s recently appointed president, delivered the Welcome Address and reflected on how professionalism in security has evolved over the past 25 years, noting that “speaking truth to power is a key aspect of professionalism.”
Lord Evans underlined the enduring importance of education, ethics and collaboration across both the public and private sectors, warning that “we’re back in an age of overlapping threats – state, criminal and terrorist – and the traditional models of law enforcement are struggling to keep pace.”
National security landscape
Representatives from the National Protective Security Authority provided a 25-year retrospective on the evolution of the UK’s national security landscape, covering everything from Northern Ireland-related terrorism in 2000 to today’s hybrid and state-linked threats.
The morning sessions explored the shifting geopolitical and technological landscapes that continue to redefine global security. David Kilby OBE, executive vice-president of Strider Technologies, presented an incisive analysis on ‘Globalisation, Vulnerability and Security: China and Russia’s Impact on Western Institutions’. Kilby outlined how the ‘weaponisation’ of interdependence and cyber capability has transformed the international security environment. He contrasted Russia’s focus on regime endurance with China’s pursuit of technological supremacy, noting: “We’ve degraded our ability to protect our borders, institutions and economies.”
Kilby called for diversification of supply chains, funding transparency and stronger academic safeguards: “Economic security is national security.”
This presentation was followed by a lively panel discussion featuring Rachel Webb CSyP MA MSyI (director of The Security Institute) in the role of moderator. Those taking part included independent security consultant Andy Spencer, Raegan Moss MSc (Group security controller at Bowmer & Kirkland, Martin Schwarz (director at SSIR Partners) and David Kilby.
Andy Spencer stressed the need to translate security language for non-specialists to safeguard Intellectual Property, while Raegan Moss argued that security must be seen as an enabler, not a hindrance. Martin Schwarz highlighted convergence as the key to managing insider risk intelligently, not just compliantly, while the panel collectively called for stronger education pathways and governance in order to embed a proactive security culture.
David Sully, CEO of Advai and a former UK diplomat, kicked off the second session with his talk entitled ‘The Boiling Point: How Data, Automation and AI Gradually Rewired Global Security’. Tracing the digital revolution from 2000 to 2025, Sully warned of the emergence of “data black holes” and the erosion of human oversight in decision-making. “Artificial Intelligence has become both a tool and a target,” observed Sully. “Our challenge is to preserve truth, context and human judgement in an era of automation.”
Technology-focused issues
Sully’s talk led to the second panel discussion of the day. This was moderated by Matthew Seel CSyP CNSP FSyI (a director of The Security Institute). In addition to Sully, those taking part included James Bore MSc CSyP FSyI FBCS (managing director of Bores Group Ltd), Siân Doherty MSyI (managing director at Arc Monitoring) and Calum MacWilliam, a freelance cloud engineer and recipient of the Baroness Ruth Henig Scholarship.
In what was a spirited discussion, the group spoke about the issues arising from technology: from misinformation and disinformation to digital identities, AI, autonomous weaponry, supply chain fragility and social media. In particular, James Bore predicted: “AI hallucinations cannot be fixed. Model collapse is coming.” Siân Doherty reminded delegates that: “AI should be a tool, not a master.” The panel urged caution over digital ID reliance and underlined the continued need for human oversight, ethics and cross-sector standards.
Conference also showcased The Security Institute’s charitable partnership with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). Neil Prowse, IWF’s head of membership, detailed the organisation’s pioneering use of technology to combat child sexual abuse material online. The Image Intercept service (powered by Videntifier’s Nexus platform) has already scanned over two million images and videos since July this year, identifying thousands of harmful materials for removal.
Key legislative changes
In the afternoon, Ian Dyson CBE QPM DL (chair of the Chartered Security Professionals Registration Authority) spoke about the far-ranging impact of key legislative changes upon both the security world and wider society.
Dyson reflected on the evolution of policing since 2000, highlighting the shift from public space crime to online threats and the growing challenge of maintaining trust in institutions in what’s now a fragmented digital age.
This resulted in a lively third panel discussion of the day, with Institute director Chris Stevens CSyP MSc F.ISRM FSyI moderating a panel comprised of Baroness Ruth Henig Scholar Hannah George (executive assistant and administration manager at Agile Retail), Neil Prowse and Ruth Sharman MSyI (event security manager at the South Bank Centre for Carlisle Support Services). Hannah George called for outreach and education to bridge generational gaps, urging security professionals to engage with schools and communities. Ruth Sharman advocated for empathetic and customer-focused approaches at public events, while collectively the panel members stressed the need for balance between civil liberties and protective measures online.
The closing session, led by Dr Mike Blyth DBA (chief resilience officer at Sigma7), focused on ‘Education and CPD: Accelerating Professional Advancement and Supporting the Next Generation’. Drawing on extensive international experience, Blyth challenged attendees to consider whether security has truly reached its professional ceiling and urged practitioners to embrace interdisciplinary growth across resilience, risk and crisis management. “Blending practitioner and academic knowledge elevates not just credibility,” Blyth noted, “but also the impact of our collective voice.”
Promoting pracademia
The final panel discussion of the day followed. The moderator was Institute director Chris Middleton CSyP CNSP MSyI. Panellists included Michael Coppard of Surelock McGill, Dr Garry Evanson MSc CSyP FSyI (Chair Emeritus of The Security Institute and current lead tutor at the University of West London) and Paul Lawton-Jones (managing director of new Institute corporate partner and training provider Mercury Training Services).
This final session capped off the day in great style. Garry Evanson promoted the ‘pracademic’ model combining operational experience with academic rigour, while Paul Lawton-Jones highlighted the success of apprenticeship routes and new security standards. Michael Coppard emphasised workplace education as a route towards developing future leaders.
As conference drew to a close, delegates reflected on a day that celebrated both the legacy and the future of the profession. With more than two decades of progress on its CV, The Security Institute reaffirmed its position as the independent mark of professionalism within security representing integrity, knowledge and unity.
Milestone statistic
Julie Nel noted that The Security Institute has now surpassed the milestone figure of 5,000 active members, concluding: “Our community has never been stronger or more relevant. Together, we continue to protect what matters most: our people, our organisations and our shared future.”
Hayley Elvins rounded off the day’s theme with a thoughtful note: “The past teaches, the present challenges and the future is ours to shape.”
*Further information is available online at www.security-institute.org
Dorset House
64 High Street
East Grinstead, England, United Kingdom
RH19 3DE
UNITED KINGDOM
01342 33 3714