Baroness Ruth Henig, the former chair of the Security Industry Authority, has joined the board of the manned security and events protection company SecuriGroup.
SecuriGroup, based in Scotland, employs around 1000 permanent staff and can muster a further 1000 for events security. Events clients include T in the Park and around half of the Scottish Premier League football clubs.
Baroness Henig joins SecuriGroup after completing two successful terms as Chair of the Home Office Regulator, the Security Industry Authority (SIA). Baroness Henig’s commitment to security and policing is well documented having held the post of Chair of Lancashire Police Authority and the Chair of the Association of Police Authorities in England and Wales which led to the award of a CBE in 2000 for services to policing. The Baroness also served on the National Criminal Justice Board and Street Crime Action Group, chaired by the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair.
She was appointed as Deputy Lieutenant for Lancashire in 2002 and made a life peer in 2004 as Baroness Henig of Lancaster. As a sitting member of the House of Lords, Baroness Henig takes her place on the European Scrutiny Committee on Foreign Affairs and is a member of the Independent Policing Commission.
Managing director Russel Kerr told SecurityNewsDesk that the appointment of Baroness Henig was a good move for the company now. Due to rapid growth which has seen the company’s turnover double from £9m in 2009 to £18m in the most recent financial year, its geographical coverage has spread beyond Scotland.
“We are based in Glasgow but the bulk of our growth is in the Southeast,” he said. “The membership of our current board doesn’t really reflect that, so having Baroness Henig will help us in the Southeast.”
He also values the insight she has into the reform of the Security Industry Act 2001 and the new regulatory regime. Baroness Henig was instrumental in devising the new regulatory strategy and her in-depth knowledge will ensure that SecuriGroup is well placed to meet the requirements of the new regime, he said.
Baroness Henig said of her appointment: “I am delighted to join the SecuriGroup Board of Directors. The new regulatory framework will provide exciting opportunities for a company with such a strong reputation and I’m keen to play my part in delivering further success to the organisation.”
The Baroness joins a board with extensive security experience which is chaired by retired Strathclyde Police Deputy Chief Constable John LS Malcolm QPM. The SecuriGroup board also includes former Assistant Chief Constable and Head of Counter Terrorism for Scotland, Allan Burnett QPM and former Joint Regional Liaison Officer and civil contingencies expert, Col. John Kelly MBE.
SecuriGroup delivered the first police-free football match in the Scottish Premier League a year and a half ago and has secured 30 police-free fixtures since then.
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