Security and Resilience Industry Suppliers Community Appoints New Chair
Dame Julie Kenny is to be appointed as the next Chair of the UK’s Security and Resilience Industry Suppliers Community (RISC), succeeding Sir Kevin Tebbit from 1st January 2022.
The appointment was made jointly by the three founding trade associations of RISC: ADS, British Security Industry Association (BSIA) and TechUK and will run for two years.
Dame Julie Kenny is the former Chair and CEO of Pyronix Limited and has been involved in a range of public bodies for over 25 years, including Chair of the Small Business Council and Chair of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills. Dame Julie also previously served as the Chair of the BSIA between 2010 and 2012.
Sir Kevin Tebbit KCB CMG served as the Chair of RISC between 2018 and 2021. He is currently the Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs at Smiths Group Plc and formerly served as the Director of GCHQ and the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence.
Security Minister Damian Hinds MP, said:
“I would like to offer my personal thanks to Sir Kevin for his contribution and leadership, ensuring that RISC is recognised across government as a true partner in delivering on national security challenges. I welcome Dame Julie Kenny to her new role and I look forward to working together in partnership to deliver significant outcomes for both industry and government.”
Current Chair of RISC, Sir Kevin Tebbit, said:
“It has been a great privilege to serve as Chair of RISC for the last four years and to work with a wide range of partners across industry, academia and Government in support of national security and prosperity.
“Over this time, we have deepened RISC’s relationship with the Government through the enhanced Security and Resilience Growth Partnership and have achieved the embedding into joint working of our key priorities: for better procurement; national security innovation; security export growth; and a focus on sector skills - as was confirmed in the Government’s Defence and Security Industrial Strategy released earlier this year.
“In passing the baton to Dame Julie, I know that RISC will be in good hands. I wish her and her new team all the very best as they continue to strengthen the UK industry’s contribution to national security, resilience and prosperity.”
Chair elect of RISC, Dame Julie Kenny, said:
“It is an honour for me to accept the role as Chair of RISC and I would like to thank Sir Kevin for his significant contribution in progressing its important work.
“I believe my knowledge and experience of how central government works, together with the strategic leadership experience I have gained in ensuring the progression of the organisations I have been involved with during my career will enable me to continue the vital work of this alliance.”
ADS CEO, Kevin Craven said:
“I would like to offer my personal thanks to Sir Kevin for his excellent Chairmanship of RISC over the last four years. The security industry owes much to his leadership and dedication and his deep knowledge of government.
“Dame Julie is perfectly placed to support the industry as it looks to provide innovative solutions to national security challenges and to maximise the sector’s growth potential.
“I look forward to working closely with her in the years ahead."
British Security Industry Association CEO, Mike Reddington, said:
“On behalf of BSIA and its members I want to offer my sincere thanks to Sir Kevin for chairing RISC so expertly over the last four years. He has been a significant driving force and promoter of our sector, and we are all grateful for his contribution.
“As a former chair of the BSIA and a successful security industry businesswoman, I believe RISC is in excellent hands under Dame Julie’s leadership. We are delighted to welcome her to the role and support our joint agenda for national security and prosperity.”
TechUK CEO, Julian David, said:
“I am very grateful to Sir Kevin for his service as Chair of RISC since 2018. He has placed the security and technology sector at the heart of the Government’s agenda and steered the community through a challenging period.
“At TechUK we are delighted to welcome Dame Julie as the next Chair of RISC. With her extensive background in industry and in working in partnership with Government, she will be ideally placed to advance our collective agenda.”
Additionally, following the tenure of Michael Clayforth-Carr as Vice Chair of RISC from 2018 to 2021, Tim Crofts is to be appointed as the next Vice Chair of RISC, effective from 1st January 2022, having been elected by the members of the RISC Council. Tim Crofts’s term will run from the start of 2022 to the end of 2023.
Michael Clayforth-Carr currently serves as Vice President for Security at ADS and is a Non-Executive Director of the Royal Mint; he also has had an extensive career at Leonardo. Tim Crofts is the Vice President for Business Development and Strategy UK at Leidos and worked for over 20 years at IBM, before joining Lockheed Martin and then Leidos in 2016.