Alun Evans CMG
Alun Evans worked for seven years as International Risk Adviser to British Airways, focusing primarily on the threat to the company from international terrorism, war and political violence. He is now performing a similar role as a Consultant for SSI Group and is able to produce threat assessments for all parts of the world.
Alun spent over thirty years in the Diplomatic Service. He served in Burma (Myanmar), Singapore, Switzerland, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and South Africa. He also covered much of the rest of the world from London. His responsibilities included, at different times, Counter-Terrorism, Human Resources, Training, Political Analysis, and Information Management. Alun is also a Director of the J P Morgan Fleming Asian Investment Trust and Vice-Chairman of the British-Iranian Chamber of Commerce.
Alun belongs to the American Society for Industrial Security and from 1995 to 2002 was a member of the Standing Council on Global Terrorism, Political Stability and International Crime. Alun has a degree in Modern History from Oxford University. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1994.
Norman Shanks FsyI
Norman is a Fellow of the Security Institute and is recognised as one of the world’s foremost experts in aviation security with over thirty years’ operational and management experience in civil aviation.
He was the Airport Security Manager for Heathrow Airport from 1986 - 1991, and Head of Group Security for BAA Plc from 1991 -1996 where he continued to head the BAA Research and Development into technologies for enhancing aviation security, during which he also pioneered the smart automated 100% integrated checked baggage screening concept which became the international standard for in line screening.
He was head of the Security department for the new Hong Kong International Airport 1996 – 1997, then as a consultant, setting up the airport security systems ready for airport opening in 1998
He has been a leading industry representative on a number of International and Government Aviation Security Committees, Past Chairman of the Airports Council International Security Committee and as a World Business Partner remains active on ACI World and Europe security committees and co-author on a professional engineering press publication on key airport security processes and procedures entitled ‘Handbook of Checked Baggage Screening – Advanced Airport Security Operation’.
Richard Garner
Richard is a former Senior Security Adviser at British Airways and General Manager airline ground operations British Caledonian Airways. In addition Richard was IATA Technical Director for South America and the Caribbean.
Prior to his appointed as Senior Security Advisor, Richard held senior management positions with British Airways at base and in overseas areas, and his previous responsibilities included directing and auditing complex air transport operations.
Richard is a graduate of the Institute of Transport, he holds a Diploma in Security Management from the University of Leicester, and he is a Member of the Institute of Transport, the Royal Aeronautical Society, and the American Society for Industrial Security. Amongst his published works is a paper for Eurocontrol on the analysis of security threats to aviation in terms of the development of a witness data link to support the Alerting Services in safety and security emergencies
Mel Littler
Mel has over 27 years of direct involvement with aviation security. During 25 years working for Manchester Airport, he held several management positions, Chief Security Officer and Corporate Security Advisor, with the responsibility for strategic, operational, technical, training and policy issues and for ensuring compliance with national and international regulations and standards. He was also responsible for liaison with Government agencies, both within the United Kingdom and overseas, along with industry organisations.
Mel has been a member of several committees, including the UK National Aviation Security Committee, (including the Steering Group), ECAC Security Working Group, ECAC Technical Task Force and the ICAO Avsec Panel, along with being a member of several ICAO Working Groups. He is a member of both the ACI Europe Security Committee and the ACI World Security Standing Committee, both of which he has led as Chairman. Mel was Chairman of the ACI World Security Committee on 11the September 2001 and represented the World’s airports in the development of the revisions to ICAO Annex 17, ECAC Doc. 30 and the European Union Regulation on aviation security that came into force in 2002. Mel provides a comprehensive range of consultancy and advisory services covering all aspects of aviation security.
John Lewis
John has extensive experience in the airline and ground handling industries, with some 16 years specifically involved in the specialised field of aviation security and safety management.
During his career, he has been a past Chairman of the Heathrow Airport AOC Security Committee and an influential member of several high level security fora, such as the UK National Aviation Security Committee (representing the interests of non-UK airlines) and the IATA Security Committee.
In his former role as the Head of Security of a major Middle Eastern airline, he successfully reorganised its security programme, instituting many radical changes as part of a sophisticated international quality audit programme.
As well as an in-depth understanding of the nature of the current threats to the industry, John has considerable experience in dealing with immigration and inadmissible passenger issues.
John holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management and is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Logistics and Transport.
Captain James A. Passmore
BSc FRAeS CMILT
Jim is a recognised world authority on aviation safety. He is the former Head of Safety BA reporting to the Chief Executive on air and ground safety. Since retiring from British Airways in 2000, Jim has consulted widely on aviation safety. He is Special Adviser to Qantas and Luxair and to Connex South-East Rail Safety Committee.
During his 26 year career at British Airways Jim held a number of key positions including General Manager Flight Operations (3500 pilots, 450 flight engineers, budget £300m). Chief Pilot 737 fleet (36 aircraft). General Manager Shuttle Division responsible for commercial and operational performance of Manchester, Belfast, Glasgow, and Edinburgh routes, Head of Flight Technical & Training (18 simulators and 450 ground staff).
Jims accomplishments include: technical pilot on Trident working on flight data recording and automatic landing; co-pilot on world’s first automatic landing with passengers; flight technical assessment of Tristar and DC10 for British Airways; secondment to BA Helicopters following adverse CAA audit (satisfactory second audit after nine months); development and implementation of operational audit programme for British Airways subsidiary and franchise partner airlines; and audit and operational management re-organisation for City Flyer Express.
Jim is Chairman of IATA Jet Safety Report Committee and is a Member of National Air Traffic Services UK Safety Committee.
Richard Manning
After exemplary service with the Royal Navy, Richard spent over 20 years with British Airways security division his last position being that of Security Performance Executive with responsibility for auditing and measurement of operational security performance and compliance worldwide.
The role involved providing management with assessments of security in the following areas: Aircraft; Passengers and Baggage; Immigration Checks; Transfer and Transit Arrangements; Cargo and Mail; Catering:; Crew Hotel; Crew Transportation; BA Sales Shop and Offices; Assessment of Airport Security, (including control of access into sensitive areas and airport vetting procedures, etc.) .
Since 2002 Richard has consulted on aviation security and his assignments have included; Auditing British Airways security operations at 20 overseas airports, and assisting Regional Air (a BA franchised airline) with its security operation, (a) operational security auditing of the entire Regional Air route stations, (b) training of the appointed Regional Air Chief Security Officer in such auditing and (c) preparation of Host Government/DfT compliant Aviation Security Programme for Regional Air.
Derek Rawle
Derek joined British Airway’s as Senior Security Advisor (Technical) in 1994 and was responsible for the specification of all security systems worldwide. During this time he managed major security projects including security systems for BA’s new corporate headquarters, new cargo centre and the BA London Eye. As part of a major loss reduction programme, Derek specified and developed an advanced digital CCTV system for the existing cargo sheds at Heathrow which at the time, was the largest digital system in the UK. Similar systems have since been installed in various overseas locations together with the facility to remotely monitor the CCTV images from Heathrow. The introduction of these systems resulted in a significant reduction in the losses of cargo.
Derek holds an honours degree in electronic engineering and spent much of his early career with Westinghouse USA working within the nuclear power industry. In 1986 Derek was appointed Lead Instrument Engineer responsible for Control and Communication studies for the Channel Tunnel. This involved leading a group of seven engineers of various disciplines to study the requirements of the Tunnel complex for Radio, Data Transmission, and Road/Rail Traffic management. In 1990 he was appointed was Security Technical Equipment Projects Manager, Eurotunnel, where he was responsible for the specification, tender evaluation and project management of security systems valued at >$6m that included a comprehensive intruder detection system, CCTV surveillance and an integrated access control system. Derek now consults widely on aviation and key installation security and advises on the introduction to security technologies.
Hugh Somerville
Hugh Somerville has a degree in Chemistry (Edinburgh) and a Ph.D in Microbiology (Sheffield). He carried out research and teaching at the University of California in Los Angeles and Berkeley before joining Shell, where he led research groups on biotechnology and environmental microbiology. In the oil industry he held management posts in Houston, The Hague and in Aberdeen as Head of Environmental Affairs for Shell Exploration and Production. His time in Aberdeen included dealing with the aftermath of the Piper Alpha disaster. He joined British Airways in 1989 where, as Head of the Sustainable Business Unit, he led a small team which gained a number of awards for its environmental, community and conservation programmes. He has served as chair of the environmental groups of both IATA (International Air Transport Association) and AEA (Association of European Airlines). He retired from British Airways in October, 2002 but continues to work in a range of travel and sustainability activities. These include serving as a trustee of the Travel Foundation, on the UK Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team, on the Camelot corporate responsibility panel, on the executive of ‘Greener by Design’ and consultancy for organisations such as Eurocontrol, ICAO and the Qatar Tourist Authority. Before leaving British Airways, he led BA into the UK emissions trading scheme and has since co-authored a report for ICAO on that subject. He is a visiting Professor in the School of Management at the University of Surrey.
John Balfour
John Balfour is an English solicitor and senior partner of Beaumont and Son, the world’s leading specialised aviation law firm. He has been working in air law for over 20 years and has experience in all main areas, including accidents, claims and liabilities, regulatory issues, EC law aspects and commercial matters. His work has brought him into contact with aviation security issues on a number of occasions and, among other things, he has drafted aviation security regulations for a national civil aviation authority. He is a Fellow of and Honorary Solicitor to the Royal Aeronautical Society, holds positions in several other air law organisations, has written a book on European Community air law, and has written many articles and spoken at over 100 conferences on air law matters.
Owen Highley
Owen is an English solicitor and a consultant with Beaumont and Son. He was formerly a member of the British Airways Legal Department where he had specific responsibilities relating to aviation security law and worked closely for many years with the Head of BA Security on a wide range of practical security issues. He also contributed to the work of the IATA Legal Group in the development of a global industry response to the increase of ‘air rage’. He has assisted with the drafting of aviation security regulations for a national civil aviation authority and advised specific airlines on their rights and obligations in relation to the Government under the National Aviation Security Programme. He was joint author (with John Balfour) on an article about air rage in the Journal of Air and Space Law and has spoken at IATA conferences on aviation security.
Anthony Hunter-Choat
OBE FIMgt, Strategic Consultant
Director of Security for the Programmes and Management Office (PMO), Baghdad, Iraq, responsible for all aspects of security for the $18.4 billion reconstruction of Iraq programme. Established and staffed the Directorate of Security for PMO, and designed, contracted and initiated the overall security programme for the reconstruction of Iraq. Director of Security for His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan (The Aga Khan); established and staffed the Aga Khan’s first Directorate of Security, and was thereafter responsible for the security of all aspects of his person, his family, his staffs and his personal, public, and religious affairs world-wide. A strategic consultant with experience in Kosovo in peace keeping and working with Non-Government Organisations. Former Brigadier commanding the Sultan of Oman’s Special Force, based on the UK Special Air Service (SAS). Extensive overseas experience with employment at NATO HQ, Algeria with the French Foreign Legion and in Malaysia, Brunei, Borneo, Germany and Hong Kong with the British Army. He speaks French fluently, German and Arabic.