Our Speakers

DR GAV SCHNEIDER

Dr Gav is an acknowledged leader in the field of human based risk management and the psychology of risk. He is a serial entrepreneur and has been running his own businesses since 2001. He has conducted business in over 17 countries and provided a wide range of services for a very diverse client base ranging from heads of state to school teachers. He is a leading academic and subject matter expert in his field and is a much-sought after International speaker. He has trained thousands of people in his own right and to date, his companies have trained in excess of 150,000 people in numerous countries. he holds numerous trainer, educational and coaching qualifications, has been a martial arts full contact champion, is a 7th degree black belt and has been an Instructor to Royalty Protection teams, Presidential Protection teams and Military and Police Special Units.

Summary

• Acknowledged subject matter expert on Integrated & Human Centric Risk Management, Safety, Emergency, Crisis Management and Security with Extensive senior level management and leadership experience.
• Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia as well as Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management & Leadership
• He holds a Doctor of Criminology (Security) Degree as well as a Master of Technology Degree (UNISA). CEO of the Risk2Solution Group which is a group of risk, security, safety, medical and emergency response companies that focus on innovative integration and consolidation solutions.
• Program Director for the Australian Catholic Universities (ACU) post graduate program on the Psychology of Risk.
• Author of Can I See your Hands: A Guide To Situational Awareness, Personal Risk Management, Resilience and Security as well as Beyond the Bodyguard a guide to protective practices success and numerous academic and advisory articles.
• Numerous high-level consulting and advisory projects as well as two decades of Specialised Security, Safety, and Risk Management experience in over 17 countries.
• Extensive involvement in International Risk Management and related industry associations (Msyl, FIS (SA), FISSM, ASIS CPP, FAIM, AARPI. MAIPIO).
• Has served as an Industry Expert Witness for the Legal Sector.

JULIAN CLAXTON

TSCM Specialist | Insider Threat Advisor | Behavioural Analyst

Julian has worked with all levels of government and corporations; sharing knowledge and experiences in a field he is wildly passionate about, putting his skills and experience to good use by supporting organisations, institutes, and associations with which he shares a common interest.

Julian’s background:

• Founder Member of the Technical Surveillance Countermeasures Institute in London (TSCMi)
• Board Member of the Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers (AIPIO)
• Director of two security-related consulting practices, and
• Member of the Espionage Research Institute in Washington D.C. USA

To support Julian’s two-plus decades of practical experience, Julian has a Master’s Degree (MSc.) in Communication, Behaviour and Credibility Analysis as well as the following additional qualifications:

• Graduate Diploma in Behavioural Analysis and Investigative Interviewing
• Graduate Diploma in The Linguistics of Interpersonal Communication
• Diploma in Security Risk Management
• Certificates in Technical Surveillance Countermeasures

JASON BROWN

National Security Director Thales and Chairman of the Board at Security Professionals Australasia

Qualified in psychology and security risk management, Jason has a number of areas of expertise, including Security Intelligence, Counter Terrorism, International Liaison, Leadership, Training and Strategy Development. He has served on a number of senior boards and committees in both the Public Sector and Private Institutions. Including;

• Chair of International Standards Technical Committee TC262 Risk management.
• Chair of the Steering Committee for the International Day of Recognition for Security Officers
• Member of the ISO Societal Security Standards Mirror Committee Australia to 2014
• Senior Regional Vice President ASIS International 2009-12, Member of ASIS International Standards and Guidelines Commission and Chair of Asia Pacific Advisory Committee 2010-12. 
• Deputy Registrar Security Professionals Registry – Australasia 2013 – 2015
• Board Member Australian Risk Policy Institute 2013 – 2015
• Chair of the Australasian Council of Security Professionals’ 2009-12
• Honorary Fellow, Policing, Intelligence, and Counter Terrorism Centre, Macquarie University 2005-2016.
• Chair of Defence Security Committee 1999 – 2002
• President of the Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers (AIPIO) – 1998-2000

Specialties: Jason has a number of publications in the areas of client service, intelligence management, and security. He is an internationally known speaker in the areas of intelligence, security, export control, scenario, and strategic planning. 

He is a member of ASIS International, ARPI, RMIA and a Fellow of the British Security Institute. He was awarded the Australian Security Medal in February 2011. In 2012 he was admitted as a Charted Security Professional in United Kingdom and a Registered Security Professional Australasia . In 2013 he was a finalist for the Defence Excellence in Security Award for Innovation and listed by IFSEC International in their role of Global Top 40 influential persons in Security and Fire Management.

DR DAVID RUBENS D.SyRM, CSyP, F.ISRM, FSyI

IFSEC No 1 Global security thought Leader 2019

David is a recognised authority on the strategic management of complex events, particularly within a multi-agency crisis management framework. David offers a combination of doctoral-level academic research and teaching, strong commercial, operational and project management experience and government-level and C-Suite consultancy across SE Asia, Middle East, Latin America, and East and West Africa.

David holds a doctorate in security and risk management from the University of Portsmouth, writing my thesis on alternative command & control frameworks for strategic management and critical decision-making in complex crisis environments. I am currently an Associate Lecturer at UoP, having previously been a Visiting Lecturer and Dissertation Supervisor on the Leicester University ‘Security, Policing and Terrorism’ MSc programme, and a Visiting Lecturer on the Strategic Leadership programme at Cranfield University, where I lectured on terrorism and public policy, and strategic management of complex operations.

Specialising in the management of hypercomplex systems associated with city management and critical national infrastructures. I am a member of the UK Critical Infrastructure Resilience Executive Steering Committee as a Subject Matter Expert for the strategic management of complex crisis management and was a founding member of the London Resilience Gold Command Crisis Management Project Academic Advisory Group.

Under Deltar Training Services Ltd, I have developed a range of UK-accredited strategic risk and crisis management training programmes, which I deliver at seminars across the world for senior decision-makers in government ministries and agencies, corporate organisations and global NGO’s.

SCOTT AINSLIE

Regional Director at FS-ISAC and Former President AIPIO and RD ISAC

Scott has served in a wide variety of intelligence and security roles in a career spanning thirty
years. He joined FS-ISAC as the Regional Director for AUNZ in 2016.

His role is to facilitate regional cyber intelligence sharing whilst supporting the FS-ISAC
international growth strategy. This includes engaging with existing and potential members to
assess their information security risks and mitigation measures.

Scott is a member of multiple security, risk, intelligence, and information security organisations
in Australia and overseas, providing an ideal platform for applying a risk-based approach to
cybersecurity management across industry and government.

A noted speaker, Scott has a degree in Criminology from Charles Sturt University and a Masters
in Cybersecurity, Strategy and Diplomacy from the University of New South Wales. He is also an
Honorary Research Fellow with the Faculty of Science and Technology at Federation University.

BRETT DOBBIE

Protective Security at NSW Government

Protective Security ▪ Security Risk Management ▪ Risk Leadership ▪ Counter Terrorism ▪ Exercise Management ▪ Crisis Management

Experienced counterterrorism practitioner with 19 years law enforcement experience specialising in integrating traditional risk management frameworks into security risk management for protective security assessments across NSW Government and non-government assets, Critical Infrastructure, Crowded Places, Mass Passenger Transport and NSW Events (Vivid, NYE, Australia Day and others). Co-author of ‘Safe Places Vehicle Management Guide’ (2012).   

Qualifications:

• Master of Arts Terrorism Safety and Security
• Graduate Certificate Psychology of Risk
• Diploma Government Security
• Diploma of Policing
• International and Nationally facilitated protective security courses

MATT KOOK

Director of Security – NDIS

COLIN PECATS

General Manager of Risk 2 Solution

Colin Pecats is an accomplished security risk management and intelligence specialist with a broad spectrum of industry exposure since 2002, having transitioned through private sector front line security operations and military policing, security risk and intelligence roles until 2012 when Colin became a security adviser to a top 15 ASX listed financial services group where he also filled the role of Executive Manager for Security and Risk. In 2015 he founded a specialist security intelligence consulting firm which delivered services across Australia and North Africa. Colin is currently running an R&D project focused on the integration of leading security risk assessment methodologies with a view to producing more holistic, meaningful, and actionable assessment outcomes through a modular framework which is fit-for-purpose across all levels of government and the private sector.

MR BRYAN DE CAIRES

CEO OF ASIAL

Bryan de Caires has over 25 years of senior management experience gained across a range of industry sectors. Among the roles he has held include senior editor with Euromoney Plc (a global finance and business publisher based in London), General Manager, AIC (a b2b media company later renamed Terrapinn) and National Manager of Professional Development, Australian Human Resources Institute.

He joined ASIAL in 2000 and was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2006. He has helped guide the Association through a period of significant change, including its registration as an employer organisation and establishment of the Association it as the peak body for security professionals.

Established in 1969, the Australian Security Industry Association Limited (ASIAL) is the peak national body for security professionals in Australia. With approximately 2,600 members, ASIAL is dedicated to supporting its members, promoting standards and safeguarding the interests of the public.

Bryan served as a Director of NSW Crime Stoppers from 2001-2014.

ELLY JOHNSON

International Speaker | Communication Specialist | The Art of TRUTH | Home of Perceptive Interviewing® Masterclass ⭕️

Bringing experience and insight gained over decades, from cop to consultant to our highest national security agencies, Elly is a communication specialist uniquely versed in the subtle art of navigating truth (and deception) in human behaviour.

TRUTH has a profound impact on self, relationships and culture, from the boardroom to the bedroom and every room in between. An accomplished keynote speaker, coach and facilitator, Elly explores and unpacks the complexities of choosing, seeking and uncovering truth. Through her Truth-Deception spectrum® and 5 Truth Circles® framework, Elly empowers and equips people with tools to influence towards courageous truth when it matters most.

Understanding how truth and deception are woven into the fabric of our daily lives allows us to make better choices, resulting in more trusting and robust relationships, more harmonious and productive workplaces, and heightened personal and professional success.

The topics of courageous truth, nurturing trust and detecting deception in human behaviour are relevant and adaptable as an engaging topic for conferences, professional development days and team strengthening events.

Elly’s warm and natural style of storytelling and sharing knowledge leaves people with an expanded awareness of truth through the lens of the Truth Circles.

Helen Daniels

Chief Operating Officer, Enabling Services Group

Helen Daniels is the Chief Operating Officer, Enabling Services Group, of the Attorney-General’s Department. The Enabling Service Group covers all corporate services for the department including strategy and governance, finance and budget, human resources, business operations and IT.

Helen has extensive experience at the Band 1 level across policy, legal and corporate areas in the department, including as Assistant Secretary of Human Resources, Special Adviser in the Office of Constitutional Law, and Assistant Secretary, International Human Rights in the Office of International Law. Helen has legal policy experience in leading copyright, privacy, FOI, classification and bankruptcy reforms.

Helen was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2007 for her work on negotiating and implementing the copyright reforms related to the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement.

Richard Boyce

Security Services Manager – Canterbury District Health Board

An enthusiastic, confident and dedicated risk, safety and security specialist. With expertise in the environment of high level personal and facility safety, emergency management and security / risk governance.

Being a skilled manager with a proven background within government departments. I’m keenly focussed on using my practical and analytical skill set to guide organisation advancement. Being involved in all levels of security risk analysis and emergency recovery, I have had many years of honing my management and leadership skills in these operational area, successfully using my experience to guide the business continuity planning, health, safety and security landscape.

Adept at working in high pressure environments, my strengths lie in; leadership, project management, policy writing and business continuity planning. As a capable problem solver I have a keen eye for detail and really enjoy contributing to a team framework, driving; initiative, determination and focus.

With a proven ability to achieve both operational and academic success, my experiences have together polarised abilities to achieve results. My research studies have incorporated a wide aspect of risk and emergency management, security and health and safety themes, which has assisted in guiding my advice to others.

John Yates

QPM, Director of Security at Scentre Group, former Head of Counter Terrorism in the UK

John was appointed Head of Security of Scentre Group in June 2014. Prior to the establishment of the Scentre Group John was Head of Security of Westfield Australia since November 2013, following his retirement from the Metropolitan Police (Scotland Yard) in November 2011 after a 30 year career. John’s last role was as the UK’s most senior counter terrorism officer and as the senior advisor to the Prime Minister and Home Secretary on all law enforcement related security matters. John also led the UK’s response to the South East Asian Tsunami for which he was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal. In between leaving policing and joining Westfield Group, John spent time in the Middle East advising the government of Bahrain on police reform before joining G3, the Good Governance Group, a leading international strategic advisory firm, as their Group Executive Director.

John Brennan

Chief Risk Officer, Victorian Managed Insurance Authority

John is an experienced executive leader and performance coach.  As a human resources specialist for 25 years, his professional trajectory saw him practice in industrial relations, before crossing into the field of organisational dynamics in the early 2000’s, where he completed his Master’s thesis on the topic of complex culture change and leadership transition.  Since then, John has been obsessed with how organisations work, how organisational culture develops and the impact that leaders have on the systems they lead.   He specialises in coaching leaders and teams to thrive and is a coach and advisor to executives across Australia, North America, Europe and Africa. 

In 2015, John joined the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA) to lead a program of organisational culture renewal and leadership development, which has returned stunning results.  The VMIA is the insurer and risk adviser to the State of Victoria.  Working in this industry offered John breakthrough insights into the potential and power of dynamic risk management in shaping culture and organisational performance.  Consequently, in 2018 he accepted the role of Chief Risk Officer, overseeing VMIA’s financial and non-financial risks and operating as risk culture coach.

As well as holding a master’s degree in Business, John is a qualified workplace investigator and mediator and accredited practitioner in several leadership and culture diagnostic instruments.  He is passionate about workplace mental health and writes regularly on the topics of leadership, culture, risk and positive mental health, publishing on LinkedIn and his own website, Leading Culture.