Posts Tagged ‘critical national infrastructure’

CNi debut a resounding success

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Staged at London ExCeL on 2nd and 3rd June, CNi Expo demonstrated emphatically that this is the new approach to discussing security and resilience issues that the public and private sector has been waiting for.

The event was buzzing from 0800 on Day 1 when former Home Secretary Dr John Reid, Chairman of the Institute for Security and Resilience Studies, chaired a panel discussion involving Gerald Howarth MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary Defence, and Lord Harris of Haringey, Member of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Policing, the Home Secretary’s Representative on the Metropolitan Police Authority.

The debate in front of a full house on what security and resilience can learn from defence and vice versa was lively and few punches were pulled. Panellists and delegates exchanged views, creating precisely the climate of interactivity that organisers Clarion Events were seeking when they planned this ground breaking event.

Another thought provoking session that triggered robust debate was whether the real risk, resilience and security priorities for the UK are being overshadowed by concerns about terrorism and climate change. Presenting their views and fielding were Charles Farr Director-General Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT); Dr Paul Cornish, Head, International Security Programme, Chatham House and Carrington Professor of International Security; and Angela Robinson, Chairman of the Business Continuity Institute.

The all-important human element was examined in a rigorous session entitled, ‘Your Human Resource: Protecting What You Value’. The panelists were Yinka Balogun, Head of Personnel Security Management, Detica and Chris Hurran, Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNi), while Siân Harrington, Editor, Human Resource Magazine, moderated.

Tim Porter, Managing Director, Clarion Defence & Security, said, ‘Creating a highly interactive event like this was something of an experiment. However, we are delighted with the response and have an excellent base on which to build for next year’.

ENDS

For more information please contact: Nick Johnstone or Georgia Langdon
CMS Strategic Tel: +44 (0)20 8748 9797
Email: nick.johnstone@cmsstrategic.com

Clarion Events Limited is the largest independent and one of the top three events organising companies in the country, running exhibitions, conferences and seated events across Britain, Europe, the Americas, Middle East and Asia. Clarion’s business-to-business and business-to-consumer events serve 15 different market sectors including defence & security, leisure, entertainment, finance, retail, gaming, fine art and energy. Clarion currently employs a staff of 200+ people in four offices: London (Earls Court); Birmingham (NEC); St Charles (MI), USA and Maarsen (The Netherlands). The company has grown profits by more than 300% since undertaking an MBO in 2004. In that time Clarion has completed eight acquisitions, launched fifteen events and entered into three joint venture partnerships. In 2006 Clarion entered the Sunday Times Buyout Track 100 in 44th position, rising to 32nd in the 2007 list.

How vulnerable is the financial sector?

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

The dependence of the financial sector for its resilience on other industries such as communications and energy is one of the crucially important topics to be examined at CNi Expo, a new symposium aimed at security and resilience specialists that takes place at London ExCeL on 2nd and 3rd June 2010.

The CNi Expo agenda draws on the experience of Dr John Reid, former Home Secretary and Steve Cummings, Special Adviser to Deloitte’s Security, Privacy & Resilience Group and former Director of the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, together with feedback from senior risk managers in the financial sector.  Other subjects under the spotlight include the cyber threat and how to mitigate it; the insider threat and the impact of security measures on their behaviour; and planning for resilience in the face of planned and unplanned events. The role of government in delivering security and resilience will also be examined with delegates being able to explore and challenge policies which have a direct impact on business.

Speakers will include Jim King, Interim Director, Group Security and Fraud, Lloyds Banking Group; Rick McConnell, Head of Security, Euroclear; John Smith Director of Resilience, Prudential: and Richard Bridgford, UK Corporate Business Continuity Manager, Santander.
Recognising the importance of industry professionals’ voices being heard, CNi Expo will consist of a series of interactive seminars in which robust debate involving speakers and delegates will be encouraged.

As Steve Cummings warns, “the financial sector probably faces a broader array of threats than any other. As part of the critical national infrastructure it is a potential target for disruptive attacks. It holds vast amounts of valuable personal data and is a focus for criminal activity. The insider threat can cause huge damage. The sector has extended dependencies on other service providers especially in the communications sector. And it faces the same potential crises of fire, flood and flu as the rest of us. It is this complex mix of risks that makes effective resilience management so important in the financial sector” he said.

To secure a ticket or register for a stand visit www.cniexpo.com

ENDS

For more information please contact: Nick Johnstone or Georgia Langdon
CMS Strategic Tel: +44 (0)20 8748 9797
Email: nick.johnstone@cmsstrategic.com
Clarion Events Limited is the largest independent and one of the top three events organising companies in the country, running exhibitions, conferences and seated events across Britain, Europe, the Americas, Middle East and Asia. Clarion’s business-to-business and business-to-consumer events serve 15 different market sectors including defence & security, leisure, entertainment, finance, retail, gaming, fine art and energy. Clarion currently employs a staff of 200+ people in four offices: London (Earls Court); Birmingham (NEC); St Charles (MI), USA and Maarsen (The Netherlands). The company has grown profits by more than 300% since undertaking an MBO in 2004. In that time Clarion has completed eight acquisitions, launched fifteen events and entered into three joint venture partnerships. In 2006 Clarion entered the Sunday Times Buyout Track 100 in 44th position, rising to 32nd in the 2007 list.

Security and resilience – are governments doing enough?

Monday, April 12th, 2010

As natural and man-made disasters continue to dominate the headlines, the question whether countries should be doing more to ensure security and resilience will come under the spotlight in a debate led by former Home Secretary, Dr John Reid and Dr Tara O’Toole, Under Secretary of State, Science & Technology of the USA Department of Homeland Security. The debate will take place on the first morning of CNi Expo, a symposium for security and resilience specialists that takes place at London ExCeL on 2nd and 3rd June 2010.

In a related session, the role of government in ensuring continuity for UK plc will be examined by Professor Jim Norton, an external board member of the UK Parliament’s Office of Science and Technology. Perspectives on preventing and recovering from disaster will be given by Hilary Aldridge, Head of Incident Management at the Environment Agency and Tony Moore, Joint Chair, Institute of Civil Protection & Emergency Management.

Dr Reid said, ‘Obviously government budgets will be under enormous pressure for some years to come. This makes it all the more important for everyone to have a clear and realistic understanding of the dangers we face. The nature and severity of threats is constantly changing and it is not possible to compile a league table. The deployment of resource to counter these threats is an ongoing challenge’. 

To register for the event visit www.cniexpo.com
ENDS

For more information please contact: Nick Johnstone or Georgia Langdon CMS Strategic Tel: +44 (0)20 8748 9797
Email: nick.johnstone@cmsstrategic.com

Clarion Events Limited is the largest independent and one of the top three events organising companies in the country, running exhibitions, conferences and seated events across Britain, Europe, the Americas, Middle East and Asia. Clarion’s business-to-business and business-to-consumer events serve 15 different market sectors including defence & security, leisure, entertainment, finance, retail, gaming, fine art and energy. Clarion currently employs a staff of 200+ people in four offices: London (Earls Court); Birmingham (NEC); St Charles (MI), USA and Maarsen (The Netherlands). The company has grown profits by more than 300% since undertaking an MBO in 2004. In that time Clarion has completed eight acquisitions, launched fifteen events and entered into three joint venture partnerships. In 2006 Clarion entered the Sunday Times Buyout Track 100 in 44th position, rising to 32nd in the 2007 list.

WHAT ARE THE REAL THREATS TO THE UK?

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Which threats to our society and commercial life are real and which ones are over-hyped or just plain imagined? 

Provocative and probing questions concerning risk, resilience and security will be discussed by experts in a series of interactive seminars at CNi Expo, a symposium aimed at security and resilience specialists that takes place at London ExCeL on 2nd and 3rd June 2010.

Drawing on the experience of Dr John Reid, former Home Secretary, the organisers of CNi Expo have developed an agenda and format that will provide candid insights into how government, industry and academia perceive the league table of threats. Delegates will also be encouraged to question the speakers and contribute their own views during the course of the discussion. 

The issues under review will include whether the greatest risks come from man-made or natural disasters, questioning whether tools such as generic business continuity plans are of any value. The use of technology in mitigating risk will also be examined, addressing the issues of whether innovation is most needed to counter terrorism, minimise the effects of severe weather or guard against the insider threat.

The symposium will also consider whether enough is being done to protect the energy supply chain. The challenges in understanding issues of interdependency are immense and a clear methodology for tackling them is essential. Delegates to CNi Expo will have the opportunity to learn about solutions that are being applied in other sectors and examine the potential for collaborative action. 
Visit www.cniexpo.com
ENDS

For more information please contact: Nick Johnstone or Georgia Langdon
CMS Strategic  Tel: +44 (0)20 8748 9797
Email: nick.johnstone@cmsstrategic.com

Clarion Events Limited is the largest independent and one of the top three events organising companies in the country, running exhibitions, conferences and seated events across Britain, Europe, the Americas, Middle East and Asia. Clarion’s business-to-business and business-to-consumer events serve 15 different market sectors including defence & security, leisure, entertainment, finance, retail, gaming, fine art and energy. Clarion currently employs a staff of 200+ people in four offices: London (Earls Court); Birmingham (NEC); St Charles (MI), USA and Maarsen (The Netherlands). The company has grown profits by more than 300% since undertaking an MBO in 2004. In that time Clarion has completed eight acquisitions, launched fifteen events and entered into three joint venture partnerships. In 2006 Clarion entered the Sunday Times Buyout Track 100 in 44th position, rising to 32nd in the 2007 list.

NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS CRITICAL FOR BOARDROOMS TOO

Monday, January 18th, 2010

Critical National Infrastructure Expo (CNi Expo), an innovative event that throws a new and significant light on the implications of threats to the national infrastructure, has been launched by Clarion Events, the organisers of Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEi).

The spectrum of threats facing the nation’s infrastructure are widely known and debated. Vitally important though these are to our general welfare, for industry and commerce there is another highly important dimension – the vulnerability of their corporate reputation and their brand to the effects of man-made or natural disasters.
 
The impact of the recent severe weather on cross Channel rail links is a classic example of how problems can escalate. However the transport industry is not alone. For the providers of other key services such as telecommunications, energy supplies and medical care an inadequate response can result in severe and long-lasting damage to their reputation. Equally at risk are those responsible for maintaining supplies of everything from food to financial services.

The aim of CNi Expo is to enhance the working partnership between public and private sector, while ensuring both have all the tools necessary to mitigate risk and maximise capability to cope with threats to critical infrastructure. The event will feature a programme of panels and seminars devised to meet the concerns of security professionals from leading FTSE 500 companies, together with Government departments and agencies.

CNi Expo will also feature exhibition stands taken by companies offering products and services relating to resilience.

Show Director Madeleine Marston said, “CNi Expo will be very different from the traditional conference where delegates sit and listen to a series of presentations. Interactivity and robust debate will be central to our event, for our prime aim is to bring the key communities closer together.”

www.cniexpo.com
ENDS

For further information please contact
Nick Johnstone - CMS Strategic
+44 (0)20 8748 9797
nick.johnstone@cmsstrategic.com

About the organiser:
Clarion Events is one of the largest independent and one of the top three event organising companies in the United Kingdom. Currently Clarion Events employs a talented staff of 280+ people in eleven offices: London (Earls Court Exhibition Centre and Hatton Garden); Cheltenham; Birmingham (NEC); The Netherlands (Maarsen); South Africa (Cape Town); USA (Connecticut and Reno); Brazil (Sao Paulo); Dubai; Singapore.

Clarion acquires Counter Terror Expo

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

Clarion Events has announced the acquisition of Counter Terror Expo conference and exhibition from Niche Events.

Covering the issues, products and services relating to counter terrorism, Counter Terror Expo’s 2009 launch event attracted over 4000 visitors from government, military, law enforcement, intelligence and the private sector. The success of the venture was recognised at this year’s Association of Exhibition Organisers Excellence awards on June 19th where Counter Terror Expo earned the accolade of Best Trade Launch Show.

Counter Terror Expo joins Clarion’s stable of defence and security events, which has been developed by acquisition and new launches over the past 15 months. Clarion’s portfolio includes: Defence Systems & Equipment (DSEi), the leading defence and security exhibition for land, sea and air; ITEC, Europe’s premier event for military training and education; LAAD - Latin America Aero & Defense exhibition and conference; and Undersea Defence Technology in Europe and Asia. Clarion also recently announced the launch of CNi Expo, which is focused on the security and resilience of the nation’s critical infrastructure.

Commenting on this latest acquisition, Gordon Payne, Managing Director of Clarion Defence and Security said: “Nations today face increasingly diverse risks and threats to their security.  The gap between long-established defence needs and emerging national security interests is closing, with greater crossover of technologies, systems and practises.  Our defence and security portfolio enables us to meet the needs of these fast changing markets and the acquisition of Counter Terror Expo further strengthens our market leading position.”

Peter Jones MD of Niche Events, who launched Counter Terror Expo, will continue to run the event.  He said, “Clarion has recognised the important contribution Counter Terror Expo 2009 made in the defence and security marketplace and I’m delighted to work with them to take the event to the next level. In harnessing the unique skills of both Clarion and Niche Events, I am confident that Counter Terror Expo 2010 will be both bigger and better and consolidate its position as the principal event in this sector.”

ENDS

For further information please contact: Nick Johnstone or Carol Seath at CMS Strategic on 020 8748 9797 or email carol.seath@cmsstrategic.com

Notes to editors
Clarion Events Limited is the largest independent and one of the top three events organising companies in the country, running exhibitions, conferences and seated events across Britain, Europe, the Americas, Middle East and Asia. Clarion’s business-to-business and business-to-consumer events serve 15 different market sectors including defence & security, leisure, entertainment, finance, retail, gaming, fine art and energy. Clarion currently employs a staff of 200+ people in four offices: London (Earls Court); Birmingham (NEC); St Charles (MI), USA and Maarsen (The Netherlands).

CNi Expo 2010 – an important new forum for security and resilience in the public and private sectors

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

 Clarion Defence & Security, organisers of DSEi, has further expanded its events portfolio with the launch of CNi Expo. The event, which will take place at ExCeL, London, on 1st and 2nd June 2010, will provide an important new platform for the procurement and supply of the technologies, products and services essential to keeping critical national infrastructure fully operational.

 

 

CNi Expo will bring together the disparate community of public and private sector security professionals responsible for the protection of high value assets and the continued delivery of everyday services.

 

Explaining the rationale for the new event, Event Director, Madeleine Marston, said, “80 per cent of the nation’s critical national infrastructure is in the private sector, but the majority is regulated by government agencies. CNi Expo is a significant new forum that will bridge the gap between the owners and operators of CNI assets, suppliers of products and services and regulators and policy makers”.

 

To establish this groundbreaking new event Clarion will be working with the Institute for Security & Resilience Studies to host government and security industry breakfast briefings, London September 2009. These will be chaired by the former Home Secretary, Rt Hon Dr John Reid MP, and feature some of the UK’s leading authorities and policy makers who will address current security issues and the role industry can play in protecting the nations infrastructure both today and in future years.

 

CNi Expo 2010 is supported by the Association of Police and Public Security Suppliers, Intellect, the Defence Manufacturers Association, Jane’s Media group and UK Trade & Investment Defence and Security Organisation.

 

ends

 

For more information please contact: Carol Seath or Victoria Bailey CMS Strategic  Tel: +44 (0)20 8748 9797

Email: carol.seath@cmsstrategic.com

 

Clarion Events Limited is the largest independent and one of the top three events organising companies in the country, running exhibitions, conferences and seated events across Britain, Europe, the Americas, Middle East and Asia. Clarion’s business-to-business and business-to-consumer events serve 15 different market sectors including defence & security, leisure, entertainment, finance, retail, gaming, fine art and energy. Clarion currently employs a staff of 200+ people in four offices: London (Earls Court); Birmingham (NEC); St Charles (MI), USA and Maarsen (The Netherlands). The company has grown profits by more than 300% since undertaking an MBO in 2004. In that time Clarion has completed eight acquisitions, launched fifteen events and entered into three joint venture partnerships. In 2006 Clarion entered the Sunday Times Buyout Track 100 in 44th position, rising to 32nd in the 2007 list.