Our Judges

Simon Banks

Founder, The Banks Foundation

Simon founded CSL in 1996 and continues to be heavily involved. He is also Chairman of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) and Skills for Security, as well as a board member of the National Security Inspectorate (NSI). He also spent 8 years on the board of BAFE.  

Simon founded Apprentices for Fire and Security (A4FS) in 2011 which has placed thousands of apprentice engineers within the security sector and he also represents the security manufacturers for the Government’s Trailblazer framework. Most recently, Simon founded The Banks Foundation, acquiring 49.9% of Skills for Security (SfS), the UK’s largest fire and security apprenticeship provider.

Michael Barley

Past Master, The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals

Michael is a Past Master of The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals having joined as a founding member when the Company was formed in 1999. He has been actively engaged on its Court since 2012 and was appointed as The Master in June of 2019.

He retired from Sky in 2021 where he had worked for 21 years and prior to this served in the Metropolitan Police for 25 years. He is currently the Chair of The Federation of Copyright Theft, commonly referred to as FACT.

Michael joined the Police in 1974 and became a senior officer at New Scotland Yard specializing in the use of intelligence. He introduced a new system for the handling of police informants and gave expert evidence at several high-profile criminal trials as well as investigating complex crimes in the UK and abroad. He was seconded to the United Nations in 1996 through to 19977 and travelled to Iraq on several occasions as a Weapons Inspector being part of the United Nations Special Commission into Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction programme.   

Whilst at Sky he introduced initiatives and strategy that seek to protect Sky’s content. He was also responsible for the mitigation strategies in relation to kidnap of those who travel to high-risk environments, as well as fraud prevention and investigation matters, government and law enforcement liaison, anti-bribery and corruption.

He has been on the Board of FACT since 2003 and was, in 2017, appointed as its Chair. FACT is at the forefront of the fight against intellectual property crime in the UK and internationally, specialising in protecting digital content. FACT is also a trusted provider to several international governments, providing enhanced due diligence services for Citizenship by Investment Programmes.

He is married to Jayne; they have three children and in his spare time he enjoys trying to play golf. 

Tim Barnes

CEO, The Centre for Entrepreneurs

Tim is the CEO of the Centre for Entrepreneurs, the UK’s leading entrepreneurship charity and has worked with thousands of startups across a 25-year career that has encompassed being an early-stage investor, building startup accelerator and incubator programmes and developing entrepreneurial talent at universities including UCL, Cambridge and Loughborough. He sits on the boards of Capital Enterprise and NACUE, two leading entrepreneurship support organisations. In 2014 he was granted the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion for life.

Ian Cass

Managing Director, Forum of Private Business

Ian Cass originally joined the Forum of Private Business in 2013 and took the reins as Managing Director three years later in Summer 2015. Ian worked for Diageo for 14 years before forming the Venture team, he also runs Jack in the box Training, owned a couple of pubs, Founded Hunters gin and has been a business angel and investor for a variety of small businesses.

 The Forum is a small business membership organisation which was formed in 1977 and offers advice, support and protection to small UK companies and puts the members and the growth of their businesses first, which is why they now represent in excess of 30,000 small private and family firms.

The Forum’s efficient and knowledgeable staff believes that everything they do for a small business owner is about growth and profitability from start up in the early years of operation to businesses that have been trading for many years.

 Ian’s relationship with the Forum actually started in 1997 when he started his own business and became a member, then in 2013 he was asked to look at the strategy and development of the company’s sales and to review the partner strategy for members. Ian took the challenge, setting a firm foundation upon which to move the business forward and grow it to what it is today. Over the years, Ian and the team have together built on this developing the best membership package in the UK aimed at small private and family employers. 

 Ian comments: “I am passionate about providing this support, advice and protection to our members, enabling them to do what they do best, growing and developing their business. I fully support the small and medium business sector having been a business owner myself over the years. I believe private and family businesses are the backbone of the UK economy and we need to support these business owners. There are lots of entrepreneurs in the UK who want to be innovative and want to grow; they just need the support to do so.”

 To find out more about Ian Cass https://www.fpb.org/getbritaintrading/ian-cass/

Paul Connelly

CEO, Connelly Security Systems (CSS)

Paul Connelly, the visionary CEO of Connelly Security Systems (CSS), has risen from apprentice to industry leader, shaping the security landscape. With a workforce of 165, CSS stands as a pioneer in the Scottish security market. Paul’s astute leadership has seen CSS execute over 50,000 installations, elevate the company’s status, and span branches across Scotland. His business acumen extends beyond CSS, orchestrating over thirty acquisitions since 1996. As a judge at the Security & Safety Entrepreneur Awards, Paul embodies innovation, tenacity, and transformative leadership. Excited to be on the judging panel, Paul looks forward to witnessing the ingenious innovations entrepreneurs are bringing to the industry.

Hayley Elvins CSyP FSyI

Director, The Security Institute

Hayley is known as the founder of Sloane Risk Group, a respected Specialist Protective Security and Counter-Espionage Consultancy that designs and implements bespoke and large-scale security for corporate clients.

Hayley formerly served in the Royal Military Police, Close Protection Unit before working in Counter-Terrorist Government Operations for ten years.

Having been a member of the UK Security Institute (SyI) for five years, in 2023 Hayley was appointed to the Board of Directors, a volunteer position with a three-year term. She has recently been awarded the prestigious status of of Chartered Security Professional, recognised as the gold standard in security practice.

James Gribben

Commercial Director, Skills for Security

James Gribben is the Commercial Director of Skills for Security, the UK’s leading fire & security apprenticeship provider, having previously worked for the BSIA and other leading names within the security industry.

Originally graduating in marketing and subsequently gaining his MBA from the Alliance Manchester Business School, James’ expertise supports Skills for Security along its continued growth trajectory, through widening its fire & security customer base in apprenticeships, commercial training and sponsorship, whilst expanding into adjacent markets.

James is based in Wilmslow in the North-West with his family and is a keen sportsman outside of work, taking part in regular running and triathlon events.

Finlay Heath

Young Enterprise Alumnus

In 2021, Finlay and his student colleagues took part in the Young Enterprise Company Programme at a school in Worcestershire.

For Finlay, this was a chance to realise a childhood ambition to run his own business.  Finlay benefitted from the opportunity to be the MD of his student business and his passion for enterprise has continued.  Whilst he is now studying Business Management at University, he is also working as the Assistant Manager at Astwood Bank Business Park and is also an active member of the Redditch Business Leaders, continuing to mentor and support other entrepreneurial young people.

Dame Julie A Kenny DBE DL

Master Cutler, The Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire

Dame Julie Kenny (64) is a successful South Yorkshire based entrepreneur.  In 1986 she sold her home, raised £28,500 from the equity and founded an electronics manufacturing company Pyronix Limited originally in her home.  A company which designed and developed patented Alarm Security Equipment.  After 30 years she had a business with a turnover in excess of £25m, selling to over 80 countries throughout the world.  She employed 200 people on 3 factory sites in Hellaby, Rotherham.  In 2016 following the sale of award winning Pyronix,

Currently, Julie is Chair of Maltby Learning Trust a Multi Academy Trust comprising 7 schools. Chair and Non-Executive Director with Robson Handling Technology Limited a £20m company manufacturing, assembly and installing conveyors predominantly in the UK airport sector but now expanding in the USA. A Non-executive Director of AESSEALS LTD, a £200 million company with 42 subsidiaries around the world; Chair of RISC and Joint Chair of SRGP, with the Security Minister, two national committees dealing with Security, Resilience and Growth for the Defence, Security and Tech UK Sector.

Most important to Julie is Wentworth Woodhouse (WWH) in Rotherham, where she is the Founding Chair of the Trust, set up in 2014, to enable it to raise the money to purchase Wentworth Woodhouse and to affect its restoration.  In 2 years, £7.1m to purchase the house was raised and in the Autumn Statement of 2016, the Chancellor of the Exchequer granted £7.6m to fund emergency repairs.

Having been appointed by the Government to serve on very many different Government Boards since 1995, Julie was asked to serve as an Intervention Commissioner with Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council between 2010 and 2014 and an Intervention Commissioner again of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council between 2015 and 2019, Julie’s involvement in the promotion of her home town continues as a Rotherham Pioneer and an Ambition Rotherham Board Member.

In all of Julie’s involvement with Government bodies she has specialised in economic regeneration, business growth, partnerships and upskilling people. Julie was the Chair of the Government Small Business Council from 2005-2007 and a UK Commissioner for Employment and Skills from 2007-2018.

Julie was honoured in Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in June 2019 with a Damehood for her work with heritage and particularly Wentworth Woodhouse.  Julie’s CBE in 2002 and Honorary Doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University in 2005 were conferred in recognition of her contribution to industry and business in the region. 

Julie serves as a Deputy Lieutenant for South Yorkshire since 2005 and High Sheriff of South Yorkshire 2012/13. Julie was the Vitalise Businesswoman of the Year in 2013, PWC Private Businesswoman of the Year 2014 and received a Special Recognition Judges Award by Northern Power Women in 2018. She has been honoured by the British Security Industry with a Chairman’s Award (being the first woman Chairman of the Industry in 2010) and a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Security Industry Awards in 2010. In 2019 Julie was recognised by a lifetime achievement award by the Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce and in 2021, Julie was awarded Freedom of the Borough of Rotherham.

Julie has 3 grown-up children and had a successful career as a litigation lawyer in local authority and private practice before changing direction and founding Pyronix.

Stuart Lowden CSyP FSyI

Risk Management Consultant, The Risk Panel

Stuart is best known as the founder of Wilson James’ security arm. Under his leadership, Wilson James became a driving force within the security industry, with a revolutionary approach to working hours and work:life balance. When he left the business in 2018, Wilson James employed over 3,000 security staff throughout the UK and continues to be a watchword for high quality security services.

Stuart engaged with the wider security community, as Chairman of the BSIA and ASIS and as a founder member of the Security Institute.

He now runs a risk consultancy business, The Risk Panel.

Pauline Norstrom

Founder of Anekanta®

Pauline Norstrom is the founder of Anekanta® Consulting which is focused on commercial research into responsible AI, and Anekanta® AI which offers impact and risk products and services to sectors including; civil security, transportation and smart cities. She established the Anekanta® brand in the nascent high-risk AI market in early 2020, having gained several decades of experience in senior statutory board positions in a number of international businesses specialised in video surveillance and analytics.

A former Chair of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), Norstrom is now an honorary member appointed by the board to advise on AI and biometrics. Additionally she is a recent a judge for the British Security Awards, IFSEC Global Security Influencer Awards and the AI Journal.

A champion of the ethical and legal application of digital technology, she played a leading role in the BSIA’s guide to automated facial recognition software, soon to become a new British Standard. She is also an advisor on AI ethics and trustworthiness to the Institute of Directors Expert Advisory Group for Science Innovation and Technology. With over 20 years experience in the North American security market Pauline sits on the Security Industry Association’s cybersecurity and data privacy advisory boards providing input and guidance on AI cyber and privacy good practice.   

Presenting evidence for the BSIA to the UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for AI on facial recognition software for national security in 2021, she was back again in 2023 representing the IoD and its framework for board governance and accountability based on Anekanta®’s own ethical AI framework.”

Satia Rai

CEO, The International Professional Security Association (IPSA)

Satia has enjoyed an extensive career in the security profession starting on the front line in the retail sector, over 27 years ago. She progressed to management and senior leadership roles, with experience in security services and risk management within the public and private sector at both operational and strategic levels. Satia has played a significant role at C-suite level in various key organisations and has an exceptional record of leading transformational change within the security sector.

As well as being a dedicated security professional, she is an outstanding spokesperson for equality, diversity and inclusivity in all of its forms.

In a voluntary capacity Satia is CEO of The International Professional Security Association (IPSA) and an ED&I Chair for the Private Security Industry Forum, a member of the International Security Expo Advisory Council and she also participates in the Security Industry Authority (SIA) stakeholder forum.

Satia is also a winner of the Young Professional of the year Award for the Institute of Strategic Risk Management award (ISRM), Winner of the BSIA Chairman’s award 2023 and a finalist in 2022 for the Women in Security Awards (WiS) and Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs) 20223.

Marie Tedstone

Partnerships Manager, Young Enterprise

Having worked at Young Enterprise for over 15 years, Marie is passionate about helping young people to develop enterprising mindsets and encourage their entrepreneurial spirit.    In her current role, she works with a range of organisations to secure support to help the next generation fulfil their true potential.

Young Enterprise (YE) works directly with young people, teachers, and businesses to help build a successful and sustainable future for all young people – since 1962 we’ve equipped more than 7.2 million young people with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the changing world of work.