Who Are We?

Gavin McNicoll, Director and Founder

Gavin has been studying National Security, Terrorism and Intelligence for 17 years, and has an M.A. Honours in International relations and Philosophy from St Andrews University with majors in Comparative Intelligence Systems, Terrorism, U.S. Foreign Policy and the Middle East.

Since 2001 he has established a body of research, conference and consulting work which has partnered with major academic institutions such as St Andrews, Cambridge, MIT and Georgetown. These projects have been serviced by an outstanding network of senior consultants, senior and former senior serving officials, and senior business leaders specialising in counter-terrorism and security related issues. He is responsible for the International Terrorism and Intelligence programme, now in its 8th year as a landmark event in the counter-terrorism calendar, bringing together the leading counter-terrorist minds from around the world.

He also ran a highly successful and unofficial not-for profit conference marking the passing of the Centenary of the Security and Intelligence Services in 2009. In 2010 he has overseen the creation of the agenda for the upcoming celebration of release of the Official History of Mi6, while other colleagues have taken more responsibility for the running of the event.

Further major government level projects have included running a G8 Plus conference on financial intelligence cooperation at the behest of the UK government with assistance form the Home Office, Her Majesty’s Treasury, The Foreign & Commonwealth Office, The National Criminal Intelligence Service and The Metropolitan Police, and a project focussing on terrorists targeting of energy involving MIT and Cambridge.

Gavin has also worked in governmental lobbying and previously headed up Strategic Communication Laboratories US business development strategy, employing his network of senior figures to these efforts, and to the delivery of SCL’s target audience analysis and influence work.

Gavin has now set up a new firm with ex SOCA e-Crime Directorate Senior Investigator Andy Crocker and internet guru and entrepreneur Barrett Lyon. The new firm, CyByl, is set to change the way we think about cyber security and is currently in stealth mode under development in Silicone Valley and has completed a first round of fundraising. Gavin is Director for Business Development and Marketing and is responsible for the fundraising.

Giulio Thuburn, Head of Eden Intelligence Energy Security Research

Giulio has an M.A. in International Relations from St. Andrews University with honours in Intelligence, Terrorism, Conflict in the Middle East and the Politics of War, his dissertation was on the transition from militia order to political party representation in Lebanon. Giulio also has an MSc in Energy, Trade and Finance from Cass Business School, City University. His thesis dealt with the impact of terrorism on the oil industry and the oil markets; and he has now become a specialist in the area of energy security. Giulio has held positions with the Council of Ministers of Europe, with ANSA - Italian National News agency in their Middle East offices in Beirut, with CSTPV - as a desk officer for Middle East issues and finally with Eden Intelligence helping to co-ordinate their Energy Security research program. He has also worked on financial projects in the energy sector and lectures regularly on energy security.

Phil O'Brien, Director and Shareholder of EI, Managing Director Concise Group Ltd.

Concise Ltd., founded in 1994, is a professional and innovative, £3.5m turnover company with a solid financial record, extensive resources and a 35 strong team of responsive and highly skilled industry specialists. Concise is a Consulting and IT services organisation focused on the Financial Services and Media sectors. As the founder and Managing Director of Concise Ltd., Phil is responsible for Concise's major accounts, strategy and the future direction of all companies within the Concise Ltd. Group, including wholly owned subsidiaries in Hong Kong and New York. His unrivalled knowledge of the events industry spans 15 years. Phil has a unique talent for building loyal, high-quality teams. He continuously explores new technologies and methods to ensure Concise Ltd. retains its position at the forefront of the industry. Phil facilitates and assists in the technical planning and resourcing of the Eden Intelligence events programme.

Advisory Board

Afzal Ashraf

Afzal (Affi) Ashraf was brought up and educated in London. His first degree was a BSc in Aeronautical Engineering, following which he worked on military aircraft design research and development for British Aerospace.

In 1982, he was commissioned in the Royal Air Force and reached the rank of Wing Commander during which time he filled a variety of operational and staff appointments. Most recently, he was on the Multi National Force Iraq staff, based in Baghdad, where he contributed to the development of a political, military and economic strategy for Iraq.

Ashraf has a Masters in Defence Studies from Kings College London and is currently doing a PhD at St Andrews university (CSTPV). His topic of research is Al Qaeda’s ideology.

The Right Honourable Sir John Wheeler, JP, DL

The Right Honourable Sir John Wheeler, JP, DL, was the Chairman of the UK government review into airport security with particularly with reference to the role of the police. In 2005 he was Head of the Review into Airport Security and Policing for the Australian Government. Deputy Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office 1993 – 1997; he was Minister of State for Security and for the Criminal Justice System and Finance Minister. He served as a Member of Parliament 1979 - 1997 and on the Home Affairs Select Committee from 1979 – 1992, as Chairman 1987 – 1992. During this time 67 reports were produced including several inquiries into criminal justice and police policy issues, and in 1988 he delivered the recommendation to set up the National Criminal Intelligence Service.

He was Chairman of The Service Authorities for the NCIS and the National Crime Squad from 1997 - 2002. He was appointed a Member of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council in 1993 and a Member and Trustee of the Chapter General of the Order of St John and St John’s Ambulance in 1990 and has served as Chancellor from 2002.

Dr. Magnus Ranstorp

is Chief Scientist at the Centre for Asymmetric Threat Studies at the Swedish National Defence College and a Senior Honorary Research Associate and former Director of CSTPV. He is internationally recognised as a leading expert on Hizballah, Hamas, al-Qaeda and other militant Islamic movements. Magnus regularly advises governments, security organisations and the armed services of many nations on issues including the drafting of legislation. Among other major achievements, he has been credited with persuading the Israeli Government to withdraw from Lebanon in March 2000. He was CNN's principal consultant on terrorism before and after 9/11.

Professor Paul Wilkinson

Professor Wilkinson is professor of International Relations and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the CSTPV. From 1979 to 1989 he was Professor of I.R. at Aberdeen and was visiting Fellow at Trinity Hall, Cambridge 1979 - 1998. Publications include: Political Terrorism (1974); Terrorism and the Liberal State (1977/1986); The New Fascists (1981/1983); Contemporary Research on Terrorism (as co-editor, 1987); Aviation Terrorism and Security (as co-editor, 1999) and Terrorism versus Democracy: The Liberal State Response (2001). His latest publication, co-authored with Joseph S. Nye Jr. and Yukio Satoh is Addressing The New International Terrorism; Prevention, Intervention and Multilateral Co-operation, a report to the Trilateral Commission, (May 2003). He is co-editor of Terrorism and Political Violence, and director of an ESRC project on domestic management of terrorist attacks in the UK. He served as Adviser to Lord Lloyd of Berwick's Inquiry into Legislation Against Terrorism, and authored vol. two, the Research Report for the Inquiry (1996).

Nigel Churton, MBE is Vice Chairman of Control Risks Group Ltd and has responsibility for the Company’s liaison with Governments, agencies and regulators; he also directs large projects and client relationships. Control Risks is a multi-national Business Risk Consultancy, which has 20 offices around the world in 16 countries. Prior to taking up the role as Vice Chairman he was the Chief Executive Officer for 17 years and prior to this was Executive Director responsible for the Groups UK operations, spent three years based in Australia creating and developing the company’s business into the Asia Pacific region and on joining the Group was involved in the delivery and case management of services to clients dealing with kidnapping and other forms of commercial extortion.

He was educated in the United Kingdom, completed an apprenticeship within the Wine and Spirits Industry and spent 11 years in the British Army where he specialised in intelligence and counter terrorism activities. He has lectured extensively around the world and had many articles published in International, National and Trade media on security, political stability and criminal activities of all types.

He is a Director of the Chester Race Company, a Freeman of The City of London, The Immediate Passed Master of The Worshipful Company of Distillers, a member of The Guild of Security Professionals, a member of the Board of Directors and a Passed President of The International Security Management Association (ISMA), a member of The Council of The Security Institute (TSyI) and is a member of The American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS). He was a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Panel to The Security Industry Authority (SIA) 2002 - 04 and a member of The Ports and Logistics Advisory Group of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) 2002 - 05.

Simon Stringer

Simon Stringer is a respected figure in the counter terrorism and security world. He sits on the advisory board of Eden Intelligence, and is a Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute – Homeland Security Programme. He is currently the Chief Executive of BECATECH, a specialist security technology and solutions company.

During his career, he has consulted to the UK and foreign governments and heads of state, undertaking vulnerability and threat analysis and advising on the deployment of technologies, process and procedure in the world of counter terrorism. He has performed a number of key programme trouble shooting roles and led deployments with the UK MoD and various foreign forces including the United States Marine Corps.

After 8 years serving in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, In 1984, Simon joined BAE Systems as a test engineer on the Harrier and Hawk programmes. Leaving the purely technical world in late 1997 Simon took the position of Site and Operations Director at Dunsfold Aerodrome managing experimental test and development for the Harrier as well as the manufacture and delivery before re-locating the production facilities to Lancashire in 1999. Here he was the Head of Test Engineering and Development running all of the development facilities for the military and aerospace programmes. In 2000 he was the Project Director for the Ventures Organisation, set up to maximise the use of BAE’s technology in parallel markets before being appointed Director Homeland Security – leading BAE’s involvement in the counter terrorism and security areas.

In 2003 Simon left BAE SYSTEMS and joined QinetiQ as Managing Director of the Security and Intelligence Division. In mid 2006, Simon left QinetiQ to undertake a consultative role for a number of key international clients before joining BECATECH as Managing Director.

Neal A. Pollard

Neal A. Pollard serves as Director for Counterterrorism on the staff of the US Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism.  He is also Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University.  Previously, he was Board Director and General Counsel of the Terrorism Research Center, a corporation he co-founded in 1996, and now strategic partner with Total Intelligence Solutions LLC.  He was also Vice President of Hicks & Associates, Inc., where he managed its homeland security and counterterrorism programs.  He was an International Affairs Fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations (2005-2006), and is a Term Member of the CFR.  He is admitted to the Virginia Bar, and is a native Oklahoman.