Chris is a Senior Operations Manager with extensive experience of managing multiple and simultaneous global security, risk and intelligence projects for high profile clients and organisations in the financial, legal, sporting and technology industries. Formerly the Head of Operations at a London based Risk Management Consultancy, his expertise is in creating strategy and converting objectives into solid and sustainable deliverables, as well as strong negotiation and influencing skills which are used to build relationships across organisational boundaries.
Chris focusses on investigation and intelligence matters as well as change management, multiple project management, information security, electronic counter-measures, physical and property security, technical surveillance and executive protection.
Prior to this Chris served in HM Forces for 23 years leading investigations and intelligence operations around the world in complex and often prohibitive environments. He is the company thought leader in The Security Institute.
Gary is a former Metropolitan Police Special Branch Officer who served for 25 years within the Police Service. Prior to this he served in the British Army for 5 years. Gary has a Protection, Surveillance and Intelligence background.
Within the close protection sphere, he protected British Prime Ministers, Senior Cabinet Ministers and numerous visiting Heads of State and Foreign Ministers to the U.K. He has deployed to a number of hostile environments, including Afghanistan and Iraq to protect Senior British Government officials. He has deployed as both the accompanying and advance officer and, has managed, planned and coordinated both individual and high profile public events both within the UK and throughout the world.
Since leaving the service in March 2015, Gary has protected a High Net Worth individual in both the USA and the UK. He has provided Executive Protection to various corporate clients and visiting foreign royalty within the U.K. Gary has a wealth of experience and knowledge, this gives him a clear understanding and insight into the issues and requirements of managing the protection and safety of individuals from the world of business and the private sector.
Gary was an Instructor on the National Bodyguard Course whilst in the Police Service. He has a Masters Degree in Leadership and Management from Buckinghamshire University and is member of the Security Institute.
Martin Quaife is a leading security specialist with extensive private sector experience managing complex teams. His areas of focus include: risk assessments, global project management, information security, electronic counter-measures – technical surveillance, physical and property security and executive protection.
Martin has recently joined the team at Blackstone Consultancy prior to this he spent 18 years in the private sector managing a large personal security team for an ultra-high net worth business man. He has worked extensively for major corporate clients in the field of Technical Surveillance Counter Measures (TSCM) advising on information security and counter measures. He spent 8 years in the British Army, Royal Military Police where he undertook the World Renown Close Protection Course and worked for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
He also worked closely with many UK Police Services carrying out complex covert drugs investigations whilst serving with the Drugs Investigation Team. He finished his military career in Northern Ireland where he worked with the Weapons Investigation Section carrying out complex investigations into terrorist related incidents and moved into the private sector.
Rob Bates holds the title of Operations Manager and is responsible for the management of all close protection teams both in the UK and overseas and the multiple residential security teams Blackstone Consultancy has in and around London.
Rob has worked within the security industry for over 12 years and has a wealth of experience in providing close protection, residential security and surveillance for High Net Worth clients, Middle Eastern Royalty, Corporate Executives and A List Celebrities.
Before joining the team Rob spent several years attached to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) working in British Embassies and Consulates around the world, including Moscow, Hong Kong, Beijing, Riyadh and Cairo. Whilst working with the FCO, Rob provided protection for Ambassadors and Diplomats.
Prior to his security career, Rob served in the British Army for several years and took part in operational tours with the United Nations and NATO. Rob possesses a mature situational awareness along with the ability to quickly adapt to changing conditions and well as exhibiting great calm even when under pressure. The experiences gained over his lengthy career have given him a flexible approach to producing positive results even in the most adverse and challenging environments.
Holly Brierley is an Operations Manager at Blackstone Consultancy and specalises in the Property element of our services. Holly began her Blackstone Consultancy career at operational level providing close protection. After quickly proving her confidence both on the ground and developing strong relationships with our client base, she was swiftly propelled into overseeing and managing our global Close Protection tasks. This involved both land and yacht-based projects.
Her experience and capabilities led to Holly’s natural progression into the Blackstone Consultancy management team. Holly has experience in running her own successful businesses, has achieved a Bachelor of Science Degree in Coastal and Environmental Management and has just started to study a Level 6 Diploma of Certified Security Management Professionals.
Harry Chenevix-Trench is our Intelligence Manager at Blackstone Consultancy and specialises in open source research and risk analysis. Before joining the team at Blackstone Harry worked for boutique investment company Cerno Capital as a financial researcher.
He has a diverse background and brings experience from several industries including Media and the Arts. He graduated from King’s College London with a BA in War Studies in 2010 and to this day maintains a keen interest in geopolitics, policy and carpentry.
Murray is a former Metropolitan Police Service Special Branch officer who served for just over twenty-six years. During his police service Murray was deployed as a protective security specialist. Within the personal protection sphere, Murray protected British Prime Ministers and Cabinet Ministers as well as overseas dignitaries including American Ambassadors and serving and former Presidents. He deployed into a number of hostile environments including Afghanistan and Iraq to protect British government officials. During his last tour on personal protection, Murray undertook threat and risk assessments for both individuals and high profile events.
Murray was part of the protection-planning cell for the deployment of UK protection teams to both the Athens and Beijing Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games in Delhi and deployed to Athens and Beijing for each games. In addition, Murray was also part of the threat and risk assessment team for a number of UK events including The Royal Wedding, G8, G20, The Papal Visit and the London Olympics.
After leaving the service in April 2011, Murray worked for the consortia that built the Olympic Park at Stratford London initially as the In-Venue Security Operations Manager and after being seconded to LOCOG in 2012, as one of the Olympic Park Security Operations Managers, responsible for the totality of the park security operation.
Since becoming a Senior Project Manager, Murray has worked for a number of high profile organisations including a major United Kingdom Sporting event, the United Nations Development Program, lecturing to the Brazilian Federal agencies on command and control, intelligence, risk and threat assessment issues around major events. Since joining the Blackstone team, Murray has worked on a number of projects; including overseeing high profile visits from large United States corporations to the United Kingdom.
Simon is a leading international security specialist with extensive private sector and government experience managing complex teams in often challenging environments. His areas of professional focus include: devising and delivering on challenging risk assessments, change management, global multiple project management, information security, electronic counter-measures, physical and property security, technical surveillance and executive protection.
Simon heads the team at Blackstone Consultancy, he has a solid pedigree and a wealth of international experience, he embraces challenge and has an ability, to understand variable equations of risk, not focussing on one dimensional threats. Prior to this, Simon spent several years in a senior position with Aegis Defence Services managing private and government clients internationally, his education was provided from spending 14 years in the British Army, working alongside numerous specialist operations, including a detachment with SO15-Counter Terrorist Command. He planned, operated and managed operations against hard-line terrorists and criminal groups in many theatres operating in both supervisory and line roles.
Simon is a Member of the Security Institute and was admitted as a Freeman of the City of London at a ceremony in October 2015 through the Worshipful Company of Security Professionals.
