The Blackstone Consultancy challenge is an annual challenge completed by members of our team to raise funds for charity.
The challenge itself changes each year to push us to our limits and raise as much money as possible.
If you would like to donate, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/blackstoneconsultancy
In November 2019, members of the Blackstone Consultancy team will be taking part in a trek across the Sahara desert to raise money for the Childrens Air Ambulance.
The Childrens Air Ambulance fly critically ill children across the UK to the specialist care they need. Our aim is to raise enough money so that a new incubator can be bought. The incubator sits in the rear of the helicopter, and gives the greatest possible chance of survival to the critically ill child.
Our walk across the Sahara will see us start in M’Hamid-El-Rhozlane, walk over the cliffs of the southern Drâa towards the first dunes of Ait Oumir. We will then trek along the banks of the Drâa and catch our first sight of L’erg Zaher, the highest dunes in this region.
We will spend 5 days trekking, camping in the desert each night.
The team will comprise of Simon Giddins, Rob Bates, Tom Tahany and Rufus Caldecott, as well as Simon Bennett from Cloud Ten. It will be challenging but for a worthy cause.
We would like to thank those who have sponsored us already – Cigna, Ecclesiastical, Geos360, The London Resolution, Pella Resources, Seventeen Group and Hampden and Co.
All further donations will be greatly appreciated – you can donate by clicking on the following link: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/blackstoneconsultancy
In September 2018, our management team completed the London – Brighton cycle in aid of BLESMA, The Limbless Veterans, raising vital money to support those who will need specialist treatment for the rest of their lives
Ashley Williams holds the title Security Manager and is responsible for the management of residential security teams within The Blackstone Consultancy portfolio.
Ashley has worked within the security industry in various sectors for over 24 years. A dynamic and highly experienced security professional with a proven track record in a range of environments including close protection for HNWI’s, residential security, aviation, “high end” retail and investigations.
Prior to his security career, Ashley served in the British Army undertaking a range of roles in The UK, mainland Europe, The Middle East and North America.
Ashley has the ability to achieve results in a pressurised field, remaining calm and motivated at all times demonstrating high levels of vigilance, observation and confidentiality.
Rufus has recently joined Blackstone Consultancy as an operations analyst. He gained a BA in Politics from the University of Northumbria. He currently serves as a reservist in a British Army Infantry Unit based in London and has worked in various consumer businesses.
Rufus is a keen sailor, goes to boxing training and has travelled across the Arctic on a dog sled. He has a keen interest in Geopolitics and Current Affairs.
“Veteran Owned UK is the UK’s largest online business directory for Veteran Owned Businesses.
Founded by a former Royal Engineer to help support Veteran Owned Businesses and showcase the huge variety of business types run by veterans in the UK.”
The Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs) recognise and reward companies and individuals across the security sector. The OSPAs are designed to be both independent and inclusive, providing an opportunity for outstanding performers, whether buyers or suppliers, to be recognised and their success to be celebrated.
Blackstone Consultancy holds a live Dun & Bradstreet D‑U‑N‑S Number which is a unique nine-digit identifier for businesses. D‑U‑N‑S Numbers are often referenced by lenders and potential business partners to help predict the reliability and/or financial stability of the company in question. D‑U‑N‑S, which stands for data universal numbering system, is used to maintain up-to-date and timely information on more than 300 million global businesses.
The D‑U‑N‑S Number also enables the identification of relationships between corporate entities (hierarchies and linkages), another key element of Live Business Identity and commercial risk assessment practices. The D‑U‑N‑S Number has been likened to a Social Security Number for businesses. Although it is not issued by the government, it can be used similarly.
Blackstone consultancy have retained Jelly Rock for their media and strategic PR advise since 2017.
Jelly Rock PR are experts in integrated campaigns and will ensure your communications strategy works seamlessly with your key messaging, marketing campaign, website, social media, advertising and other promotional elements.
Jelly Rock PR is small but perfectly formed. They’re not an agency, they’re a collective, which means they think a lot leaner than agencies and you don’t pay for expensive account management or posh offices, offering the best value for your marketing budget.
Blackstone Consultancy hold the ISO9001 accreditation and are auditeded annual on their Quality Management systems.
ISO 9001 is the title of an ISO standard that outlines the requirements an organization must maintain in its quality system for certification to ISO 9001. There are several different documents in the ISO 9000 family of standards, but ISO 9001 is the only standard in the 9000 series that requires certification. The current version is ISO 9001:2015 (thus the :2015).
The standard can help companies meet their customers’ requirements for their product/service while fulfilling any regulatory requirements. Typically an entire organization will seek certification, but the scope of the QMS can be tailored to improve performance at a particular facility or department.
Blackstone consultancy are members of the Battered black book community.
The Battered Black Book team includes dedicated experts in travel, property, finance, health & wellbeing, hospitality & events, shopping & gifts and more – each one combining their industry knowledge with a commitment to find the best suppliers and guarantee exceptional results, whatever your challenge.
Battered Black Book is exclusively available to the management and support teams of high net worth private clients. They rely on Battered Black Book to find outstanding contacts and services that meet the high standards their employers demand.
Blackstone Consultancy have worked with the team at Cloud Ten for their creative input and business acumen.
Cloud Ten Group are a passionate creative, brand & marketing agency, based in the glorious New Forest, Hampshire and they refuse refuse to accept the adage that bigger is better. They inspire and work alongside both business start-ups and those who have been around the block a few times.
Cloud Ten Group have been working alongside Blackstone Consultancy for the last 4 years, forming an ironclad partnership and commitment to each other.
Blackstone Consultancy advocates and supports the use of Gardaworld’s Crisis 24 platform. the Crisis24 global portal delivers critical security information in one place. It allows travellers and organizations to get vetted news alerts and security reports by country. Blackstone Consultancy and Gardaworld have been in a team agreement co-operating across EMEA since 2016.
Blackstone Consultancy, a leading London-based security and intelligence consultancy has been featured in the 2019 Spear’s 500 list of top recommended organisations. Billed as the ‘indispensable guide to the top private client advisers, wealth managers, lawyers and service providers for high net worth individuals’, the annual Spear’s 500 guide is held in high regard internationally.
The 2019 edition was launched in earlier November at the Spear’s Wealth Management Awards ceremony at The Dorchester; this is the third year running, the business has been featured.
Blackstone Consultancy are silver holders and supporters of the Armed Forces Covenant.
To those who proudly protect our nation, who do so with honour, courage, and commitment, the Armed Forces Covenant is the nation’s commitment to you.
It is a pledge that together we acknowledge and understand that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy and society they serve with their lives.
Members of the team hold the coveted titles of having the ‘Freedom of the City of London’ and are ‘Liveryman of the City’.
The Livery Companies of the City of London can trace unbroken descent from medieval Trade Guilds. The term ‘Guild’ is said to derive from the Saxon word ‘Gild’, a payment, since members paid towards the cost of fellowship.
The term ‘livery’ covers the distinctive clothing and badges, the symbols of membership. The Guilds over the centuries became known as livery companies, and it is still the custom to wear ceremonial dress on official occasions.
Guilds were crafts or trade societies. They protected consumers and employers against incompetence or fraud by training sufficient apprentices to provide an adequate supply of skilled craftsmen selling goods of true quality and weight. They helped workers by preventing unlimited competition and ensuring decent wages and conditions. They searched out inferior work and punished the offenders. They settled trade and domestic disputes by arbitration, while their halls served as centres for meeting and recreation. Members paid contributions, as to a benefit society, then received relief when ill, infirm or old, and had their burial expenses paid.
Blackstone Consultancy is a member of the world association of detectives.
With origins dating back to 1921, W.A.D. is the longest established and largest association of its kind in the world.
The World Association of Detectives was formed as a joint venture by the combined membership of the World Association of Detectives and the International Secret Service Association for the following purposes:
To promote and maintain the highest ethical practices in the profession of private investigator or security service;
To select for membership only those individuals whose personal and professional backgrounds and business affiliations have strictly observed the precepts of truth, accuracy and prudence;
To eliminate unreliable, incompetent and irresponsible members of the profession;
To foster and perpetuate a spirit of cooperation among its members and with all those engaged in law enforcement; and
To further and establish a mutual feeling of trust, goodwill and friendship among agencies throughout the world.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO; stylised as ico.) in the United Kingdom, is a non-departmental public body which reports directly to Parliament and is sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
It is the independent regulatory office (national data protection authority) dealing with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 across the UK; and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and, to a limited extent, in Scotland.
Founded in 1955, ASIS International is a global community of security practitioners, each of whom has a role in the protection of assets – people, property, and/or information.
ASIS members represent virtually every industry in the public and private sectors, and organizations of all sizes. From entry-level managers to CSOs to CEOs, from security veterans to consultants and those transitioning from law enforcement or the military, the ASIS community is global and diverse.
Blackstone Consultancy are Corporate Sponsors and supporters of the Security Institute.
The Security Institute is a United Kingdom based professional body for security professionals.
Membership of the Institute is open to security professionals, with other individuals with an interest in security being able to become affiliated. Based on validation of experience, training, qualifications and other contributions, applicants are given one of five grades of membership. Associates (ASyI), Members (MSyI) and Fellows (FSyI) are entitled to use post-nominals indicating their level of membership in the Institute. There is a separate category for student members.
A highly motivated, dedicated and experienced Close Protection Operator, Matt is a former Senior Non-Commissioned Officer having previously served an exemplary 15 year career in the Royal Air Force Regiment.
Early in 2014, Matt was offered a position at the British Embassy in Baghdad as a security contractor on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office contract. In this role he was a member of a 6-man armed Close Protection team, rotating through various positions including team leader, medic, and PPO/BG to numerous Ambassadors, Members of Parliament, diplomats and strategic military personnel. He planned and conducted regular vehicle moves in Baghdad and other hostile districts outside the city.
Matt possesses an impressive and verifiable track record of leading and executing armed/unarmed Close Protection tasks with steadfast professionalism. He is always proactive, ready to take the initiative and acutely sensitive to the security threat. Matt lives in Stamford, Lincolnshire and is married with two young children. He enjoys skiing, mountain biking and is an all-round fitness enthusiast.
Mike holds the title of Project lead and is responsible for multiple residential security teams and is also employed as the Physical Security and Risk advisor on all residential and commercial properties within the U.K and abroad.
In 1995 Mike joined the HM Forces and deployed on 6 operational tours which include: Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Iraq and a 3 – year tour of Northern Ireland. Mike decided to leave the Military in 2011 to discover new opportunities within the private sector and deployed to Afghanistan to support the Foreign Common Wealth offices (FCO) in Kabul and Helmand. His duties included the protection of UK and Foreign Parliament ministers, Aid agencies, Australian Federal Police and high-profile media companies. In 2015 Mike returned to the U.K to take up a position of a Surveillance Officer and provided specialist surveillance, intelligence for a global surveillance company.
During his time with Blackstone Consultancy Mike has conducted various tasks including Close protection, Surveillance, project lead/trainer in Kenya, security/estates manager and conducted a vast amount of Security and Risk Assessments for various high-profile clients and commercial properties.
Craig Etherton is a Project Lead within Blackstone Consultancy. Craig has worked in the security industry for 8 years since 2010 and is an experienced Project Lead, Production Security Manager & Close Protection Operative within Blackstone Consultancy. He is a former Royal Military Policeman and has also completed the RMP Close Protection Course and completed multiple Close Protection tours.
Prior to joining Blackstone Consultancy, Craig served in the British Army for 10 years where he took part in various operational tours in hostile environments. Upon leaving the British Army, Craig spent several years attached to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) working across the Middle East. Whilst working with the FCO, Craig provided protection for Ambassadors, Diplomats, Heads of Missions, Members of Parliament and multiple Tier 1 VVIP’s.
Craig lives with his partner Kerry in Reading. He has a keen interest in keeping fit, sports and especially enjoys running. Craig also enjoys travelling and experiencing new cultures and cities.
Tom Tahany is an intelligence analyst for London-based intelligence and security Blackstone Consultancy nine months ago and leads teams involved in conducting due diligence, investigations and surveillance operations.
Previously Tom did a Masters in Intelligence and International Security at King’s College London, before working for various private companies; joining Blackstone Consultancy in Summer 2018. He has also worked in leading roles on several series of the popular TV show Hunted and Celebrity Hunted, helping the teams to trace the ‘fugitives’ on the ground.
Chris is the Director of Intelligence and Investigations 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.
Rob Bates holds the title of the Director of Protective Services 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.
Simon is a leading international security specialist with extensive private family and business experience managing complex teams in often challenging complex environments.
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 15 years in the British Army, serving on several operational deployments, including an overseas detachment with SO15-Counter Terrorist Command. He planned, operated and managed operations against terrorism and crime entities in numerous tours of duty in sensitive, high-threat environments overseas operating in both supervisory and line roles.
Personable and forthright, Simon is a Member and advocate of the Security Institute. He was awarded with the ‘Freedom of the City of London’ at a ceremony in October 2015 through the Worshipful Company of Security Professionals, where he is clothed in the Livery.