O'Connor's Outlook: Meet The Churchill Operations Team

We're back (years on) with a new, refreshed, innovative O'Connor's Outlook. A series of articles, videos, discussions and more on Our Company, Our Industry and the Wider World. In the first articles we will look at the teams of great people here at Churchill, starting with our Operational Management Team!

With the security industry, there’s naturally a tendency to be guarded about the information you share outwardly (by its very nature). In the main this will be the services you provide and the areas in which you operate. Those are integral, of course, but they’re only a part of what makes your company unique. That’s the way I’ve been feeling recently about ProFM Group , and our incredible Operations Team and the reason I wanted to take those feelings to an article!

We’re a group with diverse histories and backgrounds, all of which contribute towards the way we deliver what we’re already well known for. I’ve waxed lyrical about Churchill time and again, and for good reason – we haven’t got the reputation we have without good reason.

But a sticking point for me – and the reason behind why I’m writing this piece today – is that you as a client, or someone who isn’t involved with the company, never get to meet us all. You’ll see the amazing service, you’ll see our impassioned approach, but you won’t necessarily see the people behind the scenes.

I’ll be breaking down that wall today, giving you an insider’s perspective on who we are as a team, what each of us brings to the proverbial security table, and why you know you can trust us to deliver a service we’re truly proud of.

In this piece, you’ll meet our Operational Management Team, whilst in future pieces I will look to dive into the World of Control, Mobile, Events and more. Strap yourselves in!

The Welsh Wonder: Meet Scott Russell, Our Head of Operations

A recent promotion and, as many (myself included) would attest to, an extremely well deserved one, Scott Russell has recently become our Head of Operations here at Churchill. For me, Scott’s the embodiment of everything we strive for in Ops – professionalism, pride in our work, and that willingness to truly go the extra mile.

Scott’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. He began as a security officer at one of our most prolific sites in CAF Rolling Stock, quickly rising through the ranks to take on more leadership roles, and to truly elevate the levels of quality that those at CAF came to expect.

Over the years, Scott became more closely tied to Churchill, offering his expertise and wisdom at every turn to ensure that we not only did right by the CAF site in South Wales, but by every site we took on across the South of the UK. It was from there that he took on an Operations Manager role, bringing that brand of Welsh hospitality and work ethic to our wider remit of regions.

The promotions didn’t end there either, with Scott cementing himself amongst the Churchill legends both old and new. He was promoted in 2022 to our Senior Operations Manager, and again less than 2 years later to our Head of Operations. Scott is, I feel, not just a testament to his own hard work and dedication (which I simply don’t have the words for), but to the culture we cultivate at Churchill.

Northern Powerhouse: Meet Ant Stokes, Our Operations Manager For The North

Tony is one of our longest-standing members in the Operations Team, having recently celebrated his 10th anniversary with Churchill. While many would refer to Stokesy as a piece of the furniture after a decade with us, he’s the furthest thing from it.

You’ll struggle to meet someone who’s more dedicated to delivering the personalised, tailormade service we’ve always offered. Tony is more often than not to be found at our clients’ sites, or travelling to and from the myriad locations we secure across the North.

From starting as a Security Officer, then Supervisor long before we ever transitioned to become Churchill Support Services, to the experienced, seasoned veteran of security you see today, Tony has grown alongside the company, and truly understands what it means to provide a service that’s built with you in mind.

Tony is one of those characters who you simply don’t see come along very often, if ever at all. He is a compassionate, ultra-professional Operations Manager who truly takes everything in his stride, and demonstrates adaptability that’s right at the top of our industry.

Our Midlands Maestro: Meet Joe Upton, Our Operations Manager For The Midlands

A decorated and dedicated member of our expanding Operations team, Joe is the epitome of what I’d class as modern security. His friendly and approachable attitude is commendable, but it’s his focus on the officers at the core of all we do that’s truly immense.

I’m not just saying that because he’s an amazing Operations Manager – it’s something I’ve heard time and again on my site visits, and something that really resonates with our officers. Joe’s sites aren’t small, either – we have multinational brands on our books, and Joe’s humanising approach really helps both them and us to thrive in what we do.

That’s just one facet of Joe, and his self-growth and development is equally admirable. He’s recently qualified as a Close Protection officer, adding yet another string to his bow, and to the exceptional service we’re able to provide as a company as a whole.

There’s so much scope for development in our roles as security professionals, and while we’ve all taken that on board, Joe has truly grabbed the metaphorical bull by the horns and taken it upon himself to push the envelope of what he can offer to sites and people across the Midlands.

Best In The West – Meet Kieran, Our Operations Manager For The South West

One of our newer additions to the Churchill Operations team, Kieran has, since starting just a few short months ago, been a breath of fresh air. He brings an entirely new outlook and perspective to our industry.

That’s one of the key reasons he’s become pivotal already – we’re a business on the move, and to have people that understand that is crucial. I know that well as the Operations Director, and Kieran is an incredible coup in terms of what he brings to the table.

It’s no mean feat, either. Kieran’s level of experience with security was already formidable, but he’s taken on some of our most crucial sites and premises across a historically busy region in the South West, and adapted to that level of challenge with aplomb.

As we seek to expand into places like Bristol and Bournemouth, Kieran has already become an integral part of what we’re seeking to achieve in the coming months and years. I’m personally immensely excited to continue working alongside him, and to seeing how he flourishes in the role.

Churchill By The Capital: Meet Jodie Lewis, Our Operations Manager For The South East

Another of our new additions, Jodie’s appointment a couple of short months ago offered substantial bolstering to what’s already an exceptionally strong team. She’s not only hit the ground running, as is often demanded from the security sector, she’s truly flown in her first couple of months.

While that speaks volumes of who she is as a person and as a professional, it’s also a welcome addition for our sites across the UK’s biggest and most densely-packed location. London and the South East requires some who is as dynamic and reactive as it is, and Jodie fits the bill perfectly.

Her background actually lies predominantly in the criminal justice system, having worked in HM Prisons for over 11 years prior to joining the security industry. It’s part of what I feel gives Jodie a unique outlook, as well as the compassionate yet firm approach that makes for a truly successful and adaptive security professional.

We don’t recruit by halves here at Churchill, and Jodie is the ultimate proof of that. She comes to us with bags of experience, both across the wider security industry and in the criminal justice system, and the future is bright for Churchill with her as a part of it.

Finally, Operations Director, Me!

If you’ve arrived on this article from my personal LinkedIn page, you’ll likely already be familiar with who I am as a person. Equally passionate about Wigan Athletic as I am about the industry I represent, I love to shout about the things that I’m truly enthusiastic about, and that I feel I can speak volumes on.

What you might not be as familiar with though, is what qualifies me to occupy the position I do. I’ve got more than 8 years of experience across senior and managerial roles in the security sector, and extensive experience in delivering the levels of consistency and quality that’s earned us the accolades we have.

I’ve climbed through the ranks and, in my time in the security sector, I’ve occupied roles across the full remit of what we do, from the thick of it as an Operations Manager, to Communications/Compliance and the cutting-edge world of the Control Centre.

All of that, coupled with my ongoing desire to grow and learn alongside the rest of our team means I’m ideally positioned to oversee and guide all of the solutions we offer.

I often like to say that you’re in safe hands with me and my team, and I feel it’s crucial to start that off on the right foot with being a trusted, knowledgeable and passionate professional in the sector. Our Team ensure we lay the foundations of what you experience, and while foundations are crucial, it’s often how we build on them that makes all the difference.

Credit: I hope you have enjoyed reading this article, which was created in discussion between Christopher Allsobrook and I.

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