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Andrew MacLeod MSc MBCI

Director

Experience and expertise:

Andrew is an award winning business continuity and crisis management director with fourteen years’ experience developed as a director at Needhams 1834 and previously as a business continuity project manager at Canary Wharf Group and an Army officer.

He is particularly expert in business continuity audit, resilience training, design and delivery of crisis management exercises and project management of ISO 22301 certification, delivered to clients across EMEA and the Americas.

Andrew primarily works with clients in the legal and financial sectors – he is a specialist in ISO 22301 certification having successfully supported over ten organisations in certifying to the standard.

 

Education and former background:

  • MSc – Resilience, Cranfield University

  • BA (Hons) – History, University of East Anglia

  • BSI ISO 22301 and BS 25999 Lead Auditor

  • Future Leaders Representative on the BCI Global Membership Council

  • Judge for the 2015 BCI Global Awards

  • Olympics Business Continuity Project Manager, Canary Wharf Group

  • 8 years commissioned service, Royal Anglian Regiment

  • Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
     

Awards:

  • Winner of the 2017 Cranfield University Dissertation Prize

  • Finalist in the 2017 CIR Awards Strategy through Partnership

  • Finalist for the 2016 CIR Business Continuity Awards as Student of the Year

  • Short-listed for the 2015 Continuity Central Business Continuity Paper of the Year

  • Finalist in the 2015 CIR Awards Business Continuity Consultant of the Year

  • Winner of the 2014 BANG Alternative Business Continuity Award in the Most Bizarre Exercise Scenario Category.

  • Winner of the 2013 BCI Global Awards BCM Newcomer of the Year

  • Winner of the 2013 BCI European Awards BCM Newcomer of the Year

  • Highly Commended in the 2013 CIR Business Continuity Industry Newcomer of the Year

  • Highly Commended in the 2013 CIR Business Continuity Initiative of the Year Category for the co-design and development of the MRC E-Learning Package.


Publications:

  • ‘Effective information management and assurance for a modern organisation during a crisis’ in the Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning Volume Nine Number One pages 52 – 59

  • ‘The impact of communication on human behaviour in times of crisis’ – published in the Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning Volume Eight Number Two pages 134 – 140

  • ‘An examination of the contemporary meaning and utility of resilience’ published at Continuity Central.

  • ‘How can insights into the operation of culture enhance organizational resilience?’ published at Continuity Central.

  • Experiences during certification to ISO 22301: 2012 published at Continuity Central.

  • Fact or Fiction? published at Continuity Magazine pages 16 – 17.

 

Conferences:

  • Speaker at the CSARN conference ‘Crisis Leadership – the search for the perfect response to extreme events’ presenting ‘Improving the effectiveness of crisis leadership’, 30th October 2017

  • Speaker at the BCI World Conference presenting ‘What are the main limits and challenges of effective business continuity,’ 10th November 2015

  • Speaker at the CSARN conference on ‘Securing Business: Mitigating the Black Swans,’ 17th January 2014

  • Ran a Masterclass for the Ark Group, “Business Continuity: Tools to safeguard your organisation in a crisis,” 27th June 2013
     

Client Comments:

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“Andrew has provided outstanding advice on implementing an effective Business Continuity Management response. I found Andrew to be both professional and effective in his approach and he was willing to ‘go the extra mile’ to ensure that we as a client reach our strategic objectives. I am confident that based on his advice our business will be able to further enhance our resilience to unforeseen events.”
Risk Assurance Officer at an Insurance Group

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“Having engaged Andrew to deliver a number of exercises both in the UK and in mainland Europe, I have found his innate understanding of our needs to be exceptional. His imagination and innovative approach to scenario design have ensured that the exercises are challenging, engaging and professionally delivered. He clearly understands the wider impacts of business continuity and is adept at highlighting those to senior level management. I have found working with Andrew extremely enjoyable.”
Head of Business Continuity at an International Credit Reference Organisation

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“Andrew’s creativity in devising scenarios which engage and challenge all participants in meaningful ways is testament to a sharp and sophisticated mind, whilst his attention to detail means that exercises are prepared to the very highest standard with nothing left to chance. Where he really shines, however, is in overseeing the execution of exercises.”
Deputy Managing Director of a large Public Relations Organisation

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“Andrew has delivered a number of CMT training and staff awareness sessions. He always puts substantial preparation into these to ensure that they are innovative and unique. This is particularly important as it is very easy to slip into the trap of training complacency. What sets Andrew apart is the delivery of the training – it is always immensely fun and engaging. He pitches the training at the right level for the specific audience so a culture of thinking about business continuity issues subconsciously permeates.”
CEO of a business consultancy firm for the banking sector

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“The exercise books are excellent. The fact they have been designed for use at the strategic, tactical and operational level is ideal for our need. The detail contained within them is spot on and requires only minor amendments dependent on location. The feedback has been that they are an undoubted success.”
Principal Advisor on Business Continuity at a large mining corporation

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“Andrew has delivered training at a wide variety of levels. Whether delivering to the COO or unit business continuity co-ordinators, his training is always engaging and raises the importance and awareness of research continuity. Recently, Andrew and I have developed an e-learning package to enhance embedding research continuity in our culture. It has proved an incredible success provoking a noticeable change in the relevance of research continuity to scientists.”
Head of Research Continuity at a leading medical agency

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