Directors
Alan Bates
Chairman
Alan has run companies since 1970 and been Chairman of companies since the late 70’s. In the mid 70’s he was deputy group Managing Director and later Managing Director of Hoskyns Group Limited, which is now part of CAP Gemini.
He became Chairman of AGB Information Systems Limited at the end of the 70’s and was Managing Director of Audits of Great Britain, Europe’s largest market research company, for a time. He worked with the venture capital industry in the 80’s and became a “company doctor” involved with a variety of companies.
In 1988 he was asked to turn round a failing cable television franchise and stayed in the cable television and telephone industry until 1996. He became Chief Executive Officer of Bell Cablemedia (the combined cable interests of Bell Canada and Jones Intercable), which later became part of Cable and Wireless Communications.
In 1994 he became Chairman of the Cable Communications Association. He took responsibility for the $1billion NASDAQ flotation of Bell Cablemedia.
Alan is Chairman or non-executive Director of a number of early stage companies. He has floated a number of companies in various sectors on the LSE, AIM, OFEX and Nasdaq in the last 15 years, at valuations between £500k and £2.0bn. He has also sold a number of companies that he chaired.
He was a finalist in the Scottish Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 1999. He has been involved in most aspects of company development including mentoring, start-up, development, financing, acquisition, company turnround, flotation and sale.
Gordon Storey
Chief Executive Officer
Gordon has come to ISSEE straight from the post of Chief of Staff at the Defence EOD and Munitions and Search School (DEMSS) at Kineton.
He brings with him a wealth of knowledge of both up-to-date operational doctrine and current technology: for the last three years he has been responsible for the delivery of training to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for the C-IED Task Force deployed in support of Op. Herrick in Afghanistan, as well as the EOD and Search Teams responsible for Homeland Security in the UK.
Bhodi Sunth
Consultant
Bhodi is a business strategy advisor within Nortons corporate finance team, a niche accountancy practice in the Thames Valley and partner in Maxim a corporate finance boutique in the city.
He is a very experienced debt and equity fundraiser with many contacts in the venture capital, business angels and corporate venturing market. He is experienced in providing advice and support to fast growing SMEs. His wide ranging commercial, business and professional experience includes: strategic advice, business planning, exit strategy, growth techniques, introducing management change, helping companies move on from owner- managed to corporate, and helping SMEs achieve their key corporate milestones such as exiting through trade sale and floatation.
Currently, he has also a number of non-executive directorships in fast growing ambitious companies. He was previously a partner in a medium size accountancy practice.
Gordon Kenneth
Director
Born bred and educated in Dundee, Scotland, Gordon was chosen to represent the Dundee Battalion of the Boys Brigade at the 75th anniversary camp in Kingston Jamaica at the age of 16.
Gordon is a Qualified as a Chartered Accountant and worked for Peat Marwick Mitchell (now KPMG) in London. Moved into Commerce with the Booker Group, including a two year term with Ingersoll Rand. Whilst working with Plenty, a Booker subsidiary, Gordon graduated from the Harvard Business School Programme for Management Development and worked to create a Booker/Plenty presence in USA.
Following on from that, Gordon was instrumental in forming the relationship between Plenty and BP including a joint venture company, Oilplus, of which Gordon became the MD. 1981 became a landmark year and Gordon co-founded Oakland Capital Management (OCM), a venture capital company, which became a founder member of the British Venture Capital Association. As the VC industry expanded and institutions created their own VC companies, the shareholders of OCM purchased Bridgewell Holdings (BHL) and Oakland Development Capital Fund (ODCF) and ran the residual investments and made a small number of new investments. Gordon is a keen sportsman who played reasonable football, squash and tennis.
He is now a high-handicapped golfer, who keeps an eye on the scores of Dundee FC, Arsenal, and a season ticket holder at local club Swindon Town.
Rt Hon Adam Ingram
Non-Executive Director
The Rt Hon Adam Ingram served as a Member of the UK Parliament from 1987-2010. He served as Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office from 1997-2001 as Security Minister.
In this role he played a major part in the peace process which culminated in the Belfast Agreement (aka The Good Friday Agreement ). He was appointed to the Privy Council in 1999 for his contribution to the process.
In 2001, Prime Minister Tony Blair appointed him as Minister of State for the Armed Forces at the Ministry of Defence and as Deputy to the Secretary of State. His prime responsibility was ministerial oversight of Her Majesty’s Armed forces including the Special Forces and Counter-terrorism. His remit involved working with NATO and other allies with special responsibilities for the Middle East, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Balkans.
After standing down as a Minister in 2007, he was appointed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to head up a major study into the UK Defence contribution to Counter-terrorism and Resilience. He now operates as a security consultant and as a company director for ISSEE.
Terry Thompson
Technical Director
Terry has over 45 years experience in the field as an Ammunition Technician in the British Army followed by over 14 years as an Explosives Officer with the Metropolitan Police. Terry’s military service covered EOD and C-IED operations in the United Kingdom & Northern Ireland, the Far East, Middle East and Europe.
Since joining ISSEE in 2006 Terry has helped to drive ISSEE to it’s present position at the forefront of the industry. He possesses a level of experience and knowledge of EOD and C-IED that is virtually unprecedented anywhere in the world and is acknowledged as one of the country’s leading experts in counter-terrorism as it relates to explosives.
Instructors
Jon Clarke (BJ)
IEDD Instructor
Jon is a vastly experienced and internationally respected IEDD professional. He qualified as an IEDD team leader in 1986 and joins ISSEE following 22 years in EOD the British Army and 11 years as Deputy Senior Explosives Officer in the Metropolitan Police EOD Unit. 26 of those years he was either on operational duties somewhere in the world or teaching IEDD & EOD training at the ‘Army School of Ammunition’.
Jon brings a wide variety of skills and knowledge of all aspects of complex counter terrorism operations from ‘left of boom’ to post bomb scene management and the identification, recovery, exploitation and recording of forensic and technical data. Throughout his career, Jon managed projects from deploying operational EOD teams at home and overseas to procuring and establishing new items of equipment.
Dick Stacey
Explosives Instructor
Dick served for 24 years in the British Army as an Ammunition Technician & Ammunition Technical Officer. He held a number of senior technical operational appointments in EOD/IEDD including Senior Ammunition Technician in both Northern Ireland and UK Mainland.
In addition to his operational experience, he is an experienced EOD Instructor and previously held the post of Officer I/C IEDD Training at the Army School of Ammunition.
Roger Smith
Ammunition Technician, IEDD, EOD and ECM Instructor
Roger has a wealth of knowledge and experience having completed 24 years in the British Army and a significant amount of time with the EOD and Search community.
Throughout his time in UK IED/EOD he has worked with and provide CIED training for numerous Police Forces, provided IED capabilities for the Commonwealth Games and NATO conferences as well as fulfilling a regular role in UK IED/EOD duties.
Overseas, Roger has completed Ammunition Technical duties in Iraq as both Compliance and Depot manager roles. He has also completed IEDD tours of Northern Ireland and Afghanistan, during the latter he managed a large EOD and Search team successfully rendering safe multiple IEDS.
Most recently, Roger has taught Advanced IED and ECM at the British Army’s Counter IED training Centre, and finished his career as a Training Officer responsible for CIED, EOD instruction and Quality Assurance coupled with Ammunition Technical training.
Steve Mockett
Counter Terrorism Instructor
Steve has completed over 35 years of Government service both with the military and the Metropolitan Police in London. He served as a Detective with the Criminal Investigation Department, investigating major crimes both in the UK and abroad. This service also extended to 15 years with the Anti Terrorist Branch SO13 and the Counter Terrorism Command SO15 based at New Scotland Yard.
He was Head of the UK National Bomb Data Centre Unit where he managed, directed, and controlled the investigative process for the UK BDC. He coordinated intelligence between the police and the military on the construction of IEDs and counter measures. He initiated and implemented the development of the UK National Bomb Centre Data Base, and has served as an international trainer for the London Metropolitan Police in his area of his expertise: CT searches,, weapons, scene investigation, and establishing, organising, coordinating, and managing bomb data centers. Steve’s experienced has assisted Interpol, Europol and the FBI to develop and deploy explosive management systems to assist in the investigation of Terrorism.
He has helped to establish the Singapore Police BDC and trained them in Post Blast Investigation, this training has also been carried out in Georgia, Turkey, Morocco, Portugal, Estonia and the United States. He has provided numerous lectures worldwide on improvised explosive devices.
A Subject Matter Expert involved with forensic scene examination and a security professional engaged in developing systems and driving changes across the United Kingdom and overseas in the investigation of terrorism and to counter an exceptionally high terrorist threat to the private and public sector, creating international investigative tools used to target terrorist bombers and their networks.
Glyn Hannah
Search, IEDD and EOD Instructor
Glyn brings to ISSEE variety and a wealth of experience after a 25-year career spent within Search, IEDD and Conventional Munition Disposal.
Operationally Glyn has conducted and led a number of high-profile Defensive Search operations in the UK providing High Assurance Search for VIPs and Royalty alike. His Offensive Search roles have seen him deploy to Northern Ireland as a Searcher, and Afghanistan as a Royal Engineer Search Advisor, where he led a team in finding and clearing IEDs as part of the UKs operations in Helmand Province.
His Bomb Disposal responsibilities have seen him conduct a broad range of roles from the safe disposal of German Air Dropped Bombs in the UK to minefield recovery incidents in the Balkans and the duties of a Bomb Disposal Officer in Iraq.
He has also held a number of key training roles including that of instructor at the British Army’s IEDD School and he finished his military career as the senior soldier instructor at the British Army’s Search School.
Tony Dedman GM
Senior Explosives Instructor
Tony was awarded the George Medal and a Mention in Dispatches for his service in Northern Ireland, where he dealt with hundreds of improvised explosive devices and booby-traps: on more than one occasion whilst under direct attack. He went on to serve for 25 years as an Ammunition Technician, seeing service in Bahrain, Oman, Belize, Cyprus and the Falkland Islands.
Upon leaving the Army, Tony was appointed Principal Professional Technology Officer with the Anti Terrorist Branch of the Metropolitan Police in Central London and had a critical role in the fight against crime and terrorism, during which he rendered safe a variety of explosive devices aimed at domestic and foreign targets. In 2009 and 2010 Tony instructed and mentored EOD & IEDD Operators for both the ANA and ANP at the EOD School at Muzar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan.
Simon Bishop
Adjunct Instructor
Simon is an ISSEE stalwart, having been with the company for over 10 years, and has recently been appointed to his well deserved present position. His extensive knowledge and experience of the business is swiftly recognised by all, including students when delivering training sessions, staff when assisting with course planning and materials, sourcing equipment and providing advice when necessary.
Support
Aidan Watts
UK & Europe Sales Manager
Aidan joined the British Army in 1977 and served for 12 years in REME where he served in Northern Ireland, Germany, Canada, Middle East and UK. Upon leaving the Armed Forces he went into UK and Export Sales where he has worked in the areas of Safety and Survival Equipment, SAR Communications and Specialist Ammunition selling mainly to overseas MoD’s.
Aidan brings experience and a wide contact base to the role of UK and Europe Sales Manager for ISSEE.
Brendan Vanner
Business Manager
Brendan has recently left the Royal Engineers after serving 25 years, of which 10 years was as a Bomb Disposal Officer. He was employed operationally, spending 2 years teaching the Defense EOD Operators Course and finished his service as the Instructor Development Warrant Officer for DEMS Training Regiment.
Brendan has seen service in Northern Ireland (as a searcher), Bosnia, Oman (instructing Bomb Disposal), Falkland Islands and two tours of Afghanistan (in a Bomb Disposal role) where he received a Mention in Dispatches. Alongside this, Brendan ran a successful qualification business delivering Munition Clearance Qualifications to the British Army, Navy and Air Force.
Brendan Vanner joined ISSEE in May 2015 as Assessor Centre Manager, heading up the Assessment & Quality Assurance training for Assessors and Internal Quality Assessors.
Barbara Bardecka
HR and Executive Support Manager
Barbara graduated from Coventry University in 2009 with Master's Degree (with Merit) in Human Resources Management. The same year she obtained her full CIPD qualification.
Barbara is an experienced human resources specialist, worked previously for large corporations like Jaguar Land Rover and DHL. Barbara joined ISSEE in February 2018.
Hayley Irimia
Assistant Management Accountant
Hayley has extensive experience as an assistant accountant and holds a professional qualification from the AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians). She has had a well-established career working in the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering industries, before starting work for ISSEE in 2016.
Hayley is the first point of contact for accounting responsibilities at ISSEE, bringing her strong skills in management accounting, account reconciliation, project costing, accounts payable and Microsoft Office to the company as part of her role.
Gill Fothergill
Client Support Manager
Gill is an experienced administrator. She has worked in a variety of roles over the years within both the private and public sector including Thames Valley Police at their driver training school. Her role encompasses many duties including student pastoral support, accommodation & transport bookings and the day to day management of a busy office.
Gill also provides support to the Business Manager and Technical Director to assist with UK and International student enrolments, course planning, training and development. Gill is the manager of the ISSEE admin support team, who ensure visitors are given a warm welcome when they arrive at ISSEE.
Sonia Cook
Administrative Assistant
Sonia works with the Client Support Manager, meeting and greeting visitors at ISSEE’s welcome desk and assisting with the daily running of reception. Sonia brings her experience of working in a busy secondary school administration team to handle the company phones, diary and customer queries each day, as well as assisting with bookings, travel arrangements and arrivals to ISSEE.
Mo Latif
Translator
Mo is a very experienced Arabic – English and English – Arabic translator and interpreter especially on subjects related to military and explosives. Mo joined ISSEE after spending a long time working as a freelancer. He is a qualified civil engineer who worked for over ten years in the Middle East and the Far East then changed his profession to become an experienced in the field of translation and interpretation for over ten years.
Nico Ilie
Maintenance and Technical Assistant
Nico has been a friendly and familiar face at ISSEE for over 4 years, with a broad range of skills and technical abilities that ensure that our instructors and staff members are supported at all times. The years he spent working for the Romanian Police Force underpin his competence as a highly capable and attentive technical assistant, particularly when it comes to delivering a safe and secure environment for staff and students while they work and train at ISSEE.
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