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
Finance Director
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 and more recently with 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 demands of a busy office.
Gill works with instructors and the assessor centre manager to assist with the smooth co-ordination of courses, record management and student enrolments. As first point of contact in reception, Gill ensures visitors are given a warm welcome to ISSEE.
Philameano Walsh
Financial Controller
Philameano Walsh completed her MBA studies in 1999. When Philameano joined ISSEE as Financial Controller in January 2013 she brought a wealth of experience of working with organisations providing bespoke or highly specialised products and services to a selective or niche market customer base.
Working closely with ISSEE’s Financial Director, Philameano ensures that the Senior Management Team have a full understanding of ISSEE’s financial position, offering a solid base for business planning.
Simon Bishop
Technical Assistant
Simon is an ISSEE stalwart having been with the company for over 7 years. The extent of his broad range of abilities & skills ensures that our instructors and staff members are supported at all times. Simon is a friendly and familiar face to our students who appreciate his diligence in the areas of safety and his technical knowledge, as well as his outgoing disposition.
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.
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