Michelle Russell has been appointed as the Chief Executive of the Security Industry Authority (SIA), the organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry in the United Kingdom. Russell has been serving as Acting Chief Executive of SIA since October 2020.
The regulator’s new Chief Executive has over 25 years’ experience of working in regulation and regulatory environments in both the public and private sectors. She joined the SIA as Director of Partnership and Interventions in January 2020, leading the criminal enforcement and regulatory inspection functions.
“I am delighted to announce that Michelle Russell is appointed substantively to the role of Chief Executive,” said Heather Baily QPM, chair of SIA. “Michelle brings a wealth of experience in the public sector together with positive, inclusive leadership skills and strong personal values to the Chief Executive role. She will now continue to build on the excellent work that the SIA is delivering nationally, with a continued focus on public safety.
“We conducted a rigorous recruitment campaign to identify the best possible candidate for the Chief Executive role during the summer of this year, supported by an independent executive recruitment company,” continued Baily. “The final interview panel were unanimous in their view that Michelle was the best person for this important role. This appointment has Ministerial support from both the Home Office and from Ministers in the devolved administrations of Northern Ireland and Scotland.”
