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SECOND
INTERVIEW
Rob Oliver
Secretary to the Council
What does your role in the PSSA involve?
I lead the administration of the PSSA,
together with my long term colleague,
Claire Kelly. That means working with
members of the PSSA Council, organis-
ing meetings and conferences, making
sure the bills are paid etc. I was also able
to help set up the PSSA when we started
a little over three years ago.
What’s your vision for PSSA over the next
year/ 3 years/ 5 years?
Now we have the Verification Scheme up
and running, with the installation part
of the programme close to implementa-
tion, our big task for next year is to add
some further activities to our offering.
We have just arranged for our friends
at Counter Terror Business magazine to
help promote us at a large number of
security related events next year, so that
will get the PSSA name out there. I’m
also keen to get some project and facto-
ry visits organised for members – and we
are starting to develop our relationship
with UKTI to benefit members who have
an interest in overseas markets. Longer
term I think our relationship with more
government departments and agencies
will be important. The CPNI were the
catalysts for getting the PSSA started but
there are other organisations that we
need to get closer to. In 5 years I would
expect PSSA membership to be well over
the 100 mark.
Where have you previously worked?
I started training as a chartered
accountant but then went into the trade
association management business and
have stuck with it. The job has involved
working with lots of different industries. I
was a director of a photographic asso-
ciation when somebody came along to
a meeting and asked “what’s this digital
imaging thing?”. Within five years the
imaging sector had been revolutionised
and traditional silver halide photography
and business models had been trashed.
I’ve also done a lot of work in the con-
struction equipment sector. Highlights
there have included managing a lean
manufacturing-related programme on
behalf of the industry – and starting a
new trade show from scratch.
What would people be surprised to learn
about you?
Variously over the years I’ve been the
manager of an R&B band, founder mem-
ber of a boxing appreciation society,
member of a national committee of a
political party (those with blue rosettes)
and treasurer of an African wildlife con-
servation charity. Today I’m committed to
growing chilli plants in North Yorkshire
(not an easy task) and American country
music. My company also sponsors a bear,
Elizabeth Rose, who now lives comforta-
bly in a wildlife refuge in Florida.
What’s the first thing you would do if you
were prime minister?
I would broadcast to the British people
and explain that government can’t solve
all their problems. People tend to vote
for the politicians that tell them what
they want to hear, and then complain
afterwards that they lied. But if poli-
ticians tell it like it is, no one votes for
them(!).
Who would you most like to meet and
why?
Alan Devonshire. He was one of the great
players I saw when I was a regular at the
Boleyn Ground, Upton Park, in the 1980s.
Not sure what I would say to him, I met
the equally great Phil Parkes once and
was tongue tied.
What 3 things would you take to a desert
island?
A copy of One Hundred Years of Solitude
by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a packet of
scotch bonnet seeds and a teddy bear.
PSSA
Members:
Allens Total Perimeter
Security
APT Security Systems
ATG Access Ltd
Avon Barrier Company
Barkers Fencing Ltd
Bavak Security Group
Betafence
Bridgeway Pro-Barriers
Bristorm, Hill & Smith Ltd
Broughton Controls Ltd
Cova Security Gates
Darfen Durafencing
Hardstaff Traffic Barrier
Services Ltd
J&S Franklin Ltd
DM+ Security
Eagle Automation Systems
Ltd
The Expanded Metal
Company
Extrudakerb (Maltby
Engineering) Ltd
The Fencing Partnership Ltd
Fensec Ltd
Frontier Pitts Ltd
Heald Ltd
Hesco Bastion Ltd
Highway Care
J B Corrie & Co Ltd
Marshalls
Mira Ltd
Securiscape Ltd
Security Solutions Ltd
Tata Steel Projects
Tescon
TRL
Vale
Volker Fitzpatrick
Zaun Ltd
News Issue 2 December 2013