Practice Leaders

Tony Collings OBE
Executive Chairman ECA Group

A fellow of the British Computer Society, an experienced CLAS Security consultant and qualified UK Government Security Accreditor, Tony is a regular conference speaker and authority on a wide area of associated Business and Data Assurance matters. He has 40 years experience in the practical application of system and network architecture, appropriate security policy, business assurance and continuity, and data and control centres for military, government and corporate application.

Now directing the overall business assurance challenges for the UK government Trusted Borders Programme, he was previously head of the Resilience, Security and Fraud prevention team for the UK National ID Card Programme.

Catherine Mitchell-Reid
CEO ECA Group

Catherine has 30 years of experience in global operational senior management, sales, marketing and specialised consulting. She has particular expertise in global leadership, operational optimisation including commercial effectiveness, new product development and global launch operations. Catherine is a certified transformational Executive Coach, having trained with Performance Consultants International lead by Sir John Whitmore and she will be accredited by the International Coaching Federation. She is a member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council. Catherine is a member of the British Computer Society and is active on several global marketing, leadership and coaching forums. She holds UK Government SC clearance and coaches internationally with executive clients in Europe, the US and Asia.

David Perry
Chief Technical Officer, and Practice Lead PKI

David is a subject matter specialist in Identity Management, Biometrics and Information Security and Assurance. Most recently he has worked for Raytheon, the Home Office and Borders and Immigration Agency (BIA), BP, Patient First Alliance (NHS), Prudential, COR‐IBS, Royal Bank Scotland Group, Barclays Asset Finance, Corporate Banking and Barclays Capital. His experience includes strategy, design and project management of Enterprise and Solution Architectures.

Martin Hogan
Partner, Head of Practice, Corporate Business Assurance

Martin has huge global experience in corporate General Management, marketing, sales, performance optimisation and organisational protection and integrity of Information and Data, principally in the Pharmaceutical arena - where Corporate, National and International perspectives are daily concerns. Key skills are Strategy design and implementation at the highest level and management consulting at C- Suite and exec/ senior operational levels. After military service Martin obtained legal and business degrees before moving into the Pharmaceutical Industry where his final position was as Director of Operations for a global company. He then lead the international expansion of a highly specialised market research company from its’ Swedish base to a global platform, and has undertaken numerous global consulting engagements with Top 10 Pharma companies.

Toby Stevens
Practice Lead Privacy & Identity Management

Toby is a privacy, security and identity expert who specialises in facilitating debate about the implications of managing privacy and personal information, and has also worked in security management research, Year 2000, euro implementation and broader IT project management roles. The author of the Information Commissioner's 'Privacy by Design' report, and publisher of Computer Weekly's privacy blog, Toby is a leading commentator on privacy issues.

Toby is a Fellow of the British Computer Society, where he chairs the Information Privacy Expert Panel, sits as a referee for the RSA Conference Europe and Kantara ID Deployment of the Year awards, and sits on the Department for Transport’s Road Pricing Advisory Forum. He is is also a member of the European Advisory Committee for the International Association of Privacy Professionals, and a referee for the Economic and Social Research Council.

Fraser Smith
Head of Practice, Business Assurance

Fraser has been involved in IT/IS/IA within the Ministry of Defence and other Government departments including the Security Services for the last 35 years before joining the ECA Group in January 2009. He is a highly skilled HMG Accreditor and CLAS consultant with a breadth of complementary skills of complex network and IT security technologies. As an overall security professional he has a huge depth of knowledge both at the theoretical and the practical level, combined with a proven managerial background. He delivers outstanding results from his team utilising excellent teamwork, co-ordination and motivational skills, with huge professional and personal integrity. He is currently SC cleared and held security clearance to DV (Developed Vetting) status as the Senior Pan Government Accreditor.

He is an expert in the pragmatic application of all HMG Security Policy, Physical and Technical Security Measures, Corporate Business Assurance, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery and was granted Head of Profession status in recognition of his services to Accreditation within Government.

Matthew Mitchell
ECA Ocean: Trusted Crew Services

ECA Ocean Skipper, Matt Mitchell, is a commercially endorsed RYA/MCA (Royal Yacht Association/Maritime & Coastguard Agency) Offshore Instructor and RYA/MCA Ocean Yachtmaster. He qualified at the age of 18 and has accumulated over 75,000 nautical miles. Matt is passionate about the ocean and he has been sailing and racing since he was 14 years old. He is tremendously enthusiastic and knowledgeable and loves sharing with people his passion, sailing. Since he started sailing, he has sailed in numerous places and regattas around the world, including Europe, the Caribbean and America. He has 9 transatlantic crossings, 2 Fastnet races and several full racing seasons in the Caribbean with bluewater cruising and deliveries and extensive offshore experience around Europe and the Caribbean.

He is a very popular Instructor, building a solid practice in the Solent, southern UK; and a successful racer, notably leading his Crew to second place in Class in the 2010 ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) as the youngest professional skipper in the race.