Winners of the 2024 OSPAs across 48 countries – the best of the best – will compete for the prestigious honour of being a Global OSPAs winner. Here’s NZ’s nine finalists.
The Global OSPAs will bring together the world’s most talented organisations, people, initiatives and products, showcasing the very best achievements in the sector on an international scale.
The virtual awards ceremony, which kicks off at 2pm GMT on 12th February 2025, is free to attend, allowing participants from all corners of the world to join in a global celebration of security excellence.
“The Global OSPAs have been designed to identify the outstanding performers in different areas of security work around the world. This was always our aim when we started 10 years ago,” said OSPAs founder Martin Gill.
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“This event will spotlight the remarkable individuals and organisations making a difference on a worldwide scale,” he said. “Being outstanding at security as opposed to merely good means people are safer and organisations less at risk; it is important we recognise those who excel at such work.”
And the finalists representing New Zealand (and their profiles from the 2024 NZ OSPAs) are:
Outstanding Contract Security Manager/Director
Isaac Taingahue – Optic Security Group
Optic Security Group’s Wellington Operations Manager Isaac Taingahue has a notable track record of having impressively managed several significant customers including Victoria University of Wellington, Transpower NZ, The Great War Exhibition, the Department of Conservation, and Te Whatu Ora, to name just a few.
Isaac is committed to delivering value-add to his customers, a trait that has characterised his career. The continued high satisfaction of the Wellington team’s long-term customers is testament to this.
Outstanding Security Team
Facility Security Officer Team – Beca
The Beca Facility Security Officer Team has made remarkable strides in enhancing protective security, significantly bolstering the safety of New Zealand Inc. Its deep involvement in Defence, National Security, and Critical Infrastructure underscores the impact of its work.
By designing and delivering intuitive, engaging training they’ve elevated the effectiveness of security awareness and national security clearance management across Beca. This initiative extends beyond Beca’s boundaries, reaching a broader spectrum of clients and new commercial partners.
Outstanding Contract Security Company (Guarding)
FIRST Security
FIRST Security, a forward-thinking company, aims to revolutionize the New Zealand security industry. The company focus lies in solving clients’ challenges by leveraging its people, systems, and technology to deliver bespoke security solutions.
Beyond products and revenue, FIRST prioritizes its people. To enhance flexibility and engagement, the company has introduced tiered pay rates for retail security officers, aligning with clients’ needs and budgets. This approach ensures optimal service delivery, especially at high-need sites where experienced officers collaborate with store teams to enhance safety outcomes.
Outstanding Security Consultant
Lee Ashton – Optic Security Group
Lee Ashton, a champion of customer-driven advisory services, excels in clear communication, imparting knowledge, and offering standards-based, evidence-based, and fit-for-purpose security risk consultancy. As part of Optic Security Group, Lee led significant security work for Southern Cross Healthcare Limited during 2022-23.
His contributions included Site Security Risk Assessments across 15 hospital and clinic sites nationwide, as well as an organisational-level security risk assessment overview. Lee’s holistic understanding spans physical security, health and safety, personnel security, privacy, data protection, cyber security, and organisational resilience.
His extensive knowledge of enterprise-level security systems enriches his advisory and design work, setting him apart in the industry.
Outstanding Security Installer/Integrator
Rishu Sharma – Evotek Technologies
Rishu, as a leader, embodies a team-oriented approach. He not only leads by example, but also fosters a culture of zero tolerance for failure. His team wholeheartedly embraces this ethos; valuing customers and generating respect from clients.
Rishu excels at presenting compelling business cases, showcasing the full spectrum of benefits from capital or operational investments. Moreover, he has innovated beyond expectations, devising an integrated technology solution that has bridged security and non-security domains, addressing an operational challenge well beyond the formal scope of the Evotek engagement. His leadership style is characterized by professionalism, patience, and a keen eye for strategic opportunities.
Outstanding Security Officer
Lositoa Moala – FIRST Security
Lositoa Moala (Losi), an Outstanding Security Officer, has been an integral part of FIRST Security for nearly three years. His unwavering commitment and dedication to safeguarding all sites he works on are commendable.
As a Retail Security Officer at Chartwell Mall, Hamilton, Losi’s actions exemplify selflessness and courage. During a recent aggravated robbery at a Michael Hill jewellery store, he went above and beyond to ensure public safety. Losi bridges the gap between clients and the security team, fostering strong partnerships.
His efforts extend beyond mere loss prevention; they contribute significantly to overall crime deterrence. Losi’s professionalism and proactive approach make him an invaluable asset to the security industry
Outstanding New Security Product
Controller 7000 (C7000) – Gallagher Security
The Controller 7000 (C7000), released to combat the rising tide of cyber-physical attacks, offers unparalleled cyber protections and advanced capabilities. Designed for longevity, it integrates security features at the silicon level.
Key features include Gallagher-Approved Firmware: Only authorized firmware runs on the C7000, preventing vulnerabilities; Anti-Cloning Measures: The device cannot be cloned or counterfeited; Secure Cryptographic Keys: Critical keys are stored securely, ensuring authenticity; Industry-Leading Security Infrastructure: It generates, processes, and stores cryptographic keys and certificates, thwarting supply chain attacks.
The C7000’s robust cybersecurity layers empower users to adapt and defend against sophisticated threats for years to come.
Outstanding Female Security Professional
Jemima Briggs – FIRST Security
Jem, with 20 years of experience in the retail sector at Procter and Gamble across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, brings a customer-centric perspective to security solutions.
Since joining FIRST in 2020, she has challenged norms and made a significant impact. Jem’s contributions include strategic client account management, focused sales, cultural awareness, improved employee benefits, and environmental sustainability initiatives.
As part of the Senior Leadership Team, she continues to drive innovation in an ever-changing market. Jem swiftly crafted a strong sales strategy and assembled a formidable sales team.
Outstanding Young Security Professional
Pascale Howell – Gallagher
Pascale is the Customer Research Manager at Gallagher Security. She plays a crucial role in enabling data-driven and customer-centric business strategies that directly impact End User and Channel Partner outcomes.
Joining Gallagher in 2018, Pascale works closely with the Research and Development (R&D) teams. By integrating thorough research into the development process, she ensures that the products and services delivered by Gallagher Security consistently meet the evolving needs of customers.
Pascale presents an unwavering commitment to customer centricity and her innate ability to transform data into actionable insights allows Gallagher Security to thrive as a trailblazer in the security industry.
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