UAE-based security firm Restrata appoints Neil Purcell as head of consulting

UAE-based security services firm Restrata has appointed Neil Purcell as its new head of consultancy for the Middle East, North Africa and abroad. Purcell has over 20 years of experience in the security systems field.

Established in 2006, and strengthened following a 2014 merger with fellow security outfit the Stirling Group, Restrata, which has principle offices dotted throughout the Middle East, provides services across the safety, security and emergency response spectrum, operating in some of the world’s most dangerous hot-spots including regional project experience in Syria, Sudan, Yemen, and Iraq.

Serving a diverse and high-profile client-base, such as the UN Refugee Agency, ExxonMobil, and the Dubai Safari Park, Restrata works across the core sectors of national security, critical assets, transport & logistics, built environment and international development, with offerings broadly in the areas of training, operations technology, monitoring and response, risk assessments and security consulting – the latter to be led by the firm’s newly appointed Head of Consultancy, Neil Purcell.

Purcell, who officially came on board in January, has been tasked with leading the firm’s consultancy division along with efforts toward continued growth and international expansion, with the firm expressing a strong focus on developing in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia Pacific. In pursuit of these goals, the new consultancy head will be able tap into over 20 years of experience in the electronic, physical, and integrated security systems design fields.

Restrata’s Managing Director, Botan Osman, who was elevated to the role last year after leading the firm’s Business Development, Sales and Marketing and formerly serving as its Country Director for Kurdistan & North Iraq, said of the fresh appointment; “I am thrilled to welcome Neil on board. His technical know-how, coupled with his extensive experience in the region makes him a valuable addition to the team.”

Much of that experience over the past decade has been with the planning, design and engineering consulting firm TPS Consult as a Senior Security Consultant, with stints on a project for the Central Bank of Kuwait, following which he served in the same role for the multidisciplinary planning consultancy Shen Milson & Wilke.

On the announcement of his latest appointment, Purcell said, “I am excited to take on this challenging new role and lead such an experienced and passionate team of consultants, working on iconic projects around the globe, from the UAE, to Indonesia, and Spain.”

Safety Consulting

Restrata’s consultancy division, according to the firm, plays a pivotal role in the execution of construction, development and community projects which require built-in resilience measures at the foundational stage in order to mitigate any future safety and security risks.

At the launch of the firm’s new training and innovation centre ‘The Restrata Academy’, Osman recently said; “Many of our global clients are designing commercial property, malls, hotels, stadiums and other leisure attractions which are likely to attract crowds – it is paramount that the safety and security of these guests and visitors, as well as the operational staff, is considered from the outset, before a single brick is laid.”