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Smart security for a smart nation

Although Singapore is known around the world for its safety – it topped the 2018 Gallup Law and Order Index thanks to its citizens’ sense of personal security and positive experiences with law enforcement – like any major global city, it faces heightened security threats from crime and terrorism.

The city-state’s industrial, commercial and residential premises, as well as events, are currently looked after by about 240 security agencies, 600 security service providers and 47,000 active security officers, but given the growing number of buildings and facilities in Singapore, it is increasingly difficult for the traditionally manpower-reliant security sector to keep up.

In February this year, the Singaporean government launched the security industry transformation map (ITM). The Security ITM, led by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), seeks to transform the industry from one that is personnel-heavy to one that leverages technology and skills to deliver high-quality security solutions through an investment of about $7 million over the next three years.

As part of the government’s road map, a blueprint has been created for outcome-based security contracts, shifting the emphasis from the number of boots on the ground to the actual performance of security firms. In practice, this will mean businesses in Singapore will no longer need to specify headcount requirements in a security tender, but instead will have the ability to specify a proposed response time for a security crisis.

The initiative also seeks to provide better, more interesting work for those employed in the security sector, shifting away from laborious patrols to more highly-skilled tasks.

Established in 1997, Singaporean security firm Concorde Security Pte is working to spearhead change as part of the sector’s ITM.“The security industry has not changed much since the caveman stood guard outside his cave. The incremental change since then was to adorn guards with a uniform and various gadgets so that they look transformed. But the human lapses like sleeping on the job did not go away,” says Alan Chua, executive director.

“In the coming years, the current model of mundane security jobs like monitoring and patrolling work that is susceptible to human lapses will be replaced by a new platform based on technology solutions. This will free up precious manpower to deliver enhanced security outcomes.”

Singapore is taking a collaborative approach to overhauling the industry, with Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) partnering with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the industry at large to drive the adoption of digital solutions by SMEs operating in the sector.

As part of its focus on supporting pilot projects that have the potential to uplift the whole sector under its SMEs Go Digital programme, IMDA supported the roll-out of Concorde’s I-Man facility Sprinter (IFIS) solution. This comprises a mesh network of multiple mobile command centres with the unique security infrastructure of cameras, sensors and wireless communication equipment, providing the ability to monitor a cluster of buildings in real-time. A team of three officers operating within the vehicle monitor through automated alerts generated from the security infrastructure and respond immediately to any security incidents. Currently, the IFS is deployed at more than 140 premises. With support from IMDA, Concorde can secure 30 buildings with nine officers instead of with 30 security guards, meaning better salaries and working conditions for those it employs.

The company, which has recently transformed from a traditional security provider to a state-of-the-art technology firm, is now rolling out a series of smart technological solutions, turning the security sector on its head. Today, its officers monitor security at malls, offices and industrial complexes not just by patrolling the ground, but through virtual surveillance. And rather than physically guarding vehicles to prevent theft as goods are being unloaded, they harness behavioural analytics to detect suspicious acts.

To ensure Singapore’s security workforce has the skills required to participate in the new digital reality of the sector being led by companies such as Concorde, the Ministry of Home Affairs has signed a memorandum of understanding with Temasek Polytechnic for a new Specialist Diploma in Security Consultancy to be offered from April 2019. The programme will cover risk assessment, building security and relevant legislation, security technology, and project management, helping to bring further professionalism and capabilities into the sector.

Through bold and disruptive innovation, Concorde Security is redefining the business proposition for the whole industry, setting new standards for the security sector of the future. And with training opportunities, better wages and the adoption of technology, the company’s hope is that it will be able to draw younger and more Singaporeans – and retain them – to meet a demand that is unlikely to stop growing.

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Infocomm Commerce Conference

As one of the convention speakers, Mr Alan Chua delivered his speech at the conference on “Disrupting the Manned Guarding Industry – The Concorde Way”. His speech was about disrupting the traditional security industry by leveraging on advance technology to address various manpower problems that the industry currently facing.

Alan is the inventor of 3 innovative patented solutions called I-Man Facility Sprinter (IFS), the I-Man Access Control System (IMACS), and Secured Aerial Viewer and Secured Cruise Vessel marketed under the “I-GuardingTM” brand with a “Man-Less” philosophy using technology at the front with human elevated to a higher role.

Launch of I-Guarding Global Alliance & I-Man Access Control System

SINGAPORE, 3 Oct 2018 – Underlining the importance of a global shift from manned-guarding security services to technology-enabled security services, Executive Director of Concorde Security, Alan Chua has described the Concorde-led international I-Guarding Global Alliance (IGA) as a “big ray of hope for the transformation of the security industry in Singapore and abroad”.

“The security industry has not changed much since the cave man stood guard outside his cave. The incremental change since then was to adorn guards with a uniform and various gadgets so that they look transformed. But the human lapses like sleeping on the job did not go away. That has to change. IGA aims to have a similar impact on security services as what Uber is doing to meet the transportation needs of the public,” he said, referring to the upstart transport service company that uses technology to make on-demand transportation easy. This has disrupted the taxi industry all over the world.

“The role that security guards play today will be transformed by a mobile command centre that receives video images and alerts beamed from smart CCTV cameras located at strategic points of a building. Based on a cluster of buildings model, this will reduce the reliance on manpower and drive costs down. This is the first I-Guarding solution we introduced to the world, the I-Man Facility Sprinter (IFS). At the same time, we believe SMART Cities like Singapore must have SMART Security Solutions.”

Mr Chua was speaking on Wednesday at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding by the five founding members of IGA – Concorde Security, G4S Singapore, Guthrie FMC, Amulet and Guardforce. Amulet is based in UK and Guardforce is based in Hong Kong. The IGA signing ceremony was witnessed by Professor Yaacob Ibrahim, the former minister who served in various government ministries for the last 16 years.

“In the coming years, the current model of mundane security jobs like monitoring and patrolling work that is susceptable to human lapses will be replaced by a new platform based on technology solutions. This will free up precious manpower to deliver enhanced security outcomes ,” said Alan.

The founding members of IGA aim to mobilise like-minded organisations the world over that believe in using technology solutions to provide enhanced security outcomes, eliminate security guards and drive costs down. “Organisations need security services. Who needs security guards? Only security agencies,” quipped Alan.

Concorde Security also launched a new access control system – the I-Man Access Control System (IMACS) that is PDPA compliant, fully automated (i.e. unmanned), provides for visitor analytics to the host, tenants and building managers and supports public safety announcements. This is the second I-Guarding solution from Concorde. This patented system is the world’s first visitor access control system that does not require any form of identity document or related personal data. Designed and made in Singapore, this system is offered on a pay-per-use model which means tenants with less visitors will not be penalised by subsidising those with high visitor traffic. Existing visitor management systems that do not address all the four elements offered by IMACS that are critical in visitor access control will be rendered obsolete. The launch of IMACS was presided by Professor Yaacob who did the ribbon cutting.

Both events were held at the sidelines of the Security Industry Conference 2018 where Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo was the Guest of Honour. “There is an urgent need to reimagine how security services are delivered to meet increasing demand for security services, fuelled by the heightened security threat and growing number of buildings islandwide. Having more manpower alone is not the answer,” she said at the opening of the Security Industry Conference at Marina Bay Sands.

Minister Teo who is well versed with Concorde Security was at the booth to lend her support to the company’s innovative security solutions.

Disrupting the Security Industry – The Concorde Way

Outline:

We are pleased to announce that the story written by Singapore Management University on how Alan Chua and Concorde Security’s IFS Smart Security Solution is disrupting the Security Industry in Singapore has been captured in an article published by Harvard Business Publishing to use as a case study in understanding resilience theory, disruptive innovation, and change management in the context of introducing disruptive innovation to an industry.

If you would like to purchase a copy, please go to:

Article summary:

This case is based on the real-life events of Mr Alan Chua, Executive Director of Concorde Security Pte Ltd, a private security firm based in Singapore. The case details his observations made during his many years of being in the industry. Excesses, inefficiencies and legacy practices that he felt no longer applied in today’s changing security landscape bore the brunt of his dissatisfaction with the industry.

Having seen first-hand the poor working conditions that front-line security officers had to go through, Alan was additionally motivated to make their lives better, primarily through the adoption of technology.

However, the industry game changer lies in the complete revamp of the business model that private security operators are currently utilizing. Having a good idea is usually not good enough. Alan faced negative reactions from his peers in the industry. Regulations by the authorities also did not help his cause. He sought to overcome these challenges and picked up some innovation awards in the process. He has seen far greater profit margins with his new approach. Although his revenue has taken a hit, it is projected that in the foreseeable future, as more organisations adopt his technologies, he will surpass his former successes.

SME BIZ-Innovation Summit 2018

Singapore – Two of the key management of Concorde Security spoke as panelists during the SME – BIZ Innovation Summit. This summit was initiated to encourage SME to do more innovation on their respective sectors.  Moreover, Singapore government is also boosting its support for the SME to maximize their efforts for new disruptive innovations.

Concorde Security is known for its disruptive innovation called “I-Guarding Solutions”. This innovation transformed the traditional man-guarding system into a more advance, efficient, and effective security solution by utilizing technology. Furthermore, the said innovation has also become the model for the Security Industry Transformation Map (ITM).

SFMA Capabilities Series: The Future of Security with Concorde

Singapore Food Manufacturing Association (SFMA) partnered with Concorde Security to showcase the I-Man Facility Sprinter (IFS) as a solution for Future of Security at one of its member, Thong Siek Food Industry, which has recently adopted the IFS solution.  Multiple buildings can share resources with a IFS command center and a response team and as such an expectedly lower security cost for individual building owners.  Multiple IFS teams provide the redundancy in case of any surge in demand.  Through this patented and multiple award winning solution, Concorde Security is able to provide a significantly higher level of security assurance which is not possible under the current outdated man-guarding business model.  IFS is recognized as the new security business model moving forward being the main feature in the recent Security Industry Transformation Map (ITM) announced by MHA.

SG:D Industry Day 2018

Concorde Security at the SG:D Industry Day 2016

GCTC-SC3 Kickoff Conference 2018

Concorde Security Pte Ltd participated in the Global City Teams Challenge (GCTC) Kickoff Conference last February 6 – 8, 2018 at Washington D.C., USA

Concorde is now featured in the Security Industry Transformation Map (ITM)

Concorde was featured in Minister Josephine Teo’s speech during the 2018 ITM launch. Concorde Security delivers an efficient and effective security services to its customers by using advanced technology.

“ Next, IMDA will also support pilot projects to scale up the implementation of solutions that will potentially transform the whole industry, not just enterprise by enterprise, but the whole industry. One example is Concorde‘s iMan Facility Sprinter, or IFS, which was featured in the video. The IFS is a command centre in a van that wirelessly receives CCTV feeds from a cluster of buildings in an area. Multiple buildings can share resources with a command centre and a response team.”– Minister Josephine Teo, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Home Affairs & Second Minister for Manpower –

MoU signing with Blue Ocean Security Limited

Concorde Security Pte Ltd is delighted to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) with Blue Ocean Security Ltd on 23rd November 2017.

In conjunction of being conferred as one of winners of the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, inventor Mr Alan Chua, the Executive Director of Concorde Security signed the MoU with Mr Donald Li Chi-chung, the Chief Executive Officer of Blue Ocean Security during the Award Ceremony at The Ritz Carlton, Singapore.

Donald Li is a former Superintendent of Hong Kong Police Force and has over 28 years of experience in tackling organized and serious crimes and narcotics, managing and securing large public events and chairing centralized police command centres.  He was commended and recognized on numerous occasions for his contributions by the Hong Kong Police Commissioner.

Both companies recognize the unique advantage of Concorde Security’s patented business model and solutions to disrupt the market and Blue Ocean Security’s expertise and access to “The Silk Road Economic Belt” markets and will collaborate in bringing about a more secure and safer way in protecting assets across these markets.

Concorde Security Pte Ltd is a multiple award-winning Singapore home-grown disruptor of the security industry using a technology and IP-driven strategy to transform its business – and its industry. It is now in the process of expanding its activities internationally, focusing on Asia, Europe and the USA with offices currently in Singapore, Malaysia and the United Kingdom.Blue Ocean Security Ltd is an international company with the vision of embracing China’s “Belt and Road” initiatives in providing customers with high-quality, all-round security services and becoming the largest security company in the Asia Pacific region.  It currently operates out of Hong Kong and London, and have projects as far out as in Africa.