Security Is You(th): Shaping the Future of Security
The 1st and 2nd of June marked the first UK Security is You(th) hackathon-style competition aimed at giving the next generation of security professionals the chance to shine - and shine they did.
Hosted at the stunning May Fair Hotel, the event brought together university students, apprentices, and early-career professionals to tackle a real-world incident response challenge. Teams were given a dynamic security scenario to solve in less than 48 hours - testing their ability to analyse, collaborate, and present like seasoned professionals.
Congratulations to Our Winning Team
A huge round of applause goes to Joe Searle, Joshua Petrook, and Natalia Buturlia, who met online for the first time on Sunday and by Monday had delivered a thoughtful, well-rounded solution that considered not just the operational response, but the human and logistical factors involved.
But let’s be honest - every single team impressed.
The judges noted how incredibly close the final scores were, reflecting the calibre, professionalism, and originality shown by all participants. Special recognition goes to:
Iisa Kosonen, Amelia Fish, Katerina Duran Mynenko, Mahena K., and Olivia Shepherd from Buro Happold
Eilin Berrio, Freddie Venables, Safia Bourouis, Jack Timmins, and Anastasia Jobard from Securitas UK
These participants didn’t just show up - they brought new ideas, energy, and the kind of cross-disciplinary thinking that gives us real hope for the future of the security industry.
A European Effort
This year’s event was part of a wider European initiative, with sister hackathons taking place across the Spanish, Italian, French, and Benelux chapters of ASIS International. The alignment across chapters shows what we can achieve when we come together with a shared mission: nurturing the next generation of security leaders.
Huge Thanks to Our Sponsors
Events like this are only possible thanks to the generosity and support of our sponsors.
We’d like to thank:
The May Fair Hotel, Everbridge, Wesco Anixter, Association of Security Consultants, Convergint, AlertMedia, FFA Security Group, and Securitas UK.
And to Our Judges & Contributors
Our expert judging panel - Heidy Wiegel, Graeme Orsborn, Rick Mounfield MSc CSyP FSyI, Stuart Nash MSc CPP FSyI, Bruce Annandale CPP MSc, and Farah Benis - gave their time and insight to offer invaluable feedback to each team.
We’re also incredibly grateful to Lee Oughton and Tim Wenzel for donating copies of The Kindness Games, and to David Rubens for contributing copies of his book Strategic Risk and Crisis Management. Everbridge also supported the event with ASIS Certification gift certificates for our winners.
Steering Committee Appreciation
A heartfelt thank you to the UK Steering Committee, led by Farah Benis, with members Shakirra Patel, Bruce Annandale, and Clarkson Ivoye, for months of planning and coordination that made the event possible.
Security is You(th) reminds us of the power of opportunity - what happens when you put real-world challenges into the hands of those with fresh perspectives, the courage to try, and the drive to lead.
The future of security isn’t just coming. It’s already here. And it’s looking bright.
