Lord Andrew Parker of Minsmere, former Director General of the U.K. Security Service and current Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household, and Carlos Velazquez, Mexico Country Security Manager for Shell, have been selected as recipients of the 2021 and 2022 Distinguished Achievement Awards from the International Security Management Association (ISMA).

The award recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions in the security profession in the public or private sector as a practitioner, provider or technologist.

“We are very pleased to announce the selection of Lord Parker and Mr. Velazquez as the recipients of the 2021 and 2022 ISMA Distinguished Achievement Awards,” says Liz Chamberlin, Executive Director of ISMA. “The pandemic prevented us from making an award in 2021, and we were thrilled to honor these two worthy recipients during our member meeting in June.”

Lord Parker has served in various security and intelligence roles throughout the British public sector, starting in the Security Service in 1983 and eventually earning the Director General role at MI5 before assuming the Lord Chamberlain position in the Royal Household. “Lord Parker’s leadership in dealing with the security threats and attacks faced by the United Kingdom and its allies throughout his career has been exemplary and stands out as an extraordinary example to ISMA’s global membership, many of whom who also hail from a range of corporate security and public service backgrounds,” says Chris Rackow, President of ISMA’s Board of Directors.

Carlos Velazquez has managed the security function at Shell in Mexico for six years and leads the Coparmex Security Working Group in Mexico, and “his work to create partnerships to reduce hijackings and theft in the El Bajio region of Mexico, and the resulting marked impacts for both his company and others operating there have demonstrated real impact for the industry,” says Rackow.

Congratulations to Lord Andrew Parker and Carlos Velazquez!