Michael is a Senior Intelligence Analyst for Macquarie USA. He possesses a PhD in International Relations and Politics from Florida International University with a background in global security issues, the geopolitics of the Middle East and South Asia, and emerging (political, security) threats to O&G markets. Michael is a member of the OSAC: Energy Sector Committee (ESC) steering committee member and has 10+ years of experience in the analysing, writing, and educating on issues related to geopolitics and international security. Prior to working for Macquarie, Michael held positions in academia, political risk analysis and as a researcher at a DC-based, policy think-tank.

Multifaceted trilingual senior professional with over twenty years experience in risk mitigation, project management, foreign affairs and international security. Expertise in analytical writing, in-depth research, qualitative and quantitative evaluations, information delivery and collaboration. Cultivates extensive professional networks for information-gathering and benchmarking purposes.

Lady Olga Maitland, Chairman of the Board at Algeria British Business Council; President, Defence and Security Forum; Board Advisor

Lady Olga Maitland has wide experience in all major Governance, risk Management and Compliance issues in general and global Fraud and Corruption problems in particular. She is a special adviser to a number of dignitaries and a widely sought after speaker at all Major Conferences on several Corporate Governance issues. Lady Olga is a former British MP for the Conservative party. Prior to her political career she was a reporter for the Fleet Street News Agency, a columnist in the London.

Dr Sally Leivesley is an independent advisor on risk to governments and companies and her role as managing director of Newrisk Limited (www. Newrisk.com) is to assess risks, run recovery operations and train and exercise in methods for protecting people and business from extreme incidents. It is an all- hazards approach and incorporates all industry and government activities. It requires a constant predictive element for ongoing risks for pre-emptive mitigation to reduce death and injury or extreme loss.  At the catastrophic level ,this usually involves developing novel solutions or creating an environment where it is possible for solutions to be developed. Exercises are one of the techniques for testing vulnerability and for encouraging the capability of teams to work under seemingly overwhelming conditions. 

 Memberships include the Register of Security Engineers and Specialists  (RSES) which has been established to promote excellence in security engineering  and which was created by a partnership between the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), and is administered by ICE.   She has been a Visiting Security Science Fellow to the ISST, Imperial College, London 2024-25 and has run many international scientific workshops on catastrophic risks, security and innovation in this role and for other scientific groups.   

Dr Leivesley’s contributions towards strategic security against Russian nuclear attacks in the UK commenced with in Cold War times from training as a Scientific Advisor with the British Home Office and working across all aspects of survival of the nation.  At the operational security level she has designed and participated in many forms of exercise and training including pre-Olympics Games field and walk-through exercises in two countries and involving infrastructure, emergency responders and population protection from terrorism and chemical/biological threats, accidents and natural hazards.  She has undertaken field exercises with large responder groups and infrastructure including power stations and power distribution, petrochemical sites, railways, bulk shipping, airports and manufacturing and remote exercises with financial sector and other sectors including utilities.  Investigations have been undertaken in the three major nuclear reactor incidents and advice provided on effects on the public and protection for the business sector. Analysis has also been undertaken on mass casualty and high threat accidents involving transportation and the extraction industries and she has served as the risk adviser to a judicial inquiry.    

 Dr Leivesley is invited to act as an international media commentator by British and other international news outlets on incidents such as the 2025 Heathrow Airport transformer fire outage, 2024 Paris Olympics rail sabotage, 2023 Chinese spy balloon over USA nuclear missile site; cyber threats; terrorism; aviation losses including MH370; nuclear reactor disasters; South China Sea; Polonium-210 and Novichok poisonings, Beslan siege; Iran; DPRK; and Covid-19 – see www.newrisk.com.      

Alberto Gallardo works at Decysyon as a Security Manager for The Walt Disney Company for Spain and Portugal (Iberia). He is protecting the brand in all the events of the company, as well as the prevention of any risk that may affect to the brand. He also does intelligence reports for security and defense companies, among others.

Prior to his current experience, he worked as Senior Intelligence Analyst for the multinational Prosegur for 5 years, in charge of the elaboration and drafting of intelligence reports for strategic companies in the energy, banking and security field, between others.
Alberto received his Bachelor Degree in Law at the Carlos III University of Madrid. Subsequently, he obtained a Master Degree in Forensic Sciences and Criminal Investigation at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, where he specialized in terrorism and intelligence studies. He has also studied Security Management at several prestigious Spanish universities. Alberto speaks Spanish, English and Italian.

Charles Page is Palladium’s Director of Global Safety and Security, having worked with the company, in both project and corporate roles, over the past six years.  Palladium provides project management to clients from 75 offices, worldwide, specialising in humanitarian and sustainability projects.  Prior to Palladium, Charles served as a Brigadier in the British Army, operating in multiple countries and across a range of disciplines.  At the conference, he will talk through Palladium’s Crisis Management mechanism, providing useful advice based on recent experiences.