Dr Sally Leivesley has worked as a company director since 1988 in Australian companies she established to provide risk services. Newrisk Limited was formed in the United Kingdom for the provision of independent advice and services for risk, major incidents and business continuity.
Catastrophic or extreme risk across has been the special focus covering incidents of any origin that threatened critical functions of companies or business. Protection of life and business continuity under catastrophic loss events has included chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and economic terrorist attacks with global information security systems being a focus. Alongside reading for a PhD (University of London) in the field of economics Dr Leivesley trained in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents with the British Government. Post doctorally she was contracted with security clearance to advise on extreme threats to government and to the public. She has also been invited to advise and research on consequences of TMI and Chernobyl incidents.
Dr Leivesley assisted in the first exercise in London where government and private sector corporate security personnel cooperated in desktop testing. She prepares global threat scenarios of the most extreme future threats from terrorism for joint exercising of counter terrorist police from several countries in a special cooperative training programme. She has exercised financial managers, information security managers, petrochemicals, gas and many other industry sectors internationally over the past fifteen years.
Dr Leivesley acts as a commentator and news spokesperson for the BBC and other media in the event of major terrorist attacks such as embassy bombing In Jakarta, the Beslan school siege, hostage taking events in Iraq, embassy bombings in Saudi and Turkey and interpretation of economic and extreme threats from global terrorism to the UK and other countries. She also advises on documentaries on chemical, biological, radiological or economic terrorism.
Experience in risk management has been gained from working in the finance, transportation, energy and other industry sectors in the United Kingdom and on many sectors of industry in Australia where remote capability for survival is a primary requirement for many companies supporting critical infrastructure.
International corporate or government work on major facilities where risk assessments, exercises or continuity programmes have been undertaken include:
The Channel Tunnel, The Thames Barrier, The Sydney Airport Line (underground rail 11 km tunnel) Global banks, Petrochemicals and gas sites, Power Stations, Bulk materials storage and shipping Above ground and underground coal mines, Rail movements with annual tonnage of hazardous materials, 10 million+ over 10,000 kilometre system, Rail Control Systems (above and below ground) Counter terrorism policy (national), Aviation, Retail.
Reviews and Government Appointments (Australia)
Director of a City Recovery Unit post major hazard event, Commissioner of Review Fire Services (82 fire brigades in Australia), Industrial Safety Review, Risk expert for rail mass casualty Inquiry, Toxic waste Task Force for recovery of a suburban area.
Innovatory Systems and Materials Designs:
Information systems protection, information systems design, and major hazard continuity management software concepts design, devices for coal mine entrapment protection of underground workers, rail risk management at control room operations level, specialized materials for use in protection against terrorism, hazardous chemicals teams and vehicles to support fire services.
Fellowships and Memberships:
Fellowships: Royal Society for Arts, Manufacturing and Science and the Institute for Civil Defence and Disaster Studies.
Memberships: Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies, the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators, the British Computer Society Information Security Group, the Australian College of Education (MACE). Meetings of the World Federation of Scientists are attended twice a year in Erice (including CERN meeting, 2004).
Presentations
- Disasters and Business Risk Workshop (view abstract)
Thursday, June 30th — 10.45-12.30 - Disasters and Business Risk Workshop conclusion (view abstract)
Thursday, June 30th — 01.30-02.30