ArmorGroup
Encyclopedia
ArmorGroup International is a British
company providing private security
. It was founded in 1981 and was listed on the London Stock Exchange until 6 June 2008 (it was acquired by G4S plc in April 2008).
ArmorGroup provides protective security services, risk management
consultancy, security training and mine action services. It has 38 offices in 27 countries, including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Colombia, Iraq, Lebanon, Nigeria and Sudan.
It is a founder and full member of the International Peace Operations Association (IPOA), the British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC) and the Private Security Company Association of Iraq
(PSCAI).
ArmorGroup is managed by Noel Philp, Chief Operating Officer
; Matthew Brabin, M.D.
and Christopher Beese, chief administrative officer
.
, a business principally involved in the manufacture of armored vehicles and law enforcement equipment, acquired DSL in 1997. Some of the current senior management team carried out a Management Buyout of the company in November 2003, backed by Granville Baird Capital Partners and Barclays Bank. ArmorGroup was listed on the main list of the London Stock Exchange
in December 2004.
In 2007, it posted a US$9.2 million profit, reporting $295 million turnover for that year. On 20 March 2008, the company announced that its Board had recommended a £43.6 million cash offer for the company by G4S plc. The acquisition completed on 29 April 2008.
On September 1, 2009, the Project On Government Oversight
sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton which detailed allegations of misconduct by over 10% of the 450 employees of ArmorGroup North America guarding the U.S. embassy in Kabul. The misconduct included hazing rituals with nudity, drinking and urinating on each other as well as an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. On September 4, 2009, the US State department announced that eight private security guards and some of their managers would be fired.
On October 27, 2010, the Department of State's Office Inspector General released a report finding that Armorgroup of North America had not been able to recruit, train, or manage the KESF at the staffing level or the quality required by its contract with the Department of State. They also found that AGNA had employed Nepalese guards without verifiable experience, training, or background investigations in violation of its contract.
. ArmorGroup provides security for roughly one third of all nonmilitary supply convoy
s in Iraq.
In 2007, the Washington Post cited U.S. Labor Department information that ArmorGroup had sustained 26 fatalities in Iraq
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
company providing private security
Private security company
A private security company is a for-profit enterprise, sometimes a corporation or a limited liability partnership, which provides armed and unarmed security services and expertise to private and public clients. Private security companies are defined by the U.S...
. It was founded in 1981 and was listed on the London Stock Exchange until 6 June 2008 (it was acquired by G4S plc in April 2008).
ArmorGroup provides protective security services, risk management
Risk management
Risk management is the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities...
consultancy, security training and mine action services. It has 38 offices in 27 countries, including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Colombia, Iraq, Lebanon, Nigeria and Sudan.
It is a founder and full member of the International Peace Operations Association (IPOA), the British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC) and the Private Security Company Association of Iraq
Private Security Company Association of Iraq
The Private Security Company Association of Iraq is a not-for-profit organization formed and maintained to discuss and address matters of mutual interest and concern to the industry conducting private security functions in Iraq...
(PSCAI).
ArmorGroup is managed by Noel Philp, Chief Operating Officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
; Matthew Brabin, M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
and Christopher Beese, chief administrative officer
Chief administrative officer
A chief administrative officer is responsible for administrative management of private, public or governmental corporations. The CAO is one of the highest ranking members of an organization, managing daily operations and usually reporting directly to the chief executive officer. In some companies,...
.
History
ArmorGroup began operations in 1981 as Defence Systems Limited (DSL), a company founded "to provide protective security services principally to multinational oil and gas companies." The publicly traded Armor Holdings, Inc.Armor Holdings, Inc.
Armor Holdings, Inc. was a manufacturer of military, law enforcement and personnel safety equipment. It was acquired by BAE Systems on July 31, 2007 and renamed BAE Systems Mobility & Protection Systems...
, a business principally involved in the manufacture of armored vehicles and law enforcement equipment, acquired DSL in 1997. Some of the current senior management team carried out a Management Buyout of the company in November 2003, backed by Granville Baird Capital Partners and Barclays Bank. ArmorGroup was listed on the main list of the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
in December 2004.
In 2007, it posted a US$9.2 million profit, reporting $295 million turnover for that year. On 20 March 2008, the company announced that its Board had recommended a £43.6 million cash offer for the company by G4S plc. The acquisition completed on 29 April 2008.
ArmorGroup North America scandal in Afghanistan
On September 1, 2009, the Project On Government Oversight
Project on Government Oversight
The Project On Government Oversight , founded in 1981, is an independent non-profit organization in the United States which investigates and seeks to expose corruption and other misconduct. POGO assists whistleblowers and investigates federal agencies, Congress, and government contractors...
sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton which detailed allegations of misconduct by over 10% of the 450 employees of ArmorGroup North America guarding the U.S. embassy in Kabul. The misconduct included hazing rituals with nudity, drinking and urinating on each other as well as an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. On September 4, 2009, the US State department announced that eight private security guards and some of their managers would be fired.
On October 27, 2010, the Department of State's Office Inspector General released a report finding that Armorgroup of North America had not been able to recruit, train, or manage the KESF at the staffing level or the quality required by its contract with the Department of State. They also found that AGNA had employed Nepalese guards without verifiable experience, training, or background investigations in violation of its contract.
Services
- Protective securityBodyguardA bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
services - Convoy escorting, Close Protection, manned guarding, maritime security and technical security systems; - Security training - hostile environment awareness training, specialist driving and surveillance detection;
- Security consultancyConsultantA consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
- Kidnap, ransom and extortion support; risk management and business continuity planningBusiness continuity planningBusiness continuity planning “identifies [an] organization's exposure to internal and external threats and synthesizes hard and soft assets to provide effective prevention and recovery for the organization, whilst maintaining competitive advantage and value system integrity”. It is also called...
; and - Weapons reduction and mine clearance - mine and UXO survey, detection, removal and destruction; small arms, light weapons and ammunition stockpile reduction; Mine risk education.
Iraq War
ArmorGroup first entered Iraq under contract with the Bechtel Corporation in May 2003. ArmorGroup is now one of the very few private security companies which is legally registered and licensed to operate by the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Trade. In 2007, the firm had 1,200 employees in IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. ArmorGroup provides security for roughly one third of all nonmilitary supply convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
s in Iraq.
In 2007, the Washington Post cited U.S. Labor Department information that ArmorGroup had sustained 26 fatalities in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.