Our Story

A Potted History of Corps Intel.

In late 2009, the CEO of Corps Security initiated plans to establish a consulting arm within the company. Mike Bluestone CSyP was approached to lead this new venture, with the intention of their joining Corps Security in early 2010. This timing coincided with the celebration of Corps Security’s 150th anniversary, an event attended by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The prospective head of the consulting department was presented to Prince Philip at this event.

Mike Bluestone CSyP is a highly experienced and award-winning Chartered Security Professional with over 35 years in the private security sector. He is the current Registrar of the Register of Chartered Security Professionals and was instrumental in its establishment during his time as Chair of the Security Institute. He has significantly contributed to security standards, including leading the development of BS16000:2015 ‘Security Management and Operational Guidelines.

Mike Bluestone CSyP officially joined Corps Security in April 2010. Upon joining, he introduced several clients from his previous independent security consultancy, integrating this client base into Corps Security’s operations. The strategy for the new consulting arm was to incorporate Mike’s existing client base into Corps Security and to offer consulting support to Corps Security’s established customers.

From Training to Trusted Consultancy

The initial promotion of Corps’s consulting services, which also included delivering general and bespoke security training courses to both external clients and Corps’s internal management, gained traction swiftly. The department secured several monthly retainers with a diverse range of corporate clients. These clients included business estates in the City of London, an International School, a prominent financial services provider, and the British Institute of Facilities Management (which was later rebranded as the Institute of Workplace & Facilities Management). Notably, a significant number of new clients for both consulting and guarding services were acquired through delegates attending the BIFM training courses.

Several existing Corps guarding customers also engaged the consulting services. In 2011, Sue Reuben joined the consulting department as a part-time sub-contractor, providing support for the ongoing work. During this period of growth, the consulting offering expanded, reaching numerous guarding customers through daily security reviews, audits, and specialist training courses conducted nationwide.

Leadership and Capability for the Future

Around 2015, the consulting department was rebranded as ‘Corps Intel’. This period also saw significant growth driven by new clients introduced by one particular major customer. The increased workload, particularly in areas like Penetration Tests, Security Reviews, and Resilience & Efficiencies Reviews, led to the subsequent recruitment of additional consultants. Corps Intel has always acted as an autonomous business unit within Corps Security, including the completion of internal and external investigations and audits. For this reason, the Health and Safety and Business Continuity functions within Corps Security were absorbed into Corps Intel in 2022.

Today, Corps Intel is led by Neil Shanks CSyP who heads a team of specialists delivering a wide range of services. The team has been extended to include Security Consultants, Risk & Compliance Advisors, Intelligence Analysts, and Health and Safety Specialists. Furthermore, the team work with a range of external specialists who provide complimentary services, further increasing the list of services Corps Intel can provide.

As part-time Executive Director of Corps Intel, Mike Bluestone CSyP’s current role is to provide support to Neil and the team through introductions, as well as via his extensive network with other security professionals, professional associations and institutes, and trade bodies.