Alastair MacWillson

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Alastair Carmichael MacWillson
Occupation Cyber security
Notable work
 Cambridge Analytica; College of National Security

Dr. Alastair Carmichael MacWillson [1] is a British cyber security professional. MacWillson is chair of the Institute of Information Security Professionals, and of Qufaro, and a founding director of Cambridge Analytica. He is, additionally, a principal at the Chertoff Group.

MacWillson spent 17 years in the British Foreign Service, working on technical and political risk analysis in the former USSR, the Middle East and the United States.

Biography

Alastair Carmichael MacWillson is a British intelligence, security and cyber security professional. MacWillson is chair of the Institute of Information Security Professionals, [2] [3] and of Qufaro, [4] [5] [6] and a founding director of Cambridge Analytica. [1] He is, additionally, a principal at the Chertoff Group. [7] [8]

MacWillson is referenced as spending 16 years in the British Foreign Service, working on technical and political risk analysis in the former USSR, the Middle East and the United States. [9]

However, this was a cover for his real job, as an officer in MI6.  He was a direct recruit into the SIS from university, when Oldfield was Chief, and initially specialised in the terrorist threat in Northern Ireland. In 1980, he was posted as a senior intelligence officer in the Oman Research Department (Now Internal Security Service) which was then staffed by several senior SIS and GCHQ personnel, and was Director of Operations until 1989. During that time, he worked with the CIA in establishing a joint US/UK Rapid Deployment Force to combat terrorist events.[ citation needed ]   

He returned to the UK in late 1989. In 1990, he published an HMG sanctioned book entitled Hostage-Taking Terrorism. [10]

Since 1990, MacWillson had a roving HQ brief as a problem solver and was alleged to have set up a special operations group within SIS.[ citation needed ]    

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References

  1. 1 2 "CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA LTD - Officers (free information from Companies House)". Beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  2. ↑ "IISP announces the appointment of Dr Alastair MacWillson as new Chairman". Iisp.org. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2016.[ verification needed ]
  3. ↑ "Cyber Security Vectors - University of Surrey - Guildford". Surrey.ac.uk. Retrieved 12 December 2016.[ verification needed ]
  4. ↑ Eleanor Ross. "School for teenage codebreakers to open in Bletchley Park | Technology". The Guardian . Retrieved 12 December 2016.[ verification needed ]
  5. ↑ "UK's first National College of Cyber Security to open at historic Bletchley Park". Ibtimes.co.uk. 24 November 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.[ verification needed ]
  6. ↑ Tom Mendelsohn (25 November 2016). "Cyber college for wannabe codebreakers planned at UK's iconic Bletchley Park". Ars Technica. Retrieved 12 December 2016.[ verification needed ]
  7. ↑ Davis, Michelle (17 June 2014). "The Chertoff Group Names Dr. Alastair MacWillson Principle". WashingtonExec.com. Retrieved 12 December 2016.[ verification needed ]
  8. ↑ "Alastair MacWillson: Executive Profile & Biography". Bloomberg. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2016.[ verification needed ]
  9. ↑ "Cloud Computing: Compliance Challenges". BankInfoSecurity.com. 5 October 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2016.[ verification needed ]
  10. ↑ MacWillson, Alastair C. (1992). "Hostage-Taking Terrorism". doi:10.1007/978-1-349-12477-0.Cite journal requires |journal= (help)


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