The security sector encompasses a wide market, ranging from the security of buildings and people to the security of data, the protection of privacy and production strategies, the secure transportation of products, the security of critical infrastructures, and even safety in the workplace.

In this dynamic and ever-changing scenario, the role of the Security Manager has evolved into a high and strategic professional role, having to manage the security of a company in its entirety, taking on the responsibility for it. The Security Manager develops and implements security policies, coordinates staff training, manages advanced surveillance technology and responds effectively to emergencies. It must be able to cope with wide-ranging risks, taking into account ever-changing scenarios in the technical, IT, economic and financial fields. Therefore, it goes without saying that in addition to a good command of the tools to protect physical security, privacy and governance, this professional must have an understanding of the business in which he or she operates.

Recently, Friuli-Venezia Giulia was the first region in Italy to recognise and certify this figure, establishing a specific professional - and certified - profile, with the task of managing “all risks of a malicious and/or criminal, culpable or accidental nature within a given perimeter” to ensure the overall management of the process in accordance with the technical standards of the sector.

This complex professional figure needs continuous training, exchanges, and updating, as AIPSA shared with us, which, on the occasion of SICUREZZA 2023, will present events designed to offer practical answers and opportunities to security managers.

“Today we can say that the sectors in which the role of the security manager is essential have multiplied, reflecting the importance of investing in security - in terms of skills and human resources - in an increasingly interconnected, digital and globalised world. From technology to healthcare, and even in public administration, the growing threat of cybercrime, sensitive data management and regulatory compliance needs advanced security skills. Managing the effects of extreme climate change becomes the new challenge for emergency management and business continuity professionals. The renewed criminal threats, and first and foremost the risk of mafia infiltration within organisations require the adoption of legal safeguards and advanced monitoring tools also in companies,' said Alessandro Manfredini, President of AIPSA.

"As AIPSA, the Italian Association of Corporate Security Professionals, we strive every day to provide security managers with the tools and knowledge they need to meet these emerging challenges. Participating in initiatives such as SICUREZZA 2023 is crucial to creating a stronger, better-trained community ready to defend organisations, both complex and not, from evolving dangers.  We are confident that this event will contribute to further enhance the figure of the Security Manager in Italy."