This is My Story

With 25 years of operational experience in close protection and pre-hospital emergency care, supporting high-net-worth individuals, corporate leaders, and private family offices, and with 18 of those years dedicated to teaching and mentoring others, I have come to place great value on the sharing of knowledge, judgement, and real-world experience.

Since taking over the Professional Bodyguard Association (PBA) in 2008, my career has developed from delivering discreet protection services internationally to standing at the front of the training room, helping to shape the next generation of professionals entering the industry. While I valued the operational demands of close protection work, I now find even greater purpose in preparing others to perform professionally, calmly, and effectively.

From Practitioner to Educator

Over more than two decades in the field, I have provided close protection and emergency support in environments where discretion, adaptability, and professionalism were not optional; they were essential. Working with high-calibre clients meant that every detail mattered, every decision carried weight, and every interaction reflected directly on the client’s safety, confidence, and reputation.

Early in my career, I came to understand that technical competence alone is not enough. What truly separates professional close protection operatives from the rest is emotional intelligence, situational awareness, sound judgement, and the ability to read both people and environments with accuracy. These are the qualities I have focused on developing in others for the past 18 years.

Why I Teach

1. To Pass on Hard-Earned Insight

There is no shortcut to experience, but experience can be shared. I have faced challenges, made difficult decisions, and learned valuable lessons in real-world situations. By passing those lessons on, I help others avoid common mistakes and accelerate their professional development.

2. To Raise the Industry Standard

As demand continues to grow across the high-net-worth, corporate, and international security sectors, maintaining consistent standards has become increasingly important. At the Professional Bodyguard Association, we are committed to raising the bar by ensuring that those entering the industry are not simply certificated, but genuinely prepared.

3. To Deliver Long-Term Value

Whether it is an operative blending naturally into a corporate environment or managing a medical emergency calmly and effectively, quality training produces better outcomes for both clients and practitioners. My aim is to develop those individuals who are composed, discreet, capable, and professional under pressure.

4. To Build a Legacy Through Others

After more than two decades in the industry, divided between front-line operational work and mentoring others, one of the most rewarding aspects of my journey is seeing former students go on to lead teams, protect high-profile clients, and mentor others themselves.

That is the ripple effect I strive to create.

That is real impact.

Still in the Industry—Just on a New Front

It is now 2026, and while I no longer operate in the traditional sense, I remain fully engaged in the profession. Through the Professional Bodyguard Association, with a presence in the UK, South Africa, and soon to be in Abuja, Nigeria, I continue to consult, train, and mentor those who understand the critical difference between simply having protection and being properly protected.

Although my role has evolved from operator to educator, and from practitioner to standard-setter, the mission remains much the same: to ensure that excellence, preparedness, and professionalism define the next generation of close protection and emergency care specialists.

I have not stepped away from the industry; I have stepped into a position where the value of my experience can multiply through others.

About the Professional Bodyguard Association

The Professional Bodyguard Association was originally founded in 1985 by John Tombs, a former SAS operative who served in one of the United Kingdom’s early anti-terrorist units focused on civil aviation security during the 1970s. His extensive experience in close protection, surveillance, and covert operations helped establish the association’s emphasis on professionalism, discipline, and high standards within the private security sector.

In 2006, the PBA became an accredited centre with initially with Edexcel for the BTEC qualifications and now with Qualification Networks, Qualsafe, Insignia Awards and the Centre for Security Research aand Studies enabling us to offer internationally recognized vocational qualifications in security and prehospital emergency care.

The association was officially registered as a non-profit organization in the United Kingdom on 20 October 2008, under company number 06727773.

Today, the PBA operates internationally, providing training, certification, and support for individuals working in the personal protection and security industry.