back to article New SOCA chief battles Yes, Minister jibes from MPs

The new boss of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, which has responsibility for policing international e-crime, has been forced to battle suggestions from MPs that his background in senior government bureaucracy is unsuitable experience to run a front-line crimefighting agency. Sir Ian Andrews, a 34-year veteran of the …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    heh

    "I don't think being chairman of a large organisation does require strategic expertise in one field. What it requires is a track record in leadership."

    And that's why Chinese students laugh at our ministers/officials when they go to China. When that environment minister went to China it was hysterical.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The scientists are taking over the asylum.

    Been saying it for years, Martin Frick, John Sawers, this bloke and several others steadily floating to the top of places (not just law enforcement etc.) Scientists with soft Business skills are formidable creatures. Not only do they have the business interest, but they've also got the intellect to make good decisions.

    In twenty years time, a science degree will be the pre-requisite for the Harvard Business School.

  3. TeeCee Gold badge
    FAIL

    That answer.

    So when asked if he was too much of a pen-pushing bureaucrat and not enough of a policeman his answer was that he'd been: "very active in the national security space over much of the last couple of decades"?

    I'd have taken that as a "Yes"........

  4. Jelliphiish
    Stop

    last couple of decades

    and he's 34. that's either a very early starter or he's being a little less than scientific about the details. typical mandarin-speak.

    he probably means he started in the late 90's after he couldn't get a proper job when he left uni and has been doing a bit since then.. and he clearly didn't get in on the qinetiq pork roll. shame.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    flawed defence argument

    Yes minister....

    His arguments are flawed and we have a lot of historical examples which are not in this ministers favour...

    One famous example that comes to mind is Churchill who by many would certainly be described as a great leader... but we certainly did not appreciate his (lack of) strategic military skills when it comes to direct military responsibilities (especially Churchills "escapades" in his early carrier comes to mind here)...

  6. Dr. Mouse
    Joke

    Mandarins?

    "he left before the privatisation that created Qinetiq, and some very wealthy former Mandarins"

    You're comparing apples with oranges!

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Really?

    "I don't think being chairman of a large organisation does require strategic expertise in one field. What it requires is a track record in leadership."

    Umm. Our departmental manager has a track record in leadership - he was in the army.

    Shame the department is in a fucking terrible state... wonder if that's just a coincedence?

    Managing property for the army, doesn't count as national security either...

  8. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

    Raising the Bar ...up a Great Deal Higher and out of the Gutter

    "Scientists with soft Business skills are formidable creatures. Not only do they have the business interest, but they've also got the intellect to make good decisions." ..... By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 17th September 2009 11:30 GMT

    They are as nothing compared to their hard[ened] core contemporaries, AC, screwing the System for the Sheer Pleasure of Giving it what it Cravenly Deserves and One Mutually Desires.

    Are we to assume that formidable creatures are definitely missing from the Westminster village .... or is that just the Picture which Media prints for Daily Realities.

    Hard Core Pleasure Givers would posit that Media Present AI Beta Reality, Daily, rather than combat ITs ZerodDay Vulnerabilities with more Troubles and Strife aka FUD, which appears to be their Stock Item/Default Fare.

  9. The First Dave
    Grenade

    @Jelliphiish

    Read the article again - he has had a 34 year career, not life.

    Interesting question though, considering what (little) experience any of our politicians have before they become ministers of state...

    Personally, I think that a post like this one needs an outsider every so often.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    OBN?

    A leader with no vision or passion for essential activities (some that might have high risk, unpredictable outcomes, long time planning with short time energy burst) is or at least seems to be a bit risky and a bit 'old boy' for sure.

    OBN? = old boy network?

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Irony

    Does anyone think that non of the prats interviewing him were even remotely qualified to assess his capability to do the jobs. Given all they needed to do to get their job was convince a horde of the great unwashed to vote for them...

    idiots

  12. PJ H

    Re: last couple of decades

    "and he's 34."

    Um, no. He's got 34 years experience. "Sir Ian Andrews, a 34-year veteran of the MoD," not "Sir Ian Andrews, a 34-year-old veteran of the MoD,"

    I thought it was only /. where people didn't RTFA

  13. Scott Green

    Re: Jelliphiish

    That would be 34 year career, not that he is 34 (at least from my reading)

  14. SoltanGris

    What dolts

    WTF, different logins on channel than here?

    WHY for farks sake?

  15. JohnG

    Why pick on SOCA?

    The same could be said of most senior civil servant and ministerial postings, not to mention MPs and town councillors. As I understood it, an individual having qualifications or experience in the field in question would be "too close to the coal face to see the big picture".

  16. Ian 54
    IT Angle

    Martians

    Do all martians use random capitals, or only the one posting here?

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like