New Professor of Terrorism Risk Management, Resilience Appointed

CRANFIELD, England, Dec. 6 -- Cranfield University issued the following news release:

Cranfield University has partnered with insurance scheme Pool Re to appoint Professor Andrew Silke as Professor of Terrorism Risk Management and Resilience.

As part of the role, which will be co-funded by Cranfield and Pool Re for an initial five-year period, Professor Silke will also be responsible for the establishment of a new Centre for Excellence in Counterterrorism.

The Centre will provide thought leadership in catastrophic and unconventional terrorism loss assessment and mitigation, with the aim of improving resilience to the UK economy.

Sir Peter Gregson, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Cranfield University, said: "Cranfield University is delighted to be working with Pool Re on this important topic. Cranfield's strengths in defence and security are widely recognised. This new chair that Pool Re is supporting augments our existing expertise and ensures UK government and industry has enhanced access to world-class expertise.

"By jointly establishing a Centre for Excellence in Counterterrorism, Pool Re and Cranfield University will undertake academic research and study, collate and share data and work with government and other institutions to create, disseminate and publicise the nature of, and threat from, terrorism as well as ways in which the threat could be mitigated."

Julian Enoizi, Chief Executive of Pool Re said: "The appointment of Professor Andrew Silke represents the important first step towards building a world-leading resource into the study and analysis of terrorism, risk mitigation and resilience.

"Pool Re recognises the importance of engaging business, academia and government in tackling all forms of extremism and this appointment will help leverage the growing relationship between the public and private sectors."

Professor Andrew Silke is internationally recognised as a leading expert on terrorism and low intensity conflict. His primary research interests include terrorism, conflict, crime and policing, and he currently holds a Chair in Criminology at the University of East London where he was Head of Criminology and the Programme Director for Terrorism Studies.

Silke has a background in forensic psychology and criminology and has worked both in academia and for government.

He will be assuming his new appointment on the 31 January 2018.

Notes for editors

About Pool Re

The Pool Re scheme was set up in 1993 by the insurance industry in cooperation with the UK Government in the wake of the IRA bombing campaign on the UK Mainland with the goal of protecting the economy. Pool Re is a mutual reinsurer whose Members comprise the vast majority of insurers and Lloyd's Syndicates which offer commercial property insurance in the Great Britain, with membership of the scheme affording them a guarantee which ensures that they can provide cover for losses resulting from acts of terrorism, regardless of the scale of the claims.

The scheme, which is recognised as a leading example of public/private partnership, is owned by its Members but is underpinned by a HM Treasury commitment to support Pool Re if ever it has insufficient funds to pay a legitimate claim. Pool Re pays a fee to Government for this guarantee and would repay the money over time if it ever used this facility.

About Cranfield University

Cranfield University is one of the world's leading universities for defence and security education, research and consultancy. Our staff and facilities are at the forefront of their fields, offering a diverse range of capabilities from energetics and forensic sciences to international stabilisation and cyber security. Cranfield provides specialist knowledge to industry, security and emergency services, military, governments and NGOs, underpinning defence and security sector reform around the world.

As the postgraduate academic provider to the UK's Ministry of Defence we offer a unique gateway to delivering practical education and solutions that make a real difference to the lives of military, security and civilian personnel.