Adrian Searle

Adrian Searle has recently finished a three-year stint as Director of the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC) and the UK Financial Intelligence Unit (UKFIU), responsible for leading the UK’s operational response to fraud and wider economic crime.

During Adrian’s time at the helm, the NECC, a multi-agency unit housed in the National Crime Agency, reoriented the collective public and private sector response to a more proactive intelligence led approach. The NCA also ran its largest ever operation against global money laundering, there was coordinated Police action across the UK against high street fronts for money laundering, a new world leading data fusion initiative with seven UK banks was launched, and the UK tech sector supported work against industrial scam centres operating in South East Asia. The result - relevant prosecution and conviction rates began to rise after a decade of decline.

In leading all this, Adrian drew on extensive and varied prior experience. He was previously the head of Security and Data risk for NatWest Bank, an advisor to the Board and critical friend to the CISO on cyber security. This followed a role as Head of Incident Management in the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), where Adrian led the cross UK response to nationally significant cyber incidents, put in place the necessary underpinning processes, and cyber incidents training.

This in turn drew on the experience of many years in National Security related operational and policy roles, and before that, time in the British Army and making TV documentaries.

Adrian is now working with a range of technology and startup companies, advising on fraud, economic crime, cyber security and broader intelligence requirements.