With a diverse entrepreneurial background spanning various sectors including law, retail and most recently, beauty, Suzanne Quirey stepped in to the security industry in 2019, and now serves as the Business Director of Legacy Resources, a locally-based, private security company which provides a comprehensive range of services tailored to a diverse portfolio of clients.
She brings a wealth of experience to the role, and as the company was experiencing a period of rapid growth when she joined, she leveraged her extensive expertise to forge synergies with her husband Richard, who founded the company in January 2018. Together they have navigated the highs and lows of dynamic business growth in an ever-changing – and challenging – market.
She is quick to point out that while the move felt natural to her, and maybe not to others – because women are still a rare breed in security – she is still the best person for the job; despite being female, and in fact she relishes in the challenge of breaking the mold in an industry which is so heavily male dominated. She said: “I think I have brought some strategic vision and a little bit more of a collaborative approach to what was previously a bit of a staid and conservative industry. This has helped foster a culture of excellence and innovation within Legacy Resources, positioning us on the leader ladder in a sector that often isn’t seen as important until well past the point of ‘need’”.
Her impact extends beyond her organisation too, as she influences positive change throughout the risk management and security industries. She has championed advancements in security standards while actively promoting diversity and inclusivity in the workforce; and it’s this empathetic attitude and open approach to those most vulnerable in society that helps her teams on the ground in sensitive conflict resolution.
“Our teams on the ground in hospitality and retail, especially through our new Legacy Link subscription service, are seeing a massive rise in anti-social behaviour, as well as physical and verbal threats to staff and customers, so it’s vital that our training processes provide learnings to help our teams de-escalate even the most heated and sensitive situations.”
But as the service delivers security solutions beyond the teams on the street and within businesses, Suzanne and the senior team are constantly learning too. She added: “With cyber security on the rise, and innovative technical solutions ever-changing to combat these criminals, it is vital to stay ahead of the game as much as possible, so I encourage the teams to keep abreast of fluctuations in demographic and socio-economic trends and even current affairs, as these can all feed in to security issues, large and small. As well as formal technical training, we also encourage knowledge-sharing of market information, because information is power, and we always want to be one step ahead.”
This leadership style drives continuous improvement and sets new benchmarks for excellence.
Legacy is well placed with Suzanne at the helm of the business.
This kind of best practice leadership has earned her considerable recognition within the security industry as well as across the wider business sector, with a recent ‘Business Director of the Year’ award for Northern Ireland by SME News her latest prestigious accolade – which is a testament to her dedication, leadership, and significant impact within the industry.
So what’s next?
Suzanne epitomises leadership and excellence within the business and security industry. Her visionary leadership, combined with an unwavering commitment to innovation, continues to inspire and shape the future of security services, making her a great role model for any up-and-coming security operatives and those interested within the business sector.
“I mentor the teams internally each month, but would really like to follow this path a little more and coach or mentor individuals or small businesses on a consultancy basis, particularly start ups or these who feel stuck in their business either financially, operationally or with personnel. I’ve had my fair share of shortfalls and wins in business over the years and I’d gladly share them with anyone who has a passion for business, but who has maybe hit a wall or doesn’t know where to start, or how to grow.”
“My business dream started when I was 11 years old and used to play “boss” in my pretend post office. I later took part in the “Young Enterprise NI” programme at 15 and was definitely buoyed in my later business decisions from those early experiences and learnings.
“I genuinely believe that if I could step into a difficult sector like security and grow this company, then there is nothing that can stop others doing the same in their own sectors with a little encouragement, borrowed wisdom and a whole lot of drive to keep going no matter if the sun is shining or the rain of problems are pouring in!
Whatever she does next, she’ll no doubt leave an indelible mark – her own kind of legacy – on both the company and the broader industry landscape.
