WHO WE ARE
David Livingston
Founder & CEO
London
David‘s Risk and Security management experience is drawn from 25 years in Commercial Consulting, Business Leadership and British Military Special Forces contexts. He has worked with a wide range of clients from various sectors including extractive, financial, media and NGO and is adept at assisting clients in exploiting opportunity in difficult environments. David has extensive knowledge of Africa, the Middle East and South America where he has proven track record of delivering effective security and risk management plans. David is responsible for all aspects of Upstream Risk's operations and client relations.
Having graduated with The Sword of Honour from the UK’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, David went on to lead Regular and Special Forces soldiers on operations before establishing his first international risk consulting business in 2005, which he led for 10 years and built into one of UK's premier risk consulting companies prior to selling in 2015.
Tom Vila
Operations Director
London
Tom has over fifteen years of experience in security risk management, spanning the academic, military, commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Before joining Upstream Risk Management, he was the global security adviser to the British Red Cross, giving him in-house understanding of client needs when it comes to meeting duty of care. Prior to this, Tom worked with David at a premier security and risk management consultancy, advising on and implementing security risk management solutions for multi-sectoral, blue chip companies. Initially coordinating operations from head office, he soon moved into the field as a country director in Libya, where he helped his clients exploit the rich, post-revolution opportunities in the extractive sector.
During his time as a Commissioned Army Officer, Tom lead front line troops on live operations and also developed a talent for planning and delivering engaging and effective experiential training. Tom’s understanding of the global security environment is underpinned by a degree in War Studies from King’s College London.
Patrick Van Alphen
Africa Associate
Patrick has unrivalled experience of commercial security and risk management operations in Central Africa. A former Belgium Army Paratroop Major, he completed a full career in the military gaining wide experience in both operational and staff roles, particularly in Africa and the DRC & ROC. He attended Belgium Senior Staff College and has an MSc in Civil Engineering.
Patrick has worked within risk management with David since 2007 directly from 2 years service as a Civil Affairs Project Coordination Officer with MONUC in Kisangani, DRC. His knowledge of the Great Lakes region is extensive and he has an excellent network of contacts within the region. He has considerable experience of contingency and evacuation planning and implementation, which, combined with his significant linguistic ability, enables him to deliver expert security and operational risk management solutions to clients operating in DRC & ROC (Braz).
Anthony Rix, CB
Maritime Associate
London
Anthony Rix has worked in the maritime environment for over 40 years. Following a full career in the Royal Navy, from which he retired as a Rear Admiral, he has focussed on Maritime Security in the commercial context. Anthony specialises in planning and leading offshore security projects for Oil and Gas clients in Africa and the Middle East and has advised maritime security companies on business development and security operations. In addition to his role as Maritime Associate to Upstream, he is a director of a maritime reconnaissance company, Sirius Constellation Ltd, and speaks frequently at maritime conferences around the world.
Anthony brings significant depth of international maritime and cultural awareness and has developed particular expertise in leading Maritime Security projects involving Host Nation Security Forces.
Colin Ivory
HSE Associate
London
Colin has over 35 years experience in various upstream oil and gas roles as an employee in both large and small company settings as well as having 10 years working as an independent consultant. Colin is expert in most aspects of HSE management, particularly from an in–house view point. His knowledge covers all the particularly challenging aspects of oil and gas operations from seismic and exploration drilling on through to production – in both on and offshore settings. During the last 7 years Colin has been extensively involved in environmental (including complex ESIAs) and sustainability issues on which the extractive sector is becoming increasingly focused. This included working alongside the IFC / World Bank, meeting their high standards in operations for all aspects of Corporate and Social Responsibility.
Colin graduated with an Honours degree in Geology (University of London) before going on to work widely in Canada, Africa, SE Asia and the FSU.
Peter Hill
Security & Logistics
London
Having completed a full military career, Peter has a wealth of logistical and operational security knowledge drawn from working in challenging operation environment's around the world, notably in Africa and the Middle East.
Peter joined the army as a rifleman and then progressed through all NCO ranks to gain the Queen's Commission. Having been selected twice to instruct Young Officers at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he ultimately reached the rank of Major, serving as a logistics Quarter Master in an Infantry Battalion. He has extensive experience in operational logistical and technical requirements within sensitive security environments.
After his 35 year military career, Peter continued as a specialist in logistics and became Senior Logistical Advisor to the Commander of a newly formed Special Forces Unit within the Middle East. He then moved on to work for UNHCR as a Asset Disposal Specialist supporting field operations covering the whole of East Africa.