Awards for 2019 were presented to the following individuals:

 

GOLD AWARD

 

Chess Dynamics Gatwick AUDS Team – Phil Passey, Chris Henderson, Tim Carter, Paul Comper, Adam Wicks, Ben Moffatt (pictured below with Nick Prest).

 

 

Andy commented: “I mentioned that the field was very strong for these awards this year. With Silver and Bronze award winners of the quality you have seen, you will realise that this year’s Gold award is very special indeed. But equally, I don’t think you will be surprised by it.

 

On 21 December last year, at 10.00am, Gatwick Airport called Chess Dynamics and asked them to provide their Counter-UAV system, AUDS. Chess had spoken to Gatwick several times about the system, but discussions had not progressed. After 1,000 flights had been diverted or cancelled, and 140,000 passengers delayed, they decided it was time to review their decision.

 

Within hours of the call, Chess team members had volunteered to give up their Christmas holidays and immediately set to delivering and installing the system. It was on site within hours and operational the next day.

 

Over the following weeks the system was tuned to optimise its performance in the airport environment and new capabilities were added. It was tested many times with drone flights arranged by the police. The team was able to demonstrate that the system met the needs of Gatwick – and it remains in service with them to this day.

 

Of course, AUDS has been used much more widely. I visited Chess’s customer in the US recently and was reminded that the day it arrived in theatre became known as the day that the drones stopped. But the Gatwick events could not have provided a better demonstration of Chess and the Group’s innovation, responsiveness and agility. It also shows rather well how we play our part, how we are results driven, and how we believe in independent thinking.

 

There were many who contributed to Chess’s success at Gatwick and I value all of their contribution. The direct team, though, was Ben Moffatt, Tim Carter, Chris Henderson, Adam Wicks, Mark Faux, Paul Comper and Phil Passey.”

 

Silver Awards

EID ICC-401 Development Team – Ricardo Nunes, Armando Pinto, Celso Almeida, Luis Oliveira, Bento Rações

MCL – Individual Award – Shane Campbell

MASS – Individual Award – Jack Stark

SEA – KDS Development Team – Gavin Whitelaw, Steve Pinfold, Matt Howell, Chris Purry, Matt Clark, Dave Hutchings, Chris Tucker, James Stevens

 

Bronze Awards

SEA – ANSSA Team – Alex Niciecki, Steve Proctor, Nathan Hammant, Steve Rowtcliff

SEA – Weight Enforcement Integration for TfL – Harvinder Porter, James Begley, Jonathan Woolcock, Jason Swan

Chess / Vison4ce – Individual Award – Jamie Whitham

MASS – EU OHQ Team, Training Support Group – Graham Nicholson, Dave Gibbard, Steve Lummis, Chris Catterall

MCL – Individual Award – Luke Silk

 

Values Awards

We believe in playing our part – MASS Recruitment Team – Simon Green, Sarah Bundy, Michelle Lynch, Karen Williams

We believe in being results driven – Individual Award – Colin Eastman

We believe in independent thinking – MASS APPTES Support Team – Joss Cope, James Howe, Simon Roberts

 

Special Award

MASS – Bill Johnson

 

Congratulations to all winners of the 2019 Cohort Business Excellence Awards.