About Us
About Sir Kenneth (Ken) McKenzie
Ken’s career spans more than 48 years across both the public and private sectors, marked by significant achievements in emergency management, cultural institutions, aviation, construction, tourism, hospitality, retail, armed cash-in-transit operations, rail transport construction, health, safety and security, cultural safety and security, and risk-based competency development in high-risk industries.
He is a specialist practitioner in workplace safety and security risk management, cultural change leadership, and safety-focused competency assessment. Ken is recognised for his pragmatic, people-centred approach and deep operational and strategic insight, consistently bringing clarity, structure, and capability to complex and often high-risk environments.
Ken has been instrumental in driving cultural change across rail transport construction, risk-focused safety management, and white-collar competency systems. Over the past decade, he has led and influenced cultural safety and security programmes within major museums and galleries throughout New Zealand.
His work has shaped thinking and practice across both Australia and New Zealand, particularly in integrating human factors and technology into contemporary safety and security frameworks.
As the founding Chair for the first two years of the Crowded Places Security Advisory Group (CPSAG), a key component of New Zealand’s National Counter-Terrorism and Extreme Violence Strategy, Ken has contributed substantial expertise in security, competency, and strategic risk. Over the five years since its inception he has continued to provide influential guidance and specialist advice to the CPSAG board.
Most recently, Ken has been engaged in the energy distribution sector, where he led a cultural shift in safety management by embedding a risk-based approach and introducing a Safety Differently philosophy. His work applied HOP (Human and Organisational Performance) and AERO principles, reinforcing the foundational belief that “Blame fixes nothing” and driving a more mature, capability-focused safety culture.
Achievements
Presented his paper “Excellence in Rail Safety Worker Competence” at the National Australian Railways Safety Conference 2011. Read the paper (PDF)
Presented his paper “Attitude is Everything” at Auckland University, focused on safety risk appetite and unconscious competence (Human Factors). Read the paper (PDF)
New Zealand Security Magazine published Ken’s paper “Interfacing Cultural Safety & Security in an Iconic Facility”. Read the paper (PDF)
Finalist in the category of “Visionary Leadership” in the annual New Zealand Security Industry Awards.
Ranked by IFSEC Global (London) a worldwide Top 10 Influencer in End Line User Commercial Security practitioner. View the certificate (PDF)
Completed a two-year consultancy with Te Roopu Taurima (TRT) to establish standards and guidelines to increase the safety, security and environmental sustainability of TRT group homes across the motu.
Presented a paper focused on the “Protection of Cultural Assets in an Uncertain World” at the International Arts & Antiquities Security Forum in the UK. Read the paper (PDF)
Planned and delivered the annual Protection of Australasian Cultural Assets (PACA) Forum and Trade Show at Auckland War Memorial Museum, New Zealand.
Presented a paper focused on Unconscious Appetite for Safety Risk Competency Assessment at the annual International Health & Safety Leaders Summit, Auckland.
Completed a one-year consultancy with the Stardome Observatory & Planetarium Trust to develop and deploy a risk-based Safety Management System.
Presented a paper focused on Cultural Asset Protection at the annual New Zealand Security Association Forum, Auckland.
Completed Fisher Improvement Technologies (FIT) Advocate Training covering HOP (Human and Organisational Performance) and AERO (Advanced Error Reduction Organisation) methodologies in a Safety Differently approach.
Completed an eighteen-month tenure with The Lines Company, Te Kuiti, developing and deploying a risk-based Safety Management System including the management of critical and operational risk and the introduction of Safety Differently methods.
Presenting at PACA 2026 Brisbane in collaboration with Trident Manor. The paper will explore the impacts a failure to protect a Crowded Place may have on an organisation’s officers at law, provide insight into what should be considered, and set out strategies organisations should consider implementing to manage the risks.
Our Collaboration Team
Security Industry Associates
- Trident Manor
- Crowded Places Security Advisory Group (CPSAG)
- PACA – Protection of Australasian Cultural Assets
- ARA Group
- ASIS International
Safety and Risk Management Memberships
Security Industry Associates
Safety and Risk Management Memberships
