Our Team
The Common Framework (TCF) was established to bring a new and innovative approach to Information Risk Management, created by some of the foremost security visionaries in the UK.
We’re experts, enthusiasts and evangelists in compliance for information management, with over a hundred years of front-line experience.
We founded The Common Framework because we were tired of seeing UK organisations struggle with compliance, and we wanted to help them manage information risk better.
The TCF Directors also sit on the BSI committee for Cyber Insurance, Innopsis, Advisor to the HSCN programme board and have co-authored compliance standards for the Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) and CESG Assured Service (Telecommunications) Standard.
In essence we are industry experts with a mission to reduce the time, cost and resource required for compliance in the new Cyber age.
Charles Davis - Chairman (click to find out more) With more than 22 years’ experience across all aspects of telecom, IT services and digital transformation. Charles focuses on ensuring that we remain agile and flexible as we focus on developing to meet the challenging needs our customers. Alongside his role at TCF, Charles works as Chief Revenue and Operations Officer at Earth-I leading the industry of applying AI to remote sensing technologies to monitor supply chain and infrastructure risk at scale. Previously he was CEO of SAS Global Communications, a leading UK managed service provider to the Enterprise and SME markets with more than 300 networks in 65 countries and customers under management across all vertical markets.
Lars Davies - Non-executive director (click to find out more) Lars advises TCF on many core elements of our service, co-founding TCF, to utilise his legal, academic, and technical experiences to deliver solutions that enable users to achieve regulatory compliance and evidential weight for their electronic communications. Prior to this he was a Senior Visiting Fellow to the Institute for Computer and Communications Law, Centre for Commercial Law Studies at Queen Mary, University of London (CCLS). Whilst at the CCLS, he specialized in Information Technology Law, Internet Law and Telecommunications Law, and concentrated on issues that included electronic financial services, security, authentication, and regulatory compliance.
Des Ward - Information Director (click to find out more) Des has worked in the Information Risk Management industry for over 25 years, developing skillsets ranging from the technical to the non-technical, through forensics and pen-testing to risk assessment and corporate governance. This allows him to interface between the technologists and the business to facilitate effective communication and understanding between them; achieving compliance in line with business goals. His experience encompasses compliance programmes for HMG and FTSE 100 companies relating to the majority of legislation and regulation; including HSCN CN-SP, the PSN Codes of Practice, IA Maturity Model, Security Policy Framework, Hannigan Review, Data Protection Act 1998, FSA guidelines, Payment Card Data Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) and the ISO 27000 series of standards and guidelines. More recently, Des is engaged as an advisor to the NHS Digital Compliance board for the Health and Social Care Network (HSCN), and has been heavily involved in the evolution of the HSCN compliance model itself.
Matt Villion - Operations Director (click to find out more) Matt organises the operational development of our portal service, and in his day job is a digital security and compliance consultant. Matt has over 20 years’ experience of ICT design and delivery, in the Information Assurance environment. His passion for the use of disruptive techniques and management of suppliers led Matt to take part in the initial creation of the UK & Ireland chapter of the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) along with Des Ward, presenting at many UK-wide events on the safe adoption of Cloud services. Matt’s passion for the safe use of disruptive technologies in a manner compliant with the varied obligations is evident in his retention within central government to deliver the digital agenda currently being implemented. A digital native, Matt ensures that he maximises all digital platforms and tools to maximise his efficiency.
Gareth Ricketts - Commercial Director (click to find out more) Gareth started work as a Geologist in the North Sea, North Africa, and America, but looking for a different challenge closer to home, moved into the IT sector in the 90’s. He worked for major global corporates, Unisys, MCI WorldCom, & BT, as well as small startups and the Public Sector- with Ordnance Survey. This experience gained over twenty years deploying services into the private and public sectors, has given him a comprehensive understanding of business issues. Gareth focuses on meeting the need for secure robust co-operation within, and between organisations by employing a standard approach – a common framework.
Ryan Turnbull - Technical Lead (click to find out more) A highly-competent and experienced Solutions Architect with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology, business intelligence, financial and services industries, Ryan has delivered the vision of The Common Framework into reality. Over 10 years’ experience in the professional IT industry, working with multiple tools and applications delivering mission critical On-Premise, Cloud and Hybrid data solutions.