Gallagher Security's Danielle Mitchell on the importance of seizing every opportunity at International Women's Day event in Brisbane

AUSTRALIA – Danielle Mitchell describes her start in the security industry six years ago as ‘serendipitous’. In at the deep end, with a thirst for learning, it was a chance meeting with Gallagher Security leadership that shaped the trajectory of her career, one that has been forged on self belief, mentorship, and a relentless passion for growth.  

As Gallagher Security’s Training Manager, Asia Pacific and India, Middle East, and Africa (APAC and IMEA) Danielle has led a team who have been instrumental in the development and roll out of several company and industry-first initiatives that have changed the face of training.  

Speaking at two Australian Security Industry Association (ASIAL) Breakfast Briefing events in conjunction with this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations, Danielle says the importance of building teams with diverse experience and strengths is critical to success.  

She’s hoping to encourage more women to consider entry pathways and careers within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and believes that training and education, as well as promoting security as a career, is critical to the continued growth of the industry.  

In a recent survey, more than a third of school-aged participants reported that trade careers and apprenticeships are not promoted to female students at school (Verto, 2023.) Danielle says “this is disappointing, as an apprenticeship can provide an excellent foundation for a secure and successful career in the security industry. This comes at a time when as many as 90% of security teams are impacted by staff shortages.” 

She adds, there’s also great potential for those, like her, who didn’t start with an industry background to forge successful careers in security: “By expanding the search for new staff beyond the industry, we inevitably build teams with more diversity and experience, and can therefore more clearly see potential for improvement, address blind spots, identify new ways of alleviating customer pain points and adding value, and ultimately allow our industry to reach its full potential,” she says. 

Celebrated globally on March 8th, IWD acknowledges the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and marks a continued call to action for accelerating women’s equality, with the theme of this year’s event being, ‘Inspiring Inclusion’. 

Now four years into her career with Gallagher Security, she says the support of mentors has been critical to her success and enabled her to contribute to the success of the company. 

“I’ve received incredible, positive mentorship during my time at Gallagher and my personal and professional growth has been invested in. I can see clearly how I, alongside our whole business unit, have thrived within a culture that encourages individuality and contribution,” she says. 

Gallagher Security’s Executive Vice President APAC/IMEA, Craig Schutte says, “Danielle's vision for the industry revolves around challenging the status quo and promoting a culture of innovation. She passionately advocates for exploring new ideas and approaches, pushing back against the notion of ‘we've always done it this way.’ With her visionary mindset and relentless pursuit of improvement, Danielle is poised to make a significant impact on the security industry as she continues to rise as a standout leader and innovator.” 

Danielle remains firmly focussed on the future and her advice to anyone starting out in the security industry is this: “Seize every opportunity to vocalise your aspirations, and don't shy away from advocating for yourself. In doing so, you not only assert your intentions but also foster a culture of collaboration and support.” 

Designed to foster connections within the security industry, the ASIAL Security Industry Breakfast Briefings provide opportunity for participants to gain insights from industry leaders, exchange best practices and address emerging security challenges, ensuring they remain at the forefront of the field. 

Joined by a panel of women representing the electronic and protective security sectors of the industry, Danielle shared her personal journey at the ASIAL Breakfast Briefing event at Queensland’s Victoria Park on March 6th. She will speak again at the ASIAL Security Industry Breakfast Briefing in Victoria on March 12th. The Melbourne event boasts over 100 registered attendees, with The Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp AO, scheduled to speak.