David Johnston QPM
“After 40 years of public sector work as a Senior Police officer and senior Civil Servant in the Intelligence community, I am pleased to continue my work as a Senior Consultant with Animus Associates who are leaders in discreet and intricate investigations. Animus assist clients through incidents affecting their personal and businesses lives. Animus are world class in their field and wholly focused on customer and client needs. Their professional, energetic, honest, and ethical approach to complex cases is both refreshing and reassuring”
Simon Danczuk
“After years of public service as a member of parliament I am now involved in Public Research, Intelligence, Strategy, Lobbying, Journalism (I contribute to most of the major UK newspapers) and am an accredited Author. I am very pleased to continue my consultancy work with Animus Associates, as they are a first-class agency who understand their client’s needs. Animus are solution focused, results driven and always produce positive outcomes. Working with Animus is a real pleasure because of their professional, honest and friendly approach.”
David Johnston QPM
As senior Scotland Yard Commander, David has experience of managing simultaneous complex and sensitive investigations including leading a significant part of the London bombing investigation in 2007, and sensitive investigations involving political figures and members of the royal family.
As a senior Hostage Negotiator, David has worked closely with government ministers in Cobra to manage the safe recovery of UK citizens kidnapped abroad for ransom. He has also provided support and advice to major commercial companies on development and delivery of crisis management and risk strategies for managing business continuity. As the lead for Economic Crime at Scotland Yard, David provided advice to government and large financial institutions to manage the implementation and understanding of AML policy compliance and risk.
As a senior leader in GCHQ, David developed cross agency teams to provide technical operational support to counter terrorism, cyber security threat and National security operations across the Intelligence and Law enforcement agencies of the UK.
David negotiated with global social media companies and foreign governments on behalf of UK government to develop and foster strong relationships to aid the fight against child exploitation, terrorism, and serious organised crime.
In 2008, David was awarded the Queens Police Medal by Her Majesty the Queen for his outstanding contribution to UK Policing and National Security.
Since 2016, David has worked in the private sector, working closely with Animus and being involved with their high-net-worth and high-profile clients in managing discreet, and at times, complex investigations. His expertise and experience provide a perfect fit for both personal clients and large organisations seeking to manage the most intricate issues and challenges.
David holds a master’s degree in public administration, a post graduate diploma in criminology from Cambridge University and an HND in electrical engineering.
When David has time, he lectures on technology and economic crime risk at Jesus College Cambridge.
For any enquiry please email: info@animusassociates.com
Simon Danczuk
Animus strengthens their offering with another high profile Associate
Simon’s skills are based around his 35 years’ experience in business, politics and the third sector. He now specialises in research and intelligence, public affairs, communications, and business development.
From the late 1990s and throughout the early 2000s, Simon developed and ran a consultation and communications company based in Manchester called Vision Twenty one. It built upon his social and economic research experience gained through his degree in Sociology at Lancaster University, and his roles as a researcher for Bolton Bury Training and Enterprise Council, Opinion Research Corporation, and The Big Issue in the North.
Simon has developed and managed a wide array of market research projects, delivering hundreds of focus groups, running citizens’ juries, conducting in-depth interviews, and organising many surveys. In addition, he has expertise in desk research and intelligence gathering for several blue-chip companies.
Early in his career, he was a councillor on Blackburn with Darwen Council, and more recently was a Member of Parliament from 2010 to 2017. This political experience has given him a detailed understanding of government, and economic and social policy making processes.
An experienced communicator, Simon has been a media relations coordinator, and regularly writes for national newspapers – such as the Mail on Sunday, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and Sun on Sunday. He frequently writes bids and develops growth strategies for major organisations, writes a weekly political column for Business Leader magazine, and is a contributor to Downtown in Business, a networking organisation.
Simon has a keen interest in customer engagement, digital innovation, construction, infrastructure, high streets, politics, and governance. He is also a published author, having co-written the widely acclaimed ‘Smile for the Camera, The Double Life of Cyril Smith’ and, more recently, ‘Scandal at Dolphin Square, a Notorious History.’
For any enquiry please email: info@animusassociates.com
Registered Number: 8856832
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