Governance
A governance framework built for independence.
GCSB leadership, boards and committees oversee standards, certification integrity and independent decision-making.
Governance Structure
Organisation chart, leadership and committees
Organisation chart
Reports to the Governing Council on research scope only; individual editorial decisions remain independent.
Journal reviewer and editor access is approved separately from governance appointments.
Independent appointments; founder excluded.
Independent appointments; founder excluded.
Boards and committees report to the Governing Council under the Governance Charter. Independent assessment, award, appeal and editorial decisions cannot be overridden by executive offices.
Executive administration and records
Maintains registers and records approved outcomes; does not confer awards or adjudicate appeals.
Leadership
Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic
- •President & Chair of the Governing Council
- •Managing Director / CEO (permanent)
- •Registrar (interim)
- •Chair, Certification and Standards Committee
- •Chair (interim), Academic Board
- •Chair (interim), Assessment Board
- •Editor-in-Chief (interim), GCSB Journal of Converged Security
- •Chair, Fellowship & Nominations Committee
Further appointments to the Board and its committees will be announced as GCSB grows.
Boards and committees
Governing Council
Ultimate authority for strategy, independence and institutional integrity.
- Chair: Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic
- Council Member: To be appointed
Academic Board
Owns the qualification framework, learning outcomes and level descriptors.
- Chair (interim): Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic
- Board Member: Dr. Adegbenga William Koko
Certification and Standards Committee
Sets and reviews certification standards and the body of knowledge.
- Chair: Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic
Standards Consultation Panels
Expert panels consulted on new and revised GCSB standards before publication.
- Expert Panel Members: To be appointed
Assessment Board
Ratifies results and confirms the award of every credential.
- Chair (interim): Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic
Fellowship & Nominations Committee
Global Converged Security Fellowship Board
- Chair: Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic
External Examiner Framework
Independent examiners moderate assessment for fairness and rigour.
- External Examiners: To be appointed
Quality Assurance Framework
Ongoing monitoring of accredited partners and assessment delivery.
- Quality Assurance Lead: To be appointed
Research & Development Board
Advances converged security research and edits the GCSB Journal of Converged Security; peer review and publication decisions are independent of the Governing Council.
Ethics, Conduct & Appeals Committee
Upholds the Code of Professional Conduct and hears complaints. Independent of the decisions it reviews.
- Independent Chair: To be appointed
Appeals Panel
Ad hoc independent panel reviewing appeals against certification and award decisions.
- Independent Panel Members: To be appointed
Audit & Risk Committee
Oversees institutional risk, financial controls and the integrity of GCSB operations.
- Independent Chair: To be appointed
Ethics, appeals and audit seats are reserved for independent members, so no one reviews a decision they took part in.
Role Policies
Prerequisites for board and committee roles
These policies set the minimum requirements for appointment to each GCSB board, committee and panel. They are published in the interests of transparency and will also form the basis of future vacancy announcements.
All GCSB offices, board, committee and panel roles are strictly voluntary, are not monetized in any form, and are performed remotely.
Voluntary
Every role is held voluntarily. Appointments are offered and accepted freely, and an office-holder may step down at any time on written notice to the Registrar.
Not monetized
No salary, fee, retainer, honorarium, commission, share of revenue or other financial benefit is payable for service in any GCSB office, board, committee or panel role. Holding a role confers no right to payment of any kind.
Remote
All roles are performed remotely. Meetings, deliberations, reviews and hearings are conducted online; no relocation or regular on-site attendance is required.
Governing Council
The highest professional governing body of GCSB, distinct from the company's legal directors. Sets strategy, approves standards and regulations, and oversees all boards and committees.
President & Chair
Minimum: FGCSB (Fellow of the Global Converged Security Board)
Held by Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic · founder's office - never open for application
- •Minimum 15 years of senior professional experience in security, risk or governance
- •Recognised standing in the converged security profession at international level
- •Demonstrated authorship or leadership of published standards, frameworks or academic work
- •No record of professional misconduct; subject to annual declaration of interests
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Managing Director / CEO
Minimum: Founder-held executive office
Held by Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic · founder's office - never open for application
- •Permanent office held by Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic
- •Never open for vacancy, application or a future-term appointment
- •Subject to the published conflict-of-interest and recusal safeguards
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Registrar
Minimum: Interim office
Held by Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic · held pending an independent appointment - not an open vacancy; applications through the formal appointment process
- •Currently held by the founder on an interim basis, pending an independent appointment
- •Maintains registers, records approved outcomes and communicates decisions
- •Does not confer awards, replace the Assessment Board or adjudicate appeals
- •Experience of records management, regulatory administration or professional registration
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Council Member
Minimum: FGCSB, or CSL/CCSO with Board nomination
- •Minimum 10 years of professional experience, including 5 years in a leadership role
- •Active GCSB credential in good standing with CPD current
- •Experience of board, committee or regulatory work
- •Independence from accredited partners and certification applicants
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Certification and Standards Committee
Owns the GCSB standards portfolio and certification scheme rules; chairs the Standards Consultation Panels.
Committee Chair
Minimum: FGCSB, or CCSO with Board nomination
Held by Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic · held pending an independent appointment - not an open vacancy; applications through the formal appointment process
- •Minimum 12 years of professional experience in security standards, certification or regulation
- •Working knowledge of the full GCSB Converged Security Framework suite
- •Experience drafting or reviewing standards, codes of practice or scheme documents
- •No commercial interest in any accredited partner or applicant organisation
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Committee Member
Minimum: CSL or CCSO
- •Minimum 7 years of professional experience in a security discipline covered by the CSF
- •Active GCSB credential in good standing with CPD current
- •Ability to assess technical standards text critically and impartially
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Standards Consultation Panel Member
Minimum: CSP or higher (CSL/CCSO preferred)
- •Minimum 5 years of professional practice in the panel's subject area
- •Willingness to review consultation drafts within published timescales
- •Declaration of interests for each consultation
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Academic Board
Safeguards the academic integrity of GCSB qualifications and postgraduate programmes; oversees the Fellowship & Nominations Committee.
Board Chair
Minimum: FGCSB or DFGCSB
Held by Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic · held pending an independent appointment - not an open vacancy; applications through the formal appointment process
- •Doctoral degree in a relevant discipline
- •Minimum 10 years of academic or professional education experience, including programme leadership
- •Record of published research or recognised scholarly contribution
- •Experience of external examining, validation or academic quality review
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Board Member
Minimum: CSL or CCSO
- •Master's degree or higher in a relevant discipline
- •Minimum 7 years of experience in higher education, professional education or assessment design
- •Familiarity with recognised qualification frameworks and credit systems
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Fellowship & Nominations Committee Chair
Minimum: FGCSB or DFGCSB
Held by Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic · held pending an independent appointment - not an open vacancy; applications through the formal appointment process
- •Held by the founder pending an independent appointment
- •Minimum 12 years of professional experience with recognised standing in converged security
- •Recuses from any nomination involving a connected person
- •Applies the published Fellowship criteria with full independence
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Fellowship & Nominations Committee Member
Minimum: FGCSB
- •Fellowship standing with an unblemished professional record
- •Minimum 10 years of professional experience
- •Capacity to evaluate nomination evidence against the published Fellowship criteria with full independence
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Assessment Board
Confirms assessment outcomes, ratifies awards, and maintains the External Examiner and Quality Assurance frameworks.
Board Chair
Minimum: CCSO, or CSL with Board nomination
Open vacancy · held on an interim basis by Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic until appointed · apply on Vacancies
- •Currently held by the founder on an interim basis, pending an open appointment
- •Minimum 10 years of professional experience, including responsibility for assessment or examination decisions
- •Experience chairing assessment, examination or awarding panels
- •Understanding of moderation, appeals and results ratification practice
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Board Member
Minimum: CSL or CCSO
- •Minimum 7 years of professional experience
- •Experience of marking, moderation or verification of professional assessments
- •Active GCSB credential in good standing with CPD current
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
External Examiner
Minimum: CSL or CCSO (subject-relevant)
- •Minimum 8 years of professional or academic experience in the examined subject
- •No involvement in delivering the assessed programme or assessing own candidates
- •Availability for the published examination and reporting cycle
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Research & Development Board
Advances converged security research; edits the GCSB Journal of Converged Security and peer-reviews submissions from external authors. Editorial decisions are independent of the Governing Council.
Editor-in-Chief
Minimum: FGCSB or DFGCSB
Open vacancy · held on an interim basis by Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic until appointed · apply on Vacancies
- •Currently held by the founder on an interim basis, pending an open appointment
- •Doctoral degree in a relevant discipline
- •Record of published peer-reviewed research and scholarly editorship
- •Minimum 10 years of professional or academic experience in security, risk or governance
- •Editorial independence: publication decisions rest with the Editor-in-Chief, not the Governing Council
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Peer Review Panel Member
Minimum: FGCSB, or CSL with Board nomination
- •Minimum 8 years of professional or academic experience in a converged security discipline
- •Record of published research, or demonstrable expertise in the review subject
- •Ability to complete double-blind reviews within published timescales
- •No connection to authors of assigned submissions; declaration of interests per review
- •Voting seat on the Research & Development Board
- •Candidates with a family or close personal connection to a GCSB office holder: appointment approved by an independent reviewer, connection publicly declared, no review of or vote on that person's work, and no dismissal without independent review
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Editorial Board Member
Minimum: CSL or CCSO
- •Minimum 7 years of professional or academic experience
- •Familiarity with scholarly publishing and research ethics
- •Active GCSB credential in good standing with CPD current
- •Voting seat on the Research & Development Board
- •Candidates with a family or close personal connection to a GCSB office holder: appointment approved by an independent reviewer, connection publicly declared, no review of or vote on that person's work, and no dismissal without independent review
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Ethics, Conduct & Appeals Committee
Hears conduct cases and appeals; seats are reserved for independent members who took no part in the original decision.
Committee Chair
Minimum: FGCSB, or CCSO with Board nomination
- •Minimum 12 years of professional experience
- •Experience of disciplinary, regulatory, tribunal or appeals processes
- •Full independence: no other GCSB role and no interest in any case party
- •Demonstrated impartial judgement and confidentiality
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Committee Member / Appeals Panellist
Minimum: CSL or CCSO
- •Minimum 7 years of professional experience
- •No concurrent seat on the board or committee whose decisions are under appeal
- •Training or experience in fair-hearing and evidence-handling practice
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Audit & Risk Committee
Oversees financial controls, risk management and the integrity of GCSB registers and records.
Committee Chair
Minimum: CSL or CCSO, plus a recognised accountancy, audit or risk qualification
- •Minimum 10 years of experience in audit, finance, risk or compliance oversight
- •Independence from the executive and from accredited partners
- •Ability to challenge management and report directly to the Governing Council
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Committee Member
Minimum: CSL or CCSO
- •Minimum 7 years of professional experience, including exposure to risk, audit or compliance work
- •Understanding of data protection obligations for registers and personal records
- •Active GCSB credential in good standing with CPD current
Voluntary · Not monetized · Remote
Interim Governance Statement
GCSB is a founder-led organisation in its first phase. Prof. Dr. Vladimir Bunic holds the permanent offices of President & Chair of the Governing Council and Managing Director / CEO. His additional committee and board chair holdings are transitional, pending independent appointments.
The permanent founder offices are never open for applications, including future terms. Seats on the Ethics, Conduct & Appeals Committee, the Appeals Panel and the Audit & Risk Committee are reserved for independent members and can never be held by the founder. Two interim offices - Chair of the Assessment Board and Editor-in-Chief - are open vacancies, published on the Vacancies page. The other transitional offices (Registrar and the Chairs of the Certification and Standards Committee, the Academic Board and the Fellowship & Nominations Committee) are not open vacancies; they are filled through the formal appointment process.
The company directors oversee corporate administration; the Governing Council and professional bodies exercise the powers set out in the Governance Charter. Independent assessment, award, appeal and editorial decisions cannot be overridden by a founder office. Affected decisions are deferred if eligible independent decision-makers are unavailable. All GCSB offices remain voluntary, unpaid and remote.
GCSB is independent of the Converged Security Institute (CSI) and of any education or training provider. The founder also leads CSI; CSI has no role in GCSB standards, assessment, credential, Trustmark Award, appeal or editorial decisions, and CSI matters follow the Related-Party and Institutional Impartiality Policy.
Read the formal statement (GCSB-POL-002) · Related-party impartiality (GCSB-POL-007) · All governance policies →
Contact
Offices
DPO appointment pending; interim responsibility: Governing Council office.