Meet the Team
Exceptional people, united by a mission to protect
Toro Solutions is powered by a team of security experts who bring deep, real-world experience across cyber, physical, and human risk. With backgrounds in military, intelligence, law enforcement, and commercial security, our people are the driving force behind Toro’s integrated approach.
Each team member shares a commitment to innovation, precision, and proactive defence. Together, we work to anticipate threats before they strike – helping organisations build resilience, reduce risk, and stay secure in a rapidly evolving threat landscape.
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Peter Connolly
CEO
Peter is a distinguished business leader, problem solver, and entrepreneur, with over two decades of hands-on experience in security risk management within both private and public sectors.
His journey into security started as an Officer in the British Army, where he served for 12 years, leading troops in Counter-Insurgency and Counter-Terrorism operations in the UK, Afghanistan, Iraq, Northern Ireland, Kenya, and Somalia.
In his role as the Regional Military Advisor for his Majesty’s Government (HMG) in East Africa, Peter played a pivotal role in developing a large commercial partner network and building unprecedented strategic relationship with regional armies, foreign governments and intelligence.
In 2012 Peter created the UK’s first Red Team penetration test service. Using the blended approach, Peter and his team attacked hundreds of clients to expose gaps in their cyber, physical and people security, before helping them better defend themselves.
In 2015, Peter founded Toro, where he currently serves as CEO. His responsibilities encompass charting the strategic course of the business, collaborating closely with clients to understand their requirements, and driving strategic projects.
Peter is a co-founder of the non-profit TechVets which has helped over 4,000 UK military veterans and their spouses to access free training and pursue careers in technology and cyber. Peter is a trustee of two veterans charities.
Katie Barnett
Director of Cyber Security
Katie is a tenacious cyber security professional, with fifteen years’ experience in IT, built upon a corporate foundation of legal training and a stint as a commercial solicitor.
She has run IT and security operations for a number of commercial, academic and media organisations. This includes delivering government supply chain assurance projects and supporting multiple UK and US government contracts in the strategic communications space.
As a consultant she operates at Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) level, providing board level expertise in information security. This includes assessing cyber security maturity and conducting gap analyses against industry standards such as Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, NIST, SOC 2, CAIQ, and CAF. She relentlessly drives improvement by building relationships, adopting a methodical approach and communicating effectively.
Her talent is in distilling complex environments down to deliver simple, robust solutions that address cyber, physical and people security. She has overseen cybersecurity and risk management for projects delivering globally, including throughout Europe, Australia, Iraq, Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia, Georgia and Ukraine. This has involved utilising cloud technologies, implementing structured procedural frameworks and engaging a multitude of stakeholders. Other projects include leading on the delivery of ISO 27001, ISO 9001, Cyber Essentials Plus and B Corps status attainment.
Gavin Wilson
Director of Physical Security & Risk
Gavin has had a distinguished career in the field of security and emergency leadership, having served within prominent blue-chip organisations, where he has played a pivotal role in supporting delivery, capability enhancement, growth, and development. His global experience in running security operations has been centred on safeguarding people, assets, and brand protection.
Gavin is a notable contributor to security he has shared insights through published articles in industry journals and magazines, as well as authored whitepapers for industry associations. As well as his written contributions Gavin is also a recognised speaker at industry events, discussing best practices in physical asset protection and the evolving landscape of security.
As a specialist in security design, Gavin works as an embedded consultant for both new-build and in-use projects, designing and assuring security designed solutions. He also conducts security audits to assess organisations’ security maturity in compliance with ISO, BS, EN, and LPS standards.
Gavin is a founding member of a technology company dedicated to providing digital risk management and data automation services.
Furthermore, Gavin is a SABRE Registered Assessor and professional and a member of several professional bodies.
Liv Harris
Client Services Director
With over 17 years of experience, Liv is a hands-on and dynamic senior marketing professional with a proven track record of developing and delivering strategic marketing plans across sectors including public sector, recruitment, and technology.
As Client Services Director at Toro, Liv leads the company’s marketing function while also managing key client relationships and strategic partnerships. She ensures that partnerships are nurtured, aligned with business objectives, and consistently deliver value.
Liv oversees all aspects of marketing at Toro, including brand positioning, campaign strategy, public relations, social media, content creation, and the delivery of corporate events. Her integrated approach ensures that marketing efforts support both client success and broader business goals.
She plays a key role in connecting marketing, client relationships, and strategic direction, helping to drive Toro’s continued growth.
James Fleming
Client Services Director
An adept leader and manager with over 11 years in both the public and private sector, James is responsible for supporting Toro’s clients identify the right service for them.
James spent 8 years serving as an Officer in the British Army, leading troops across a range of environments, from operations in Jordan and Cyprus to ceremonial guards at Royal Palaces. This was followed by time in a Big Four Consultancy focussed on building client relationships and business development within central government.
As Client Services Director, James collaborates with clients to identify how Toro can best support in protecting them against the diverse and increasingly complex threats. He works closely with clients to understand their security needs and ensure the right support is available to achieve their objectives.
Tracey Gordon
Business Operations
Tracey is an experienced account manager and project coordinator with over 10 years of experience supporting and managing high-performing staff in the media industry and security sector. Tracey is Toro’s Business Operations Specialist, where she looks after everything related to the business, including HR and Toro’s internal processes and policies. Tracey is also an Account Manager and supports with internal design work.
Ana Penades Vera
Project Manager
Ana is an accomplished Project Manager with over 10 years of experience leading complex international projects in the international development and media sectors. She has a strong background in managing initiatives across multiple countries and cultures, consistently delivering successful outcomes for global organisations. Ana’s expertise spans areas such as countering disinformation, addressing hate speech, and tackling key ethical and human rights issues on a global level.
At Toro, Ana plays a central role as Project Manager for various high-profile public sector and select private sector projects. She ensures each project is managed with meticulous attention from start to finish, maintaining the highest standards of delivery. Known for her strong client relationship management, Ana works closely with clients to ensure their needs are met with professionalism and care. She is also highly skilled at overseeing budgets, timelines, and project execution, ensuring smooth and efficient delivery.
Tara Heffer
Service Delivery Manager
With a background encompassing both the public and private sectors, Tara bringsextensive experience in overseeing the day-to-day IT operations and user support, as well as successfully executing large-scale projects within organisations.
Tara’s expertise lies in proficiently managing teams to deliver exceptional and efficient services, ensuring that every client receives the highest level of care and attention. Tara’s qualifications include certifications such as CC, Azure Fundamentals, and MS Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals.
Lyubo Hristov
IT Systems Specialist
Lyubo is a seasoned IT professional with 15 years of experience in IT support, engineering, and consulting. His expertise spans a wide range of technologies, with a particular focus on Microsoft, JAMF, Qualys, Sophos, and VMware solutions. Lyubo is Toro’s IT System Specialist where he works with a wide range of organisations to optimise their IT infrastructure and enhance operational efficiency. Throughout his career, he has consistently delivered innovative IT solutions, provided invaluable support to clients, and offered strategic consulting services to help businesses thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape. He is passionate about staying at the forefront of technological advancements, ensuring clients receive the best guidance and solutions to meet their IT needs. Lyubo is a JAMF Certified Admin, JAMF Security and Management Consultant and JAMF Endpoint Security Admin and JAMF Expert. Lyubo also holds certifications in Microsoft, Fortinet NSE 1, 2 and 3 and Fortinet Certified Fundamentals Cybersecurity and Sophos Certified Engineer and Sophos Certified Sales Consultant.
Lily-May Welling
Service Delivery Analyst
With over four years experience in both the public and private sectors, Lily is a proficient MSP professional with experience in social engineering projects. Her qualifications include a CCSA from the Chartered Institute of Information Security, a BCS Level 3 Award in Business Processes from the Chartered Institute of IT, and Level 2 Business Administration from Barnet and Southgate College and Level 1 & 2 ICT certifications from Pearsons.
Ninja RMM, CIPP, Egnyte Administration, Google Administration, Active Directory, and Microsoft Entra, Purview, and Intune. In her role at Toro, Lily provides technical support, assisting clients with a wide range of queries within the MSP team whilst assisting the cyber team with social engineering projects.
Andrew Wright
Senior Security Consultant
Andrew is an experienced IT professional with over 20 years software development experience before moving full time into penetration testing. He has worked in both the private and education sectors developing web applications as well as performing system administration with the emphasis on cyber security. He has performed over 200 penetration tests in the education sector helping to improve the security of University and Colleges.
Andrew is a certified as a Cyber Scheme Team Member, CISSP, Practical Network Penetration Tester, and is a Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus assessor.
Gareth Stinton
Cybersecurity Specialist
Gareth is a former British Army officer with a background in IT project management and digital transformation. Gareth has experience working with major players in the financial services, having held roles at Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Nationwide and Old Mutual Wealth, he also has a comprehensive understanding of the challenges that smaller organisations face.
Gareth holds the System Security Certified Practitioner qualification, he is also qualified in best practice information security frameworks, holding the ISO 27001 Lead Implementer and Lead Auditor certifications and he is a Cyber Essentials Assessor. Gareth is also a certified Prince 2 Practitioner.
Gareth is Toro’s Cybersecurity specialist responsible for delivering cyber security reviews, supporting security enhancement activities, and managing complex projects.
Nick
Senior Security Consultant
Justin Cooper
Physical Security Consultant
Justin Cooper is a former British Armed Forces professional with a distinguished career of over two decades in the global security sector. His expertise spans front-line diplomatic protection in high-threat environments and the strategic management of complex security operations for multinational organisations.
During his tenure in the Middle East, Justin successfully led security operations for the US military and major oil companies in Iraq, establishing critical security contracts and training local teams in advanced protective practices to ensure mission readiness and safety in some of the world’s most challenging environments. His consultancy portfolio also includes partnerships with blue-chip companies around the UK and international clientele, Justin was also responsible for leading security operations for a large warehouse and distribution network.
At Toro Solutions, Justin applies his extensive operational insight and leadership experience to deliver bespoke, end-to-end physical security consultancy, enabling clients to safeguard their people, assets, and operations with precision and confidence.
Jim Berry
Senior Security Consultant
Former UK military, Jim is an advisor and trainer in hostile and complex environments.
With experience providing travel security, executive protection, and training for media, governments, and business; he currently serves as a Physical Security Consultant at Toro, assisting with clients’ safety, security, and training needs.
Jeremy Lloyd
Head of Strategy Advisory
Jeremy is an experienced corporate executive with 30 years of IT & consulting experience. Exited in 2017 as Founder, CISO & CTO of a software development firm.
Andrej Kokoc
Senior Investigator
10 years Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) (clear, deep, and dark web), research and due diligence for corporate, NGO and Government clients.
Renata Legierska
Head of Investigations
Renata has over 10 years’ experience conducting corporate investigations, due diligence & asset tracing across multiple jurisdictions.
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People focussed
At Toro, people are at the core of everything we do – our team, our clients, and the partners we collaborate with.
We prioritise building trusted relationships, delivering consistently high standards, and providing tailored support that reflects the unique needs of every client.
