Current IC: Security Board Members

IC Security Board:

 

Chairperson

Stefan Simon has been Director of the Rathgen Research Laboratory at the National Museums in Berlin, Germany, since 2005.

The German-American heritage scientist earned his PhD in Chemistry from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Sustainability, based on environmental and social impact criteria, is at the center of his research. He has served as a council member and vice president of ICCROM (the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) and as president of the Scientific Committee for Stone (ISCS) of ICOMOS (the International Council on Monuments and Sites).

During his time as inaugural Director of Yale’s Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Director of Yale’s Global Cultural Heritage Initiatives (2014–2019), Stefan Simon prioritized the development of sustainable conservation strategies in response to the global climate crisis. He is an advocate against the illicit trafficking of cultural property and a leading voice in the international ‘Culture in Crisis’ debate. He has been awarded a Fulbright Canada Distinguished Chair in Arts and Social Sciences at Carleton University 2024/25. Within the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, he established the Taskforce Risk Management in 2020 and coordinates the emergency preparedness efforts of the Foundation.

Secretary

Nikolaos (Nikos) Dokalis pursued a Master Degree in Archaeology and Art History in both Greece and Germany, acquiring a profound understanding of cultural heritage and museum practices. Following his university education, he completed certified training as a protection and security specialist. His professional career is distinguished by extensive international experience at renowned cultural institutions, including the Peggy Guggenheim Collection Venice, the National Gallery London, and the Jewish Museum Berlin.

Over the years, he has cultivated comprehensive expertise in museum security, risk management, and visitor engagement. Since 2022, he has held the position of Head of Security Affairs and Visitor Services for the Museums of The Hasso Plattner Foundation – namely Museum Barberini and DAS MINSK in Potsdam, Germany, where he is responsible for strategic leadership in security management and the optimisation of the visitor experience. 

Treasurer (Co-Opted)

  • Ibrahim Bulut (Belgium)

Ibrahim Bulut is a Senior Security Consultant and internationally active Museum Security Expert specializing in the protection of museums, cultural heritage, and high-value collections. He advises cultural institutions on security risk management, security strategies, and the integration of physical, technical, and organizational security measures. As a lecturer, speaker, and member of the international museum security community, he actively contributes to advancing professional standards and knowledge within the cultural heritage sector.

 

Board members

  • Betty Karanja (Kenya)

Betty is a research scientist in the Cultural Heritage Department at the National Museums of Kenya. She has worked in the museum and heritage sector for the past 20 years, 11 of them as a Curator in different museums. Betty has a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, a master’s in Project Planning and Management, and a certification in Museum Leadership from the Getty Leadership Institute, California.

With this extensive experience in the museum field, she is highly skilled in curatorial practice, exhibition development, collection management, and building relationships with artists, collectors, donors, and other stakeholders. She is particularly interested in promoting culture and the preservation and security of cultural and natural heritage sites and collections. She has also been involved in various projects geared towards realizing the decentralization as well as the decolonization of museums.

In addition to her professional pursuits, Betty is a mother, enjoys traveling, and has a keen interest in astronomy.

 

  • Nick Johnson (UK)

Nick Johnson is a security consultant specialising in art security and has worked in the security industry for over 20 years both in the UK and overseas.  He brings a wealth of technical knowledge and practical knowledge to the Board and has significant experience in undertaking security reviews, risk assessments, setting up security teams and providing interim security management as well as developing security design for major museums, galleries, auctioneers and historic houses.   Clients that have retained Nick’s services over the years include The British Museum, The National Museum of Norway, The Courtauld Gallery, Christies, Sotheby’s (US), Chatsworth House and The Wallace Collection.  Nick is currently appointed as a security advisor to the Arts Council England and is also the Technical Expert and Assessor on security systems and services for both the United Kingdom Accreditation Service and the Irish National Accreditation Board.

 

  • Nzhdeh Yeranyan (Armenia)


Nzhdeh Yeranyan is a cultural anthropologist specializing in cultural heritage preservation and management, with a particular focus on crisis, conflict, and post-conflict contexts. His research interests also include the colonial and postcolonial dimensions of archaeology in Armenia, Bronze and Iron Age landscapes, and strategies for safeguarding cultural heritage in the face of natural disasters and emergencies. He was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Cornell University (2024–2025). He has completed ICCROM-FAR READY Track 1 training on safeguarding heritage in the face of disasters, extreme weather events, and complex emergencies.