This week, we’re saying hello to Alex Caldwell, our new operational resilience lead – here to help us scale safely – making sure Seccl keeps moving fast without missing a beat.
Where are you from, and where are you based now?
I’m based in Edinburgh, which I’ve called home for most of my life. I was born in Germany, but Scotland is where I grew up – it’s well and truly home for me now.
Can you tell us about your career journey before Seccl?
My career in financial services has taken me through a real mix of roles – from incident management and business continuity to physical security and operational risk.
It hasn’t been a straight line, and there have definitely been some unexpected twists along the way. But I’ve always enjoyed preparing organisations for life’s ‘what ifs’, helping people think through disruptions, and shaping environments that can adapt and thrive.
What attracted you to Seccl?
The agility, the speed, the opportunity. Seccl is scaling quickly, but with intention – and with a clear understanding that resilience isn’t just about surviving disruptions, it’s about thriving through them. That mindset really resonated with me.
I also loved that resilience is seen as something proactive here, not reactive. It’s part of how we grow, innovate and continuously improve. That’s exactly the kind of environment I wanted to be part of.
How have your first few weeks been?
Full of learning – in the best way.
Everyone has been incredibly generous with their time, insight, and expertise, which has helped me hit the ground running. Even though I’ve only been here a short time, I already feel like I’m making meaningful progress. It’s such an energising feeling when you can contribute early and see the impact.
What are you most excited about working on at Seccl?
I’m excited about embedding resilience into everything we do – in a way that strengthens us without slowing anything down.
Good resilience should empower teams to move faster, with confidence. And because Seccl is growing so quickly, we have the opportunity to build it right into our DNA: into our processes, our culture, and our everyday decisions.
Helping shape that foundation is something I’m really passionate about.
What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?
I have a real love of maps – especially vintage ones. I can spend hours studying them. They’re essentially early resilience plans: beautifully detailed, full of context, and designed to help people navigate the unknown. Plus, they just look great on a wall.
Any unexpected hobbies or hidden talents? We love a fun fact.
I’m ridiculously good at writing packing lists. If there’s a scenario where you might need a snorkel, duct tape and three spare chargers, I’ve already thought of it. Consider it my personal brand of everyday resilience planning.
