Aventum Group

Standardising Global Physical Security from a London-Led GSOC

Oral Fuat, Global Head of Facilities

Cameras Workplace Intercom Command

At a Glance — Key Results

Investigations reduced from hours to minutes with AI-powered search and Unified Timeline in Command.
450+ visitors checked in in one month at London HQ through a streamlined, self-service flow.
Mailroom deliveries moved from ad-hoc messages to a central, searchable record in Verkada Command.
A London-led GSOC model now supports 27 offices worldwide with just three authorised users.
24/7 support that delivers in practice — including a case where Oral received help in under 20 seconds late on a Sunday night.

A Growing Global Group, One Security Standard

Aventum Group began in 1996 when a young David Bearman launched Direct Insurance from a rented office in East London. Entering the insurance market as an underdog, the business built its reputation in high-risk, underserved segments by doing what others wouldn’t — or couldn’t — with sharper service and relentless attention to detail.

This challenger spirit propelled Aventum into wholesale broking, the creation of Consilium (a Broker at Lloyd’s), and the launch of specialist global (re)insurance businesses like Rokstone, which now writes more than $1.1bn in annual premium. Today, Aventum operates across six continents with around 600 staff — all grown organically.

As the group expanded, so did the operational complexity behind supporting dozens of offices. Oral Fuat, now Global Head of Facilities, saw a clear need for a unified, modern physical security standard.

“This office is our framework,” he explains. “If London has it, every other office should have the same standard — even if that office only has five people.”

As Aventum scaled into new regions, Oral inherited a varied security environment shaped by years of rapid, organic growth. Different offices had implemented local solutions that worked for their teams at the time — from earlier-generation DVR systems in the UK to locations overseas that hadn’t yet adopted a consistent CCTV approach. Visitor and mail processes also differed reflecting each office’s own operational rhythms.

This variation made sense for an organisation growing quickly across continents. But to support the next phase — with one global standard, one operational model, and one experience for staff — Oral saw the need for a consolidated platform that could scale smoothly worldwide.

Why Aventum Chose Verkada

To create one unified security standard across the organisation, Oral turned to long-time partner Softcat with a simple mandate: consolidate everything onto a single platform.

Verkada stood out immediately.

“You open the box, scan the serial number, put the camera up — and it just works,” says Oral. “That’s exactly what we needed.”

Today, Aventum’s global security environment is managed centrally from London, with only three authorised administrators logging into Command.

“Everything runs through London,” he adds. “If we’re installing cameras in Australia, they plug it in and it appears in Command right away.”

A London-Led GSOC Model, Built on Privacy and Trust

Aventum adopted a centralised but privacy-conscious GSOC model from day one.

“People barely notice cameras when they’re out in shops,” says Oral. “But in an office, it’s natural for staff to ask questions — and they deserve clear answers about how the system supports safety, not monitoring.”

To build trust across regions, the team:

Restricted Command access to only three administrators
Standardised camera placement and retention policies
Documented that cameras are for health, safety, and incident review, not employee monitoring

This governance-first approach now underpins security across 27 global locations.

Investigations in Minutes with AI-Powered Search

Before Verkada, investigations could take hours — assuming footage was even available. Now they take minutes.

A first-aid incident illustrated the shift. When a staff member began choking on chewing gum, the team quickly retrieved nearby footage, created an incident report in Command, and used it for training and post-incident review.

“We wanted to see how everyone reacted and whether we could do anything better,” says Oral. “Having that incident saved and documented made it straightforward.”

AI-powered search also helps with everyday tasks, such as locating misplaced personal items, without scrubbing through hours of video.

Analytics and Alerts That Surface What Matters

Video analytics and automated alerts help Aventum detect activity that might otherwise go unnoticed — including discovering overnight security guards using the office gym at 3 a.m.

“We wouldn’t have known without the alerts saying, ‘There’s someone here we don’t recognise,’” says Oral.

The team is also piloting activity-based detections, including:

Animal detection alerts for managing office dogs and monitoring a previous mice issue
Early-warning alerts for slip-and-fall or high-risk behaviours as the estate grows

“As we grow, the ability to say ‘show me a slip-and-fall’ or ‘show me a fight’ will be invaluable.”

Streamlining Visitor Check-Ins with Verkada Guest

London HQ welcomed 450+ visitors in a single month. Previously, reception used a SharePoint list — a “digital pen-and-paper” process that slowed down busy periods.

With Verkada Guest:

Visitors independently sign in on an iPad
Hosts receive instant notifications
Logs are stored in Command and link back to video

“What we didn’t want was loads of documentation and forms,” says Oral. “We kept it simple, and feedback’s been good.”

Guest also strengthens health and safety by providing a real-time record of everyone onsite during emergencies or evacuations.

Bringing Structure and Visibility to Mailroom Deliveries

Mail and parcels were once tracked informally — or not at all. Now, with Verkada Mailroom, the facilities team can:

Scan parcel labels with an iPhone
Automatically match recipients
Track what’s waiting, collected, or overdue
Use video snapshots to verify disputed or missing deliveries

“It’s taken the guesswork out,” says Oral. “Now we can see what’s coming in and out instead of relying on ad-hoc messages.”

Support That Lives Up to the Promise

Verkada’s 24/7 support has been consistently reliable.

“One Sunday at 10:30 p.m., I had an issue and thought, ‘Let’s see if this is real,’” recalls Oral. “I opened a support chat and within 19 seconds someone replied. It made a big difference knowing I’m not stuck until Monday.”

Looking Ahead: One Unified Platform

Aventum’s next step is to bring door access control onto Verkada.

“At the moment, door access is on a separate system,” Oral explains. “We’d like to bring that into Verkada so it’s truly one stack.”

As the group continues to grow, Oral expects AI to play an even bigger role in investigations, early detection, and safer workplaces.

His message to other organisations is simple:

“Go for it. We’ve gone from cameras with different suppliers all over the place to one system where investigations take minutes and support is second to none. I’d highly recommend Verkada.”