About Astrid Mitchell

Astrid Mitchell is Chief Executive of Reconnaissance International – consultants and publishers of market intelligence for the government print, document security, authentication and holography industries. In addition, she is Editor of Currency News, the monthly business-to-business newsletter for the currency industry that covers the design and specification, production, processing and distribution of banknotes and coins. After studying for a degree in politics at Durham University, Astrid began her career as a researcher and analyst with De La Rue in 1983. She subsequently worked in a variety of marketing positions for the company before joining Applied Holographics (subsequently Applied Optical Technologies, then OpSec Security Technologies), a provider of authentication features for high security documents as Marketing Director. She then moved to German banknote and passport printer Bundesdruckerei, working in marketing for its new business groups, including the Authenticare brand protection division. She joined Reconnaissance in 2002, and was responsible for the inception and launch of Currency News in 2003. Specialties: Market research, journalism and marketing. Specific areas of knowledge and expertise are currency, tax stamps and authentication technologies