High Trust, High Stakes, Human Risk Inside Family Offices with Mark Somers

In this episode, Philip speaks with Mark Somers, one of the most respected voices in the family office recruitment world. Mark has spent more than 20 years advising family offices, wealth managers and private banks on talent, structure and human capital. He's the author of two books on family offices and careers within the sector and sits on the Spears 500 judging panel.

The conversation covers what makes a family office resilient — and what causes them to fall apart. Mark makes a compelling case that human capital, not financial capital, is the most important asset a family office possesses. Without the right people around it, the money simply evaporates.

Mark Somers is the founder and director of Somers Partnership, a specialist executive search and family office consultancy established over 20 years ago. He advises family offices, wealth managers and private banks on talent, structure and human capital. Mark is the author of two books on family offices and careers within the sector, including Working for a Billionaire. He sits on the Spears 500 judging panel and is widely recognised as one of the leading global voices on human capital in private wealth. Prior to founding Somers Partnership, Mark served as a military officer.

Website: somerspartnership.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-somers-spl/

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In this episode of The Defuse Podcast, Philip Grindell is joined by Lucy Burnford, founder of coc00n, a specialist cyber security firm protecting high-risk individuals, families, and senior leaders from targeted digital threats.

Lucy works at the sharp end of personal cyber risk, where phones, messages and trusted relationships are often the way in. coc00n focuses on people rather than systems, securing personal devices, private digital lives, and the grey area where work and home overlap. 

Their team includes former UK government cyber specialists who once protected sensitive national assets and now apply that experience to private clients.

The conversation explores how cyber threats really start, why successful people often underestimate personal risk, and how digital compromise can quickly turn into reputational, psychological, or real-world harm.

This is a grounded discussion about judgement, habits, and trust — and what genuinely helps people feel safer.

Bio

Lucy Burnford, Chief Executive Officer, coc00n

Lucy is the CEO at coc00n. She works with a team of former GCHQ cyber security and digital privacy experts to deliver proactive, unrivalled cyber security with absolute discretion and privacy. She works closely with high value clients, and their advisors, to bridge the gap between technical requirements and practical solutions, combining her ability to understand consumers of premium services alongside cyber expertise.

https://coc00n.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyburnford/

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In this compelling and straight-talking episode, Philip sits down with Neil Basu QPM, one of the UK’s most respected and outspoken former senior police leaders.

Neil shares the lessons, frustrations, and hard truths from over 30 years in policing — from the Stephen Lawrence inquiry to counter-terrorism, leadership under political pressure, and the moral challenges of modern policing.

They discuss racism within the system, the dangers of disinformation, and the human cost of service. Neil also opens up about life after leaving the Met, his book Turmoil, and why courage and compassion are vital to real leadership.

🧭 Key Topics Covered

• Institutional Racism & Leadership Fear – Why acknowledging it is the only path to trust.
• Counter-Terrorism & Radicalisation – Lone actors, online grooming, and the threat from the far right.
• Politics & Policing – When public service collides with political convenience.
• The Human Cost of Service – How policing impacts families and communities.
• Leadership Lessons – Neil’s mantra: “Be quick, be competent, and be compassionate.”
• Life After the Met – From frontline leadership to mentoring, writing, and podcasting.

📚 About Neil Basu QPM

Neil Basu served as Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations at the Metropolitan Police, leading UK Counter-Terrorism Policing. Known for his integrity and willingness to challenge the status quo, he’s been at the heart of some of Britain’s most complex policing and national security operations.

He is the author of Turmoil: The Official Autobiography – 30 Years of Policing, Politics and Prejudice — a raw and insightful account of his career and the challenges of reforming British policing.

Neil also co-hosts the Crime Agents Podcast with crime journalist Andy Hughes, offering honest commentary and insight into crime, justice, and law enforcement today.

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This episode features forensic psychologist Kerry Daynes discussing her 25-year career and expertise in stalking behaviour. Kerry transitioned from advertising plans to forensic psychology after university, despite being told it was "no job for a girl." She trained through the NHS rather than the typical prison service route.

Key Professional Insights: Kerry advocates for "rational compassion" - maintaining realistic risk assessments whilst treating individuals with dignity. She argues against forcing people into neat psychological categories, emphasising that everyone requires individual understanding.

Stalking vs Harassment: Stalking involves deeper fixation and obsession than harassment. Stalkers gather unnecessary information and seek proximity to victims. The UK recognises five stalker types: rejected (highest violence risk), intimacy-seeking, incompetent suitors, resentful, and predatory stalkers.

Risk Assessment Problems: The widely-used DASH risk assessment tool lacks scientific validity despite being standard across UK police forces. This "quick and dirty" approach fails because it attempts to assess domestic abuse, stalking, and honour-based abuse with one inadequate tool.

Personal Experience: Kerry shares her own stalking experience, describing the victim's sense of "omnipresence" - feeling unsafe everywhere. Victims typically shrink their lives and experience hypervigilance, which others often dismiss as paranoia.

Societal Issues: Popular culture romanticises stalking through films like Beauty and the Beast and Twilight. Social media and data oversharing have made stalking easier while creating unrealistic expectations about pursuing romantic interests.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-daynes-aa8b5740/

https://www.instagram.com/kerrydaynespsychologist/?hl=en

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Send us a text

In this compelling two-part episode, Philip Grindell welcomes back security expert James Hamilton to explore the "attack cycle" - a proven model used by criminals, terrorists, and assassins to target victims. Following the high-profile New York CEO assassination, Hamilton breaks down the eight critical phases: target selection, surveillance, final target selection, planning, rehearsal, execution, escape, and exploitation.

The discussion reveals how attackers methodically progress through each stage and, crucially, how executive protection teams can identify and disrupt these phases. Hamilton shares practical insights on surveillance detection, threat assessment, and creating flexible security programs that balance protection with client accessibility.

BIO

James is a nationally recognized personal security expert and former FBI Supervisory Special Agent. For more than 33 years, he has been a protector, trainer, and advisor to the nation’s most at-risk individuals. He has real, practical, and unparalleled experience in executive protection, violence prevention, and personal security. This real experience was earned through service in local law enforcement, the FBI, and America’s premiere executive protection firm. He has protected government officials, high-net-worth individuals, and leading religious figures all over the globe and has empowered thousands of individuals to stay safe in an increasingly dangerous world. He has dedicated his life to this particular area of expertise and is sought after by those seeking practical and sound guidance.

https://www.hamiltonsecuritygroup.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-hamilton-752894104/

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Support the show

Subscribe to 'Defuse News', our weekly update of the week's events on our website.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

In this compelling two-part episode, Philip Grindell welcomes back security expert James Hamilton to explore the "attack cycle" - a proven model used by criminals, terrorists, and assassins to target victims. Following the high-profile New York CEO assassination, Hamilton breaks down the eight critical phases: target selection, surveillance, final target selection, planning, rehearsal, execution, escape, and exploitation.

The discussion reveals how attackers methodically progress through each stage and, crucially, how executive protection teams can identify and disrupt these phases. Hamilton shares practical insights on surveillance detection, threat assessment, and creating flexible security programs that balance protection with client accessibility.

BIO

James is a nationally recognized personal security expert and former FBI Supervisory Special Agent. For more than 33 years, he has been a protector, trainer, and advisor to the nation’s most at-risk individuals. He has real, practical, and unparalleled experience in executive protection, violence prevention, and personal security. This real experience was earned through service in local law enforcement, the FBI, and America’s premiere executive protection firm. He has protected government officials, high-net-worth individuals, and leading religious figures all over the globe and has empowered thousands of individuals to stay safe in an increasingly dangerous world. He has dedicated his life to this particular area of expertise and is sought after by those seeking practical and sound guidance.

https://www.hamiltonsecuritygroup.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-hamilton-752894104/

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When Crisis Hits: The Real Cost of Getting Reputation Wrong

This week's Defuse Podcast featured Heather Blundell (CEO, Grayling UK) and James Clothier (Head of Crisis) discussing how reputation management has become essential protection.

Key insights: Most crisis failures stem from human behaviour under pressure, not poor messaging. Female executives face different reputation attacks requiring specific strategies. Social media breaks stories before traditional media responds. Video responses are replacing written statements as authenticity matters more than polish.

Heather revealed that proactive reputation management creates a competitive advantage, not just damage limitation. The conversation covers timing challenges, the importance of an external perspective, and why lawyers often make statements worse by stripping out emotion. They discuss how social media has transformed crisis response - young people get news from Snapchat, stories break on Twitter first, and video content is becoming essential.

The practical advice focuses on being honest, letting the light in, and demonstrating genuine change rather than just promising to "learn lessons."

Heather Blundell’s Biography: 

Heather is the award-winning UK CEO of Grayling, a global PR firm,  responsible for 200 employees across nine offices. 

She has spent more than 16 years as a trusted adviser to some of the world's largest companies and prominent CEOs, guiding them through periods of significant change, disruption, and complex reputation and crisis issues.

Heather is also a regular media commentator in the national media.

 James Clothier

James is Head of Crisis at Grayling UK, responsible for leading the crisis and reputation practice, alongside the firm's corporate division. 

Before joining Grayling, James spent two decades in senior editorial positions at The Sun and the Daily Mail.

https://grayling.com/

#ThreatIntelligence #CrisisManagement #ReputationRisk #ExecutiveProtection #CorporateSecurity #StrategicCommunications

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OSINT Part 2 - The Digital Lens Into Personal Security with Jon Blake

In the second part, Philip and Jon delve deeper into technical aspects of OSINT and digital security:
- VPNs (Virtual Private Networks): They discuss how VPNs create secure, encrypted connections through virtual "tunnels" and their benefits for security, particularly when using public Wi-Fi. They also address limitations, including potential impacts on speed and some websites detecting and blocking VPN access.
- The security risks of public Wi-Fi networks, with Jon recommending always using a VPN when connecting to hotel, airport, or other public networks.
- Using OSINT for due diligence, including understanding a person's "digital footprint" (information they know about and control) versus their "digital shadow" (information they may not be aware of, like data breaches).
- Techniques for conducting effective searches, including using Google Advanced Search rather than basic searches, and applying filters strategically.
- The challenges of images online, including metadata that can reveal sensitive information like location data, and the use of reverse image search technology.
- The emerging role of AI and automation in OSINT investigations, with Jon
cautioning that while AI tools can be helpful, they need human verification and should be used carefully.
- Deep fakes and their security implications, particularly for high-profile individuals and organizations, with Jon emphasizing the need for verification processes and code words as potential safeguards.

The podcast concludes with Jon highlighting his company's training programs and customizable "cyber investigator pathway" courses available through Cyber Ops Global.

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OSINT Part 1 - The Digital Lens Into Personal Security with Jon Blake

In the first part of this podcast, Philip Grindell interviews Jon Blake, a former Metropolitan Police Detective who has become an expert in Open Source Intelligence (OSINT). 

They discuss:
- Jon's background as a career detective who moved into cyber investigations, worked in covert operations, and eventually became a national internet investigation coordinator before entering the private sector in 2015.

What OSINT is: Open-source intelligence refers to gathering publicly available information and processing it for reliability and assessment. Jon notes that in policing, they've moved away from the term "OSINT" to "triple I" (internet investigation and intelligence).

- The difference between the surface web (indexed by search engines), the deep web (content not indexed by search engines, such as commercial databases), and the dark web (accessible only through specific tools like Tor).

- The distinction between open source (publicly available information) and closed source (information from private systems).

- The importance of treating digital evidence properly, including creating audit trails, capturing evidence methodically, and preserving digital material to maintain its integrity.

- How investigators must approach OSINT with the mindset that any information gathered could potentially become evidence, so proper documentation and verification are essential.

The experts emphasise that OSINT is a powerful investigation tool but should be part of a comprehensive approach rather than relied upon exclusively.

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"Countering Extremism with Guy Mathias" – The Defuse Podcast 

This two-part podcast features an in-depth conversation between Philip Grindell and Guy Mathias, a renowned security expert with extensive experience countering extremism, particularly in the pharmaceutical and research sectors.

Episode Summary

In this fascinating discussion, Guy Mathias shares insights from his distinguished career addressing extremist threats, particularly from animal rights groups in the UK during the 1980s through the 2000s. The conversation explores the evolution of extremist tactics, sophisticated intelligence gathering methods, and how organizations can prepare for and counter modern extremist threats.

Guy discusses how extremist groups evolved from direct action like arson attacks to more sophisticated operations involving infiltration, data mining, and targeted pressure campaigns. He emphasizes the importance of preparedness, risk assessment, and understanding both direct threats and supply chain vulnerabilities.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Guy's background and entry into security without traditional military/police experience
• The evolution of animal rights extremism in the UK, particularly the SHAC (Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty) campaign
• Sophisticated tactics used by extremist groups including: 
  • Direct action (arson, liberation of animals)
  • Infiltration and insider threats
  • Intelligence gathering and targeting
  • Supply chain disruption
• How extremist tactics have transferred to other causes and evolved with technology
• The importance of preparedness and risk assessment
• Challenges of screening and vetting employees
• Protecting organizational leadership
• Current and future extremism trends

Notable Quotes:

"The tactics were a local level. They were at a national level. They became an international level tactic." - Guy Mathias

"I would certainly argue that there is a requirement for those of us working in the sector be that security risk or resilience, to be prepared. What does preparedness look like?" - Guy Mathias

Practical Advice for Organizations:

• Develop and maintain a dynamic risk register that is regularly reviewed
• Understand your organization's supply chain vulnerabilities
• Implement thorough pre-employment screening
• Consider ongoing screening for high-risk positions
• Educate leadership about potential threats
• Conduct vulnerability assessments for executives
• Prepare resilience plans for disruptions

The podcast provides valuable historical context and practical security insights for organizations facing potential extremist threats in today's complex environment.

Guy Mathias - https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-mathias-19555673/

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"Countering Extremism with Guy Mathias" – The Defuse Podcast 

This two-part podcast features an in-depth conversation between Philip Grindell and Guy Mathias, a renowned security expert with extensive experience countering extremism, particularly in the pharmaceutical and research sectors.

Episode Summary

In this fascinating discussion, Guy Mathias shares insights from his distinguished career addressing extremist threats, particularly from animal rights groups in the UK during the 1980s through the 2000s. The conversation explores the evolution of extremist tactics, sophisticated intelligence gathering methods, and how organizations can prepare for and counter modern extremist threats.

Guy discusses how extremist groups evolved from direct action like arson attacks to more sophisticated operations involving infiltration, data mining, and targeted pressure campaigns. He emphasizes the importance of preparedness, risk assessment, and understanding both direct threats and supply chain vulnerabilities.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Guy's background and entry into security without traditional military/police experience
• The evolution of animal rights extremism in the UK, particularly the SHAC (Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty) campaign
• Sophisticated tactics used by extremist groups including: 
  • Direct action (arson, liberation of animals)
  • Infiltration and insider threats
  • Intelligence gathering and targeting
  • Supply chain disruption
• How extremist tactics have transferred to other causes and evolved with technology
• The importance of preparedness and risk assessment
• Challenges of screening and vetting employees
• Protecting organizational leadership
• Current and future extremism trends

Notable Quotes:

"The tactics were a local level. They were at a national level. They became an international level tactic." - Guy Mathias

"I would certainly argue that there is a requirement for those of us working in the sector be that security risk or resilience, to be prepared. What does preparedness look like?" - Guy Mathias

Practical Advice for Organizations:

• Develop and maintain a dynamic risk register that is regularly reviewed
• Understand your organization's supply chain vulnerabilities
• Implement thorough pre-employment screening
• Consider ongoing screening for high-risk positions
• Educate leadership about potential threats
• Conduct vulnerability assessments for executives
• Prepare resilience plans for disruptions

The podcast provides valuable historical context and practical security insights for organizations facing potential extremist threats in today's complex environment.

Guy Mathias - https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-mathias-19555673/

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What do you do when your reputation or brand is threatened?

Reputation management can mean different things depending on your status.  An organisation may have spent millions on developing and building its brand reputation, whilst private clients, UHNW individuals or influencers may rely on their good name to maintain their position and their wealth.

Public inquiries are a subject of constant debate; they can be exhaustive, hugely detailed, politically motivated and take years to conclude. How do you protect your reputation when you're involved in such a public investigation?

In part 2 of this podcast, lawyer Andrew Sanderson provides the answers. Andrew has successfully represented clients in all three of the above scenarios and discusses the complexities and the rights and wrongs of navigating these often deeply personal threats.

Bio

Andrew has nearly 20 years of experience working as a lawyer based in the City of London, advising large national and multinational clients on complex highly complex issues.

He has always adopted a commercial approach when dealing with clients and opponents.

With extensive legal, risk, and business experience, Andrew is a Solicitor-Advocate with rights of audience in the higher courts, both Criminal and Civil.

He has recently joined a new firm, Kingsley Napley

https://www.kingsleynapley.co.uk/our-people/andrew-sanderson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-sanderson-fcilt-minstta-8023b015/

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In this, my first video recorded podcast without a guest, I’ll share why subscribing to this podcast will deliver even more value this year, with an episode every week.

In this episode I’ll share my thought of the appalling circumstances that led to a young female British soldier taking her own life following a campaign of sexual harassment by not one, but two of her superiors.

This case illustrates why so few cases are in fact reported, as it highlights the four reasons why victims don’t report allegations and why addressing these issues in important, morally, financially and for security and safety reasons.

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What do you do when your reputation or brand is threatened?

Handling a threatened reputation requires both short-term crisis management and long-term strategic efforts to rebuild trust and credibility.

This month, we speak with esteemed London lawyer Andrew Sanderson.

In part 1 of the podcast, Andrew shares how and why he became a lawyer and chose to focus on his niche.

Andrew debunks the myths surrounding the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), explains the differences between defamation, slander, and libel, and describes why and how you should consider your options when facing such threats to your brand or reputation.

Bio

Andrew has nearly 20 years of experience working as a lawyer based in the City of London, advising large national and multinational clients on complex highly complex issues.

He has always adopted a commercial approach when dealing with clients and opponents.

With extensive legal, risk, and business experience, Andrew is a Solicitor-Advocate with rights of audience in the higher courts, both Criminal and Civil.

He has recently joined a new firm, Kingsley Napley

https://www.kingsleynapley.co.uk/our-people/andrew-sanderson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-sanderson-fcilt-minstta-8023b015/

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Right of Bang – Preparing for the next critical incident with Gene Deisinger Ph.D.

How many times have we heard organisations tell us that they will learn the lessons from an incident? If like me, you have been involved in these post incident reviews you may also have shared my frustration of how rarely the lessons are implement and therefore lack confidence in preventing the challenges being repeated.

When a traumatic incident occurs, its impact is experienced far wider than those immediately involved. Organisations, communities, health services and law enforcement and others can become overwhelmed and surprised by the response to a critical incident.

Dr. Deisinger discusses his experience in conducting root cause analysis to understand what happened leading up to the event how to prevent this happening again whilst identifying the likely issues to anticipate post event that may create challenges such as;

• The hypervigilance created by an event that causes an increase in reporting
• The management of funeral and memorial services and the associated pressures of dignitaries attending, distribution of gifts and money being contributed
• The costs of absenteeism and trauma to staff
• The over reliance of the response capability and the need for proactive creation of teams.
• Outsiders seeking to exploit the opportunities they identify for their own benefit.
• The destabilization of the wider vulnerable community.

Bio:

Dr. Gene Deisinger is President of Deisinger Consulting, LLC, specializing in operational psychology, protective intelligence, and behavioural threat assessment & management for an international base of clients in business, education, healthcare, government, military, law enforcement, non-profit organizations, and security & protective operations.

Dr. Deisinger helps clients develop, implement, and operate comprehensive, holistic & collaborative programs to prevent & mitigate harm, sustain continuity of operations, and enhance the safety & well-being of the organization and its members.

In June 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice appointed Dr. Deisinger to serve as a subject matter expert on the Critical Incident Review Team regarding the mass casualty incident at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX.

Since 2021, Dr. Deisinger has served as a founding member and subject matter expert for the Mass Violence Advisory Initiative, a joint project of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance.

Since February 2015, Dr. Deisinger has been retained as the Threat Management Consultant for the Virginia Center for School & Campus Safety. Dr. Deisinger provides threat management training and consultation for schools, campuses, and government & law enforcement agencies across Virginia.

Until his retirement in December 2014, Dr. Deisinger served as Deputy Chief of Police & Director of Threat Management Services for Virginia Tech, positions to which he had been recruited following the 2007 mass casualty incident at that campus.

As executive officer for the Virginia Tech Police Department, Dr. Deisinger provided leadership for law enforcement operations to support a safe and secure campus environment and directed the university’s multi-disciplinary threat management functions across its global facilities.

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With the rise in disruptive and problematic workplace issues, this month we talk with Dr. Marc McElhaney, CEO of Critical Response Associates based out of Atlanta, Georgia.

In this podcast Marc shares decades of experience of investigating and defusing problems within corporations.

He discusses how the term ‘workplace violence’ is unhelpful, how identifying behaviours of concern early and dealing with them help stop make the workplace a safer place and protects companies from incidence of violence, lawsuits, reputational harm, and a decline in performance.

Marc shares his expertise, published in two books, about the emotional, situational and behavioural triggers that we should all be aware of. The two categories of people, the troubled and the troubling and how to reduce risk and eliminate disgruntled employees causing problems.

Bio.

Dr. Marc McElhaney is CEO of Critical Response Associates (CRA) , a national team of experienced psychologists and behavioural specialists who specialize in identifying and resolving high-risk threats and violence in the workplace.

He is a licensed consulting psychologist and registered mediator known for his work in the areas of threat assessment, critical incident management and conflict resolution.

Since 1977, he has consulted with corporations, government agencies and large organizations on the assessment, management, and resolution of high-risk incidents. He has also helped develop workplace violence policies and crisis response programs.

He is the author of “Aggression in the Workplace: Preventing and Managing High‐ Risk Behaviour” 2004 as well as

CRA’s core training program, “Preventing Workplace Violence,” one of the most detailed and effective educational guides on the topic.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcmcelhaney/

Critical Response Associates  https://craorg.com/

Marc’s books

The Risks Within: Preventing and Managing Workplace Violence

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Risks-Within-Preventing-Managing-Workplace/dp/B0B92KGRN1

Aggression in the Workplace: Preventing and Managing High-Risk Behavior

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aggression-Workplace-Preventing-Managing-High-Risk/dp/1418461954

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On the 22nd May 2017, Figen Murray’s life as she knew it changed forever.

Her son, Martyn Hett, was one of the 22 people killed in the devastating Manchester Arena terrorist attack.

The acts of kindness and support that followed the tragic loss of Martyn Hett in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing highlight the strength of community in times of grief.

Figen's advocacy for peace and positive change, rather than succumbing to anger, is truly inspiring. In memory of Martyn, Figen led the call for Martyn's Law, aiming to enhance security measures at public venues and prevent future tragedies.

The proposed UK legislation, the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill 2024, seeks to improve preparedness and response to terrorist threats. Figen's dedication to turning personal tragedy into a force for societal advancement is commendable. Her commitment to promoting safety and resilience in the face of adversity is a powerful example of the impact one individual can have on shaping a safer future for all.

https://www.figenmurray.co.uk/

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This podcast provides an insight into the causes and possible solutions of mass attacks in the US. 

In this podcast Mark discusses:

• Importance of Talking to Attackers
• Key Elements of Threat Assessment
• Challenges in Reporting Threats
• The Role of Social Media in Threat Assessment
• The Importance of Human Connection in Threat Assessment

Mark discusses his recent investigative project on Elliot Rodger, the perpetrator of the Isla Vista mass shooting in 2014, and how his ongoing relationship with Elliot’s mother.

• He explains the unique aspects of Elliot's case, including his skill at hiding his intentions and the lack of warning signs that were missed.
• Mark highlights the importance of understanding the conditions of suicidality and isolation in threat assessment.
• He emphasizes the need to focus on how people behave and the process they go through to commit violent acts, rather than simplistic explanations like mental illness or ideology

BIO

Mark Follman is a longtime investigative journalist and author of the acclaimed bestseller, TRIGGER POINTS: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America.

Since 2012, when he created a pioneering online database of mass shootings, his various investigations into gun violence and its impact on society have been honoured with numerous awards.

His work has been featured on NPR’s “Fresh Air,” PBS NewsHour, and in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Mother Jones, where he is the national affairs editor. He is a frequent keynote speaker at threat assessment trainings and at conferences focused on violence prevention, mental health, and safety in education. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-follman-4a9b0620/

https://amzn.eu/d/fjqA0ab

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With the The Power of Awareness you can change your approach to personal safety from passive bystander to becoming your own personal safety expert.

Your personal safety is your responsibility and no one else’s. That is a simple fact. And the two foundations your safety stands upon are possessing situational awareness and listening to your intuition. 

The first can be developed and improved. The second is a million years of self-preservation that is already speaking to you, in a tiny voice, if you listen.

New York Times bestselling author Dan Schilling, Lt. Col., USAF (ret.) spent more than 30 years in special operations, primarily as a Combat Controller and Special Tactics Officer, but began military service as an infantry paratrooper.

His numerous combat, clandestine, rescue, and humanitarian missions have taken him around the world and include Operation Gothic Serpent, popularly known as Black Hawk Down, where he is credited with saving the lives of a Ranger and Team Six SEAL while under heavy enemy fire.

He later conceived, founded, and then served as the first commander of two special operations squadrons, one of which’s name and purpose remains classified. His military certifications include HALO and static line master parachutist, Special Forces combat diver, parachute rigger, and Combat Control pipeline instructor. His final military assignment was the Joint Special Operations Command weapons of mass destruction U.S. interagency and intelligence community director.

In 2023 Dan was inducted into the Air Commando Hall of Fame and received the Freedom Foundation’s national medal for public service. He is also a 2022 U.S. Air Force Gathering of Eagles inductee. His book Alone at Dawn is a New York Times and Amazon #1 international bestseller. He and his wife Julie, a retired NSA cyber warfare specialist, live in Utah

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The Defuse Podcast – Family Office Risk Management with Edward V Marshall

From December 2023 to January 2024, Dentons, led by Edward Marshall, surveyed over 200 family office respondents from 33 countries worldwide, comparing the findings to the earlier research published in 2020. This survey went further than before by examining various types of family offices based on region, net worth, organisation, and maturity.

Participants included family members, C-suite executives, investment professionals, and other family office staff, providing a comprehensive overview of how family offices manage risk in their operations and investments.
This podcast discussed the findings of that survey with Edward. We delve deeper into the reasons behind the findings, how the identified gaps and vulnerabilities can be mitigated, and the challenges that Family Offices experience when seeking security providers.

Download the Dentons report here:
https://www.dentons.com/en/services-and-solutions/the-evolving-risk-landscape-for-family-offices-a-dentons-survey-report

Edward’s Bio:
Edward V. Marshall is the Global Head of the Dentons Family Office and High Net
Worth (DFO) sector. Edward is a family office insider and a renowned family office
researcher, advisor, and author. He is regarded as a thought leader in the family office space, distinguished by his service to complex families worldwide.  He is also a risk and threat management specialist, working with families to reduce their cyber, physical, financial, operational, and reputational risk profiles.

DFO is a global cross-practice group that services the firm’s clients, who are family
businesses, investors, family offices, or high-net-worth individuals. The team works closely with families considering a family office, families with an existing family office, and advisors to families. The group curates a program of insights, advice, and connections to advise the firm’s clients and relationships across the globe.
Before joining Dentons, Edward held leading family office roles at Credit Suisse, Citibank, and Boston Private (now Silicon Valley Bank). He joined Credit Suisse from Booz Allen Hamilton, where he was an engagement manager in their Organization and Strategy practice.

Edward is a core member and senior advisor to the UHNW Institute. This think tank
organisation supports family offices and UHNW individuals by promoting best practices, professional development, and positive change in the family office and family wealth field. Edward is a board member at the Defense Intelligence Memorial Foundation (DIMF), a non-profit focused on providing full scholarships to the families of Defense Intelligence officers killed in the line of duty. He is also an advisory board member for Americas Warrior Partnership (AWP), a non-profit based in Detroit that focuses on reducing veteran suicide.

Before AWP, Edward was a board member and treasurer at Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW), a capacity-building non-profit in Detroit focused on improving the impact and performance of fellow nonprofit organisations.
Edward earned his MBA from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business and a BS in human biology from Michigan State University. He is also a guest lecturer on family office and wealth management at New York University’s Stern School of Business.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-v-marshall/

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In this episode, part 2 of the series, we expand on the discussion of the psychological terms and learn about psychopathy, how high functioning psychopaths become CEOs, politicians and leaders, the difference between psychopaths and sociopaths, the impact that social media and the internet has on mental health.

Caroline Logan is a Consultant Forensic Clinical Psychologist. For nearly 30 years, she has worked as a researcher and honorary senior lecturer at the Universities of Liverpool and Manchester in the UK, as a lead clinician in secure forensic mental health services in the north of England and Norway, and as a consultant/contractor with law enforcement services in the UK and elsewhere. Dr Logan has ongoing clinical and research interests in personality disorder (including psychopathy), risk, violent extremism, and forensic clinical interviewing, and she has a special interest in gender issues in the range of offending behaviour. She has published five books and over 70 articles on these subjects, including Violent Extremism: A Handbook of Risk Assessment and Management [uclpress.co.uk], co-edited with Randy Borum and Paul Gill, published in November 2023, and a second edition of Managing Clinical Risk: A Guide to Effective Practice [routledge.com], co-edited with Lorraine Johnstone, published in December 2023.  

https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-logan-31656b9a/

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In this episode, the first of a two part series, we learn about what exactly a psychologist is and the differences between a Clinical and a Forensic Psychologist.

Dr. Caroline Logan, who is a Consultant Forensic Clinical Psychologist, talks to us about the meaning of psychological terms such as personality disorders such as narcissistic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, whether they are the product of nature or nurture and how those affected behave.

Dr. Caroline Logan is a Consultant Forensic Clinical Psychologist. For nearly 30 years, she has worked as a researcher and honorary senior lecturer at the Universities of Liverpool and Manchester in the UK, as a lead clinician in secure forensic mental health services in the north of England and Norway, and as a consultant/contractor with law enforcement services in the UK and elsewhere. Dr Logan has ongoing clinical and research interests in personality disorder (including psychopathy), risk, violent extremism, and forensic clinical interviewing, and she has a special interest in gender issues in the range of offending behaviour. She has published five books and over 70 articles on these subjects, including Violent Extremism: A Handbook of Risk Assessment and Management [uclpress.co.uk], co-edited with Randy Borum and Paul Gill, published in November 2023, and a second edition of Managing Clinical Risk: A Guide to Effective Practice [routledge.com], co-edited with Lorraine Johnstone, published in December 2023. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-logan-31656b9a/

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Bill Zimmerman has spent over 35 years analysing and managing threats. He started out in the fledgling Threat Assessment team of the US Capital Police shortly after its creation and, having spent over 20 years there, moved into the private sector on his retirement from law enforcement, where he continues to be a leader in the field of Behavioural Threat Assessment. Despite his long career, Bill is one of the humblest men you will have the pleasure of meeting. He is a fountain of knowledge and expertise, and in this podcast, he shares some of that wisdom.

Key Points:

• Behavioural threat assessment has evolved to focus more on identifying concerning behaviours early on rather than just reacting to direct threats. This allows for more options to address issues.
• Practical threat assessment requires communication and information sharing between different protective teams and agencies that may deal with the same individuals.
• The rise of social media has made it easier for people with extreme views to find communities that validate those views, which can encourage more dangerous behaviours in some cases.
• Workplace violence and threat assessment are recognised concepts in the US, but there is no agreed terminology for these issues in the UK and Europe yet. This hinders the recognition of toxic behaviours like bullying as serious problems.

Bio:

Bill Zimmerman was assigned to the Threat Assessment Section (TAS) of the U.S. Capitol Police. The mandate of this section is to investigate threats against Members of the U.S. Congress, their families and other statutory protectees. As a TAS Investigator for over 25 years, he conducted thousands of investigations into individuals concerned with the Congressional community. He collaborated with other Government agencies, local law enforcement, private security, and members of the private sector, who were integral parts of the investigations.

As the senior investigator, his responsibilities included traveling regularly to conduct security awareness seminars for the Senate and House staff throughout the United States and protective intelligence teams for congressional leadership and other congressional events. He helped create and develop guidelines for investigations with input into procedures currently used by the TAS and other Agencies throughout the United States and Great Britain. His experience was solicited for input into developing numerous publications on threat research and risk assessment.

Today, he incorporates that knowledge and experience to help conduct violent risk assessments and assist in creating threat assessment and threat management teams.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-zimmerman/

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Giles Kenningham is an expert in crisis communication. A former journalist who honed his skills at the sharp end of politics as the strategic advisor to Prime Minister David Cameron shares his thoughts on the relevant issues. In this podcast, we look back at his time in politics, and the Covid pandemic. We then discuss how his consultancy, Trafalgar Strategy, advises their clients, understanding the traps and opportunities, guiding them away from a crisis or helping them avoid one in the first place.

Some of the key questions Giles answers include.

What do you do in a crisis?

How do you respond?

Can you get ahead of the game and pre-empt a crisis?

What impact does Social Media have and how do you use it for positive effect?

How do you manage fake news?

Giles Kenningham MBE is a former Head of Press at Number 10 Downing Street and spokesman to the Prime Minister. He was the Director of Communications for the Conservative Party’s general election win in 2015 leading a team of 40 people. Prior to this he was a special adviser/ press secretary to the Secretary of State for Communities, Local Government and Housing.

​He started his career as a journalist in national radio reporting on business and consumer issues for a variety of stations including Classic and Magic FM. He is a former ITV News producer having worked for 3 years on their three main flagship programmes.

​Few people entering the sector have his level of experience and insight of dealing with every crisis imaginable. From political scandals to sex scandals, to privacy issues, he has dealt day in day out for 6 years with the issues that have led the TV news bulletins and dominated the newspaper front pages.

​Giles regularly appears as a political and media commentator on BBC, Sky & CNN. He also writes for various national publications including the Times and Spectator.

​Contact Information: gkenningham@trafalgar-strategy.co.uk

 https://www.trafalgar-strategy.co.uk/

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/giles-kenningham-mbe-96515a2/

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Being wealthy, prominent, and successful doesn’t mean all your problems disappear. A study co-funded by the Gates Foundation published in the Wall Street Journal found that many of the ‘Ultra-rich’ turn out to be a generally dissatisfied lot whose money has contributed to deep anxieties involving love, work, and family. Being the subject of reputationally harmful and sometimes untrue media stories, harassed by trolls and stalked by fixated people causes paranoia and hypervigilance, which can harm decision-making and drive people towards unhealthy behaviours. When that occurs, they turn to Tracey Jones. Tracey is a mind management coach, language alchemist, and a trusted and respected confidante to numerous high-profile individuals, UHNW, and their families. In this podcast, Tracey shares her experience working in this space and the tips and tools she uses to help her clients through some of their darkest times, using the bespoke PAT methodology she has designed.

 
BIO
Tracey has been a mind management coach for about nine years. She began her career as an educator, giving a solid foundation to this part of her chapter. In 2013/2014, she went through a challenging period and sought support. She quickly recognised that this support was compelling and decided not only to build herself back up but also to transfer the skills to others. Since then, she has worked around the clock on mastering various skills and techniques and now dedicates her time to teaching others the language of their unique life. Being known for her discretion and privacy makes her clients feel safe while working through their problems.

 https://tjlife.net/

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracey-jones-212a8248/

 https://www.instagram.com/thelanguagealchemist/

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In this podcast, the first of 2024 we delve into what It really takes to be an elite performer with Guy Batchelor.

Guy is the CEO and founder of Minerva Elite, an elite global risk management service.

Minerva Elite is a highly professional and effective risk management and resilience consultancy formed to provide clients with a competitive advantage and bespoke solutions to their security needs.

Guy founded Minerva Elite having left the British Army, having served for 18 years in the world-renowned and elite 22 Special Air Service, the SAS.

In this podcast, Guy shares his thoughts on what makes a unit, organisation or person elite. Having spent 18 years at the ‘tip of the spear’ he is well equipped to talk about how to maintain that level of performance over such a period. Guy talks about the challenges of leaving behind that career and how he forged a new one running one of the UK’s most respected Close Protection and Surveillance businesses, the role education played, and how he sees the UK security industry evolving over the next 10 years.

This is one of the most inspiring podcasts I have had the good fortune to record.

Minerva Elite can be contacted at https://minervaelite.com/ or by telephone at +44 01432 678126

Guy can be contacted via https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-batchelor-076a9632/

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This month's very special guest is Gabrielle Thompson, PI, CPP. 

I am delighted to have Gabby as our Christmas guest. Gabby has recently announced that after a glittering 25-year career at Gavin de Becker & Associates (GDBA), she has decided to move on and seek new opportunities.

During her time with GDBA,  Gabby acted as the firm's subject matter expert on threat assessment by handling high-risk and critical cases, including inappropriate pursuit, stalking, threats, and harassment, and overseeing threat assessment programs for at-risk individuals. She also led the firm's threat assessment training, influencing thousands of others' careers. 

Gabby's career was in part initiated by her own experience of being a victim of stalking. In this podcast, we discuss how this has influenced her management of stalking investigations, with some great insights into how to manage the initial phases of a complaint.

We also discuss what keeps prominent people awake at night, issues of threat management, investigations, the impact of AI and technology and women in the security industry.

This is Gabby's first podcast since leaving GDBA and is not to be missed!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thompsongabrielle/

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The Defuse Podcast with Benjamin Barrontine –  Social engineering, digital exploitation and cyber targeting.

 In an increasingly digital age staying safe requires an understanding of how adversaries operate in order to build an operational system that works. 

In this podcast we hear from an expert who has used social engineering, digital exploitation and cyber targeting offensively when targeting enemy forces and terrorists in covert combat operations and now uses his expertise defensively when protecting his global clients.

 Benjamin Barrontine spent 15 years in the US military. He initially served in the infantry soldier before moving into the Special Forces specialising in intelligence, social engineering, digital exploitation and cyber targeting. He's has also worked with the NSA National Security Agency, the US Marshals Service, and NASA.

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This month’s podcast is all about doing business in the Gulf region. For many people, the Gulf region is an unexploited opportunity. It is a culture that is perceived to be at odds with the West. Corina is an expert in the region and shares with us her wisdom in unravelling the perceived complexities and making doing business more approachable. 

What is it like doing business in the Gulf region as a woman? Is it even possible? 

Do you need to speak Arabic?

I’m not in the oil business so what are the opportunities?

Where and how do I connect with potential partners or clients?

Corian will answer these issues and much more.

Corina Goetz is a Middle East Strategist and Keynote Speaker who helps companies and professionals to succeed in the Gulf region. We have been trusted advisors to many HNW clients from the Gulf and we now teach others how to build these relationships.

Corina founded Star-CaT Ltd in 2015 which stands for five-star service and consulting and training.

Corina, and her team help companies and professionals to succeed in the Gulf region. We have been trusted advisors to many HNW clients from the Gulf and we now teach others how to build these relationships.

Their services include:
 Training
 Advisory
 Middle East Membership for ongoing support (for companies and individuals)
 Speaking
 Online Resources

www.star-cat.co.uk

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In this podcast we speak with Jameson Ritter, there are only 200 individuals globally that have the same level of qualifications as Jameson when it comes to threat assessments.

Jameson has recently published his excellent book titled “This Book Saves Lives: 10 Steps to Building a Threat Management Program in Your Organization, Prevent Workplace Violence, and Take Care of Your People”

We discuss what Jameson has learned from the qualifications he has acquired, in particular ATAP’s Certified Threat Managers, the CTM and how what he learned is relevant to those of us outside the USA.

Jameson shared his thoughts and experiences on managing threats with faith-based communities, small businesses and global corporations with the human element and the issues and triggers that are common throughout.

Jameson Ritter

CTM, CPP, PCI, PSP

Jameson is an experienced security consultant who specializes in workplace violence prevention, behavioral threat assessment and management, physical security and training and awareness programs. He is an active contributor to XR, VR and software developer Deep Attic, where he works to provide impactful and scalable training technology designed to prevent violence and save lives.

Currently serving as President of the Great Lakes Chapter of the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP), Jameson has also held several senior security roles in the private sector. As Director of Security Operations and Violence Prevention at US Foods, he led the company's workplace violence prevention and physical security programs. At UnitedHealth Group, he led the Global Threat Management team, developing and implementing threat management programs and training for the company's operations worldwide.

Jameson is a member of the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals and is one of just over 210 professionals certified as a Certified Threat Manager (CTM) within ATAP. He also holds the "triple crown" of ASIS International certifications: the Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Physical Security Professional (PSP), and Professional Certified Investigator (PCI).

Jameson is a sought-after speaker and has presented to a wide range of public and private sector organizations on topics such as workplace safety, prevention and response to school and business violence, terrorism, active assailant protocols, and internet safety for children and young adults. He has also worked with private sector organizations to assess their vulnerability to internal and external threats and has assisted in the planning and execution of a variety of security protocols during special events in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area.

Jameson graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a bachelor's degree in Sociology of Law, Criminology and Deviance in 1999 and received his master's degree from American Military University in Homeland Security in 2011. He is also an active duty veteran of the U.S. Air Force, having spent time in both the enlisted and officer ranks and is a graduate of the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal School and the Air Force Air Battle Manager training course.

Jameson is the author of the book “This Book Saves Lives: 10 Steps to Building a Threat Management Program in Your Organization, Prevent Workplace Violence, and Take Care of Your People”  available from Amazon

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In an increasingly unpredictable and sometimes divisive world how do we help the workplace be a safer place, not just physically but psychologically?

 It is one thing ensuring that your workplace, place of worship or education is safe, it is quite another making it a place where you feel safe.

 Do mass shooter drills at schools make students feel safer or make them feel anxious and scared?

 In this masterclass, Bryan Flannery, President of Foresight Security Consulting based out Portland, Oregon shares his significant experience and expertise.

 Bryan shares his wisdom on how behavioural threat management achieves this through education and practice. Recognising that understanding the baseline behaviour of a person of concern is the key, and how it’s the deviation away from that baseline that is the key.

 Bryan explains that by adopting this non-punitive caring practice organisations benefit from increased reporting and a proper management process that seeks to keep everyone safe, including the person of concern.

Bio:

Bryan Flannery:

Bryan is the Founder and President of Foresight. His passion for keeping people safe inspired the development of Foresight’s robust, holistic approach to security and safety. Bryan’s deep experience with personal and executive protection, risk mitigation, security vulnerability assessments, and behavioral threat assessment and management underpin Foresight’s collective subject matter expertise and client services. Bryan’s background includes:

​

·     Twenty-two years of military and law enforcement experience, specializing in Behavioral Threat Assessment, Physical Security, and the Protection of elected officials.

·     Seventeen-year member of the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals, and currently  serves as President of the NW Chapter Board of Directors.

·     Graduate of the California Highway Patrol Protection of Public Officials course.

·     Certified Defensive Tactics Instructor. 

·     Medal of Valor recipient from the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association and Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

·     Dynamic speaker having presented to international audiences in Personal Safety and Security, Threat Assessment, and Targeted Violence detection and response.

https://www.foresight-sc.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-flannery-b8388354/

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In this podcast HR and Threat Management specialist Melissa Muir discusses

• How grievances drive issues at work.
• How to say goodbye to employees leaving an organisation.
• The power of multi-disciplinary teams
• How to overcome the issue of confidentiality.
• The power of feedback and rewards in reducing hostility
• Communication between HR and security – what goes wrong?

 And much more which you’ll have to download and listen to learn more about.

Melissa Muir has been an HR professional in the U.S. courts for 25 years, more than 2 decades with the federal court in Western Washington. She is currently the HR Director for her hometown of Shoreline, just north of Seattle. Informed by threat management principles, Melissa is passionate about bridging the gap between security and human resources to improve the safety and health of our organizations.

Melissa has been thinking about ways to “go upstream” and prevent the harm of problematic personalities in the workplace by not hiring them in the first place. And managing problematic personalities better when we do find them in our organizations.

Melissa is the Past President of the Northwest Chapter of the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals and serves on the national sponsorship committee. Melissa holds an MBA from the University of Washington and a law degree with a focus on employment law and mediation from Seattle University School of Law. Melissa is an Instructor at Gavin de Becker’s world-renowned Advanced Threat Assessment Academy, a four-day course on advanced threat assessment concepts held twice a year.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamuir/

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In this podcast, we speak with Rory Steyn. Rory has a unique story having gone from an officer investigating the ANC to the one chosen to protect Mandela on his release from prison and election to lead South Africa. During the next 5 years, Rory developed a close relationship and knowledge of Nelson Mandela protecting him in South Africa and abroad from different and emerging threats. He recalls how Mandela’s unique personality won him over, and how he interacted with world leaders and Royalty in the same way he did with children and local people in the townships.

Bio

Rory is recognized as a highly experienced and independent leader, with extensive experience in security and personal protection.

 Prior to establishing NSA Global Security Consultants as CEO of Africa Operations, Rory served as a served as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the South African Police Service where he specialised in various fields of expertise. Including investigations. Intelligence. VIP protection and bomb disposal.

In 1996, Rory was appointed as a Team Leader for former President Mandela's personal protection team, looking after operations on both a national and international level. Rory is an internationally recognised security specialist, speaker, commentator and regularly presents papers at conferences around the world.

https://nsa-global.com/

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/rory-steyn-b4a44938/?originalSubdomain=za

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Kim Leadbeater MBE MP is the Labour party MP for Batley and Spen.

 It is the same constituency that he sister Jo Cox MP held when she was murdered in 2016.

 Kim is a friend of mine, a hugely bubbly inspiring person who had her life changed by the awful events of her sister’s murder.

 Kim is a hugely popular figure, and a very recognisable one. Her story is unique.  She never wanted or expected to be a public figure. She never wanted to be an only child either.

 In this podcast Kim talks honestly about her sister Jo. She shares an insight into their childhood and where their values came from.

 She discusses the subject of identity and how being the sister of Jo Cox is something she is rightly proud of whilst carving out here own legacy in British politics.

 Kim shares her views on the risks associated with being a modern politician in such a divided and hostile society, and how that has changed since her sister became an MP. 

She talks about her own safety and how she follows the advice given to her, whilst she and her colleagues receive daily abuse and threats.

We discuss how some MPs still fail to take the security advice given to them and what she feels needs to change to improve the safety and security of MPs and how the issues discussed may deter good people from wanting to be an MP.

 BIO - Kim Leadbeater MBE MP 

The murder of Kim’s sister Jo in 2016, while she was working as MP for Batley and Spen, was utterly devastating and turned her life upside down, just as it did for her parents. Jo’s murder shook the world. And whatever you thought of her politics you could not meet a nicer person.

 Many people were determined that some good should come out of Jo’s horrific death and, while Kim kept her business going, she threw much of her energy into The Jo Cox Foundation and the local ‘More In Common’ volunteer group. You can find out more about the work they did – and they are still doing – here. There is much to be very proud of.

 In 2018 Kim was awarded the Prime Minister’s 1000th Points of Light Award in recognition of our work to build a positive legacy for Jo, and a Northern Power Women Award for being a ‘Person with Purpose’. In the 2021 New Year’s Honours List she received an MBE for services to social cohesion and combatting loneliness during the Covid-19 pandemic. Kim never thought about these awards being for her, but for the fantastic team working together to make a difference locally and nationally.

 Kim has always been a very driven and determined person and it was her determination to make a difference that prompted her – after much soul-searching – to put herself forward for election as her local MP in the 2021 by-election. Kim took her sister’s former seat in Westminster on July 5th 2021.

https://www.kim4batleyandspen.com/

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In this podcast we talk with one of the genuine legends of the Threat Assessment industry. Frederick is one of the co-authors behind some of the key elements of assessing threats used by every recognised individual and organisation globally. From the concept know as ‘Hunters & Howlers’ which differentiates those who pose threats from those that seek to frighten, to the ‘Pathway to Intended Violence’ a simple model that beautifully illustrates how everyone from a lone actor terrorist to a fixated individual and even nation states escalate towards violence, Frederick shares his decades of wisdom and introduces his lates research ‘Imagining the Unimageable’.

Frederick S. Calhoun, PhD, oversaw a national workplace violence prevention program for a large federal agency. He earned his PhD from the University of Chicago. He was the lead researcher and principal architect in developing the threat assessment process used by the United States Marshals Service for analyzing risks to federal judicial officials. He also developed the service’s policies and procedures for conducting protective investigations and wrote the curriculum and led the training of deputy US Marshals Service threat investigators and their supervisors. He is the author of 12 books and teaches a periodic two-day seminar, "Managing Threats: Reducing the Risk of Violence," designed to train law enforcement officers, mental health professionals, and private security officials to identify, assess, and manage individuals of violent intent.

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To many the subject of workplace violence brings up US based scenarios of multiple shootings at work and within educational facilities. In this podcast, Dr White discusses how whether in the US scenario of the less ‘violent’ UK scenarios of harassment, disruption, and non-fatal violence the same principals and behavioural indicators apply. . Dr. White, in collaboration with Dr. Reid Meloy, developed and published in 2007 The WAVR-21. Now in its third edition, the WAVR-21 is an evidence-based structured professional judgment guide for assessing workplace and campus violence risk. He discusses how to use these behavioural indicators to prevent issues escalating towards violence and what steps, in practical terms should we be taking.

Dr. Stephen G. White, Ph.D., is a psychologist and the President of Work Trauma Services Inc., a consulting group he originally founded in 1982 to assist employers with serious workplace crises. His extensive work in organizational trauma reduction led to his specializing, since 1989, in the assessment and management of workplace and campus violence risk. Dr. White has consulted nationally and internationally on over 4,500 threat cases for numerous Fortune 500 companies, private and public organizations, law firms and their clientele, colleges and universities, and law enforcement, military and governmental entities. In 2022 he received the Distinguished Achievement award from the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals. 

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Ailsa Anderson is the person the most high profile in the world go to when they require the composite professional manage their communications.

In this podcast Ailsa shared anecdotes from her time working the UK Government and Alistair Campbell, the Late Her Majesty the Queen and more recently the Archbishop of Canterbury, the head of the Anglican Church.

Ailsa talks about how decisions about when to respond or not were made and why, the changing landscape of communications and the importance of it being a team event involving security professionals, event hosts and others.

Whilst Ailsa is far to diplomatic and discrete to discuss the current saga involving the current Duke and Duchess of Sussex, she does touch on issues such as briefing against members of The Royal family and gives a moving tribute to the late Her Majesty the Queen.

Ailsa Anderson was Communications and Press Secretary to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II from 2001 to 2013.

A former newspaper Journalist, Ailsa moved into public relations and worked as a press officer for the British Government.

During her time in the Royal Household she worked on two Jubilees, the wedding of the current Prince and Princess of Wales, and the birth of Prince George.

She was awarded the Royal Victorian Order in 2011 for her services to the Royal Household.

She now is a Royal commentator for the US broadcaster ABC News and reported extensively during the death and funeral of The Queen.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ailsa-anderson-cole-8ab6a48/

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In this podcast we discuss how to keep high profile, corporate and UHNW individuals safe in the 21st century using protective intelligence, countersurveillance and protective security. We discuss everything from safe rooms, to deep fakes, state sponsored and corporate espionage and the threat to commercial IP.

Fred Burton is a former police officer, special agent and New York Times best-selling author. Fred Burton is a pioneer and one of the original members of the State Department's Protective Intelligence Division.

He's served on the front lines of high-profile investigations like the hunt for and arrest of Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind behind the first World Trade Center bombing; the 1988 plane crash of PAK-1 that killed U.S. Ambassador Arnold Raphel and Pakistani President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq; and the search for Americans kidnapped by Hezbollah in Beirut, Lebanon.

His best-selling books include his personal memoir GHOST: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent,  Chasing Shadows: A Special Agent's Lifelong Hunt to Bring a Cold War Assassin to Justice, Under Fire: The Untold Story of the Attack in Benghazi and his fourth book, Beirut Rules: The Murder of a CIA Station Chief and Hezbollah’s War Against America.

Burton also consults with Fortune 500 companies on security developments and how to keep their personnel and business safe as the Executive Director of the Ontic Center for Protective Intelligence.

 Fred Burton was selected by Security Magazine as one of the Most Influential People in Security in 2021.

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In this podcast, James will share his thoughts on how to onboard a client who requires protection or residential security together with the value for the protective intelligence requires to support those tasked with protecting others. 

He discusses the skills required and training needed, the Theory of Controlled Spaces and the key aspects of the arrivals and departure zones, white space and some of the research from Gavin de Becker’s ‘Just 2 Seconds’ book. 

This podcast is a must for anyone involved in the close or residential protection industry as well as those involved in delivering protective intelligence.

 Bio
James leads Gavin de Becker’s Protection Quality team which conducts audits of GDBA’s protective programs to ensure their strategies align with their clients’ unique needs and to ensure their protectors meet their training and fitness standards and their certification requirements.  He also manages the review of emergency incidents at their clients’ properties with the goal of enhancing their service to their clients.

James co-created GDBA’s Active Shooter Prevention and Response methodology.  

He has trained thousands of employees at Fortune-500 companies, schools, universities, police departments, and government agencies in the U.S. and internationally on advanced concepts related to protection, including Active Shooter, Surveillance Detection, Attack Recognition, Foreign Weapons, Executive Protection, and Travel Safety.  

He is also an Instructor at the GDBA Essential Protection Skills Academy and their Advanced Threat Assessment Academy.

One of the world’s true experts on protection, James was recruited from the FBI, where he created and developed the Academy’s Close Protection Course, currently taught to protectors of the U.S. Attorney General, the Director of the FBI, the NSA, and the NYPD, among other agencies.

A few other highlights from his career:

·         Hand-selected for the FBI Tactical Training Unit, responsible for creating and developing the FBI Active Shooter training and guidance program.

·         Certified FBI Instructor in Firearms, Active Shooter, Tactical Skills, Emergency Driving, and SWAT Operations.

·         Four years on the Protection Team for the FBI Director, and three years on the Joint Terrorism Task Force that he was selected to create after 9/11.     

James holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. He is a member of the ASIS Executive Protection Council, and he is certified as an instructor in Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT).

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In this podcast we discuss the subject of Protective Intelligence and how it can help professionals identify who might pose a threat, whether that is from a lone actor’s perspective or in the workplace. How can we identify problems and create strategies to prevent these problems happening. We discuss the 4 different types of workplace violence and what distinguishing them from each other.

Bio: Dr. Palarea is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Operational Psychology Services (OPS). He is an internationally recognized expert on threat assessment, insider threat, protective intelligence, and counterterrorism, providing consultation in these areas to Fortune 500 corporations, global security firms, law enforcement, U.S. Government agencies, and universities.  Dr. Palarea has been an active participant with the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP) since 1996 and served as ATAP’s President from 2017-2021.

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This hugely important podcast with Suky Bhaker, the CEO of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust (https://www.suzylamplugh.org/) discusses the real issues about violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the 21st century. We discuss harassment, street harassment and stalking and follow the evidence of how this impacts all females, and some men. 

We discuss the shocking evidence of hugely improved successful prosecutions for stalking when supported by an advocate and look at the new bystander training that the SLT are now delivering and why all men are part of the solution. (https://www.suzylamplugh.org/News/loreal-paris-and-the-suzy-lamplugh-trust-partner-to-educate-the-uk-on-street-harassment-through-bystander-intervention-training)
 

Suky Bhaker – CEO Suzy Lamplugh Trust

https://www.suzylamplugh.org/chief-executive-officer

Suky has been with the Trust for over seven years, holding the positions of Head of Policy and Development, and more recently CEO. 

During her time with the Trust, Suky has overseen the growth and development of its helpline and advocacy services, led its policy and campaigns team, and designed and delivered a number of complex national projects. 

Notably she has been the Programme Director for the world’s first multi-agency stalking intervention programme (MASIP) and overseen the ongoing campaign for national minimum standards for taxis and private hire vehicles.

Suky was also seconded for over 12 months from Suzy Lamplugh Trust as an adviser to the Parliamentary Security Department following the tragic death of Jo Cox MP, supporting and advising MPs and their staff in issues relating to personal safety.

Alongside her experience in frontline services, Suky has worked in policy, research and development capacities, with areas of speciality in the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) sector including trafficking, honour-based violence, domestic and sexual violence, in addition to stalking. Suky was heavily involved in the successful coercive control campaign, which brought law change to domestic violence in the UK.

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The Online Bodyguard Podcast - PR, Crisis Communications and Strategic Advisory to the World's Elite

In this podcast we talk with Paul Blanchard, Media consigliere for global CEOs, entrepreneur, broadcaster and author.

This is a genuine masterclass on PR, crisis communications, and advising the global elite 

Paul gives his views on why sharing a bit about yourself is good for business, what Personal PR is and the objectives of many of the world’s elite in hiring him.  

He explains why press releases often fail and how to maximise our PR opportunities.  

Paul shares the difference between PR and Marketing, and how to respond in a crisis and why many get that wrong. 

He talks about the challenges of crisis communications in the internet age and how he manages those cases for his global clients. 

Paul is a hugely successful Media consigliere, and he shares some of the secrets behind that success including why he never tenders or prepares proposals. 

Paul Blanchard is one of the founders of the personal PR industry having been in the reputation game for nearly twenty years.  

Based in the UK, he is a serial entrepreneur and investor, he started his first business aged 17 and has never looked back. 

With his award-winning media and reputation consigliere Right Angles, he works exclusively with global CEOs, thought leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians, and global investors delivering discreet, high-intensity strategic support. 

With a full-time team of over a dozen experts on his team… Paul has offices in London, New York and Los Angeles

His podcast agency operates on a first-to-market Joint Venture model, unique in the industry, and has many big-name clients with whom we create premium, impactful content.  

A podcaster himself, he’s also a best-selling author, media commentator and speaker.  

https://www.right-angles.global/

https://paul.blanchard.co/ 

https://twitter.com/paulwrblanchard?s=20&t=HhMXHT6cg2OaWxRD3uEx5w

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In this podcast we discuss the subject of interviewing with Bram B. van der Meer from Dante Psychology.

 This podcast discusses whether building rapport works and how to do it, whether police officers and other professional interviewers are better at it that the general population. We discuss memory and ask how effective is it? What helps us to recall in an interview and why memory can be tainted. We further discuss the various interview methods, such as the PACE model and what their strengths are as well as their limitations.

Bram B. van der Meer holds academic degrees in Criminology from the University of Pretoria, South-Africa and received a MSc. in Clinical-Forensic Psychology from Leiden University, the Netherlands. He received additional specialised education in offender profiling, threat assessment and forensic linguistics from law enforcement agencies around the world. He completed a post-doctoral education program in investigative psychology.

He is a guest lecturer at the Netherlands Police Academy and the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management. He serves on the editorial board of the American Psychological Association Accredited Journal of Threat Assessment and Management. He is the former president and currently board member of the Swiss based Association of European Threat Assessment Professionals. He is an internationally recognised threat assessment professional and is registered as such with the Association of European Threat Assessment Professionals.

https://www.dantespsychology.com/en/

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In this episode of The Defuse Podcast, Totti Karpela, Executive board member for the Association of European Threat Assessment Professionals (AETAP) shares his expertise on how to assess persons of concern who may pose a threat to public and prominent figures. He discusses his expertise around conflict management, vexatious complainant, the cultural challenges a threat management professional must be aware of, and the impact on workplace conflicts from the Covid pandemic.

 Mr Karpela, a graduate of the Finland’s Police University College, has a 20-year career in the National Police of Finland where he worked as a unit supervisor and subject matter expert. During his career, Inspector Karpela was part of a team that specialized in managing threats that were directed towards law enforcement and judicial officials. Mr. Karpela has undergone specialised training pertaining to the psychological assessment of offending behaviour and has experience in both the private and public sectors, particularly working with high-risk and high-harm offenders. He also spent nine years as a member of the hostage negotiator team in the National SWAT team. For the majority of his career Mr. Karpela also worked at the National Police University, teaching management of aggressive behaviour and conflict resolution skills.

 In his current role in the private sector Mr. Karpela has worked with presidential candidates, celebrities, media companies, banks and insurance companies, aviation industry, educational facilities as well as multinational corporations specializing in threat assessment and case management. He frequently provides behavioural and security consultation to multinational organizations.

 Mr. Karpela has worked as a subject matter expert since 1986, consulting and coaching government organizations and corporations on five continents in the prevention of violent crime, security issues, conflict resolution and risk mitigation. Mr. Karpela is the only person outside of the United States to hold a CTM-accreditation, a professional accreditation for security professionals related to the assessment and management of violent behaviour. Mr. Karpela is also accredited to provide consultation and training related to the European equivalent, CETAP. He holds numerous professional certifications related to violence risk assessment.

Mr. Karpela is a graduate of U.S. Secret Service Threat Management Program, Gavin De Becker threat management academy and he has done numerous other professional training programs with the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit. Before joining the National police of Finland, Mr. Karpela served in the Military Police SRT-team. He is still in the Finnish reserve corps with the rank of Warrant officer.

 Other relevant NGO responsibilities: Subject matter expert for European Council and O.S.C.E. in crime prevention projects. Totti is also a member of the Merrick & Company’s Global Biosafety & Biosecurity Consulting Advisory Board since 2017. Executive board member for the Association of European Threat Assessment Professionals (AETAP). He also spent nine years as a senior research fellow at the Association for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals - Centre for Security Studies and a committee member for the Nordic Counter Terrorism Network. He is an internationally recognised threat assessment professional and is registered as such with the Association of European Threat Assessment Professionals.

 Mr. Karpela has also authored thre

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In an increasingly global market in which employees travel the world and holidaymakers explore ever increasing boundaries accidents and tragedies happen, whether by acts of terrorism, crime, negligence, or accidents.

When those tragedies occur, the reputations of the organisations involved can be instantly and permanently damaged, with litigation and blame following close behind.

This podcast discusses the impact of a traumatic event, the issues involved, and the expertise required to defuse the emotional, reputational and financial costs.

Miles Manning worked closely with The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). In 2011 Miles became one of a small number of Family Liaison Coordinators on the Counter Terrorism Command. Dealing with atrocities in Algeria and Kenya, Miles pushed for more FLO involvement on scene and in 2015 following the attack in Sousse, Tunisia, Miles led a team of FLO's deployed in country within hours of the first reports. Working with multiple agencies, local government and crisis response companies, his team assisted several families with identification and repatriation of loved ones. Miles also led the team that deployed to Brussels and Marseille, again as part of The FCO Rapid Deployment Team.

Miles is a director of FLS Global, who in the event of a death or serious injury abroad, support organisations to ensure harm is minimised and trauma is managed. https://www.fls-global.co.uk/

Miles is the Family Liaison advisor to The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Deaths Abroad, as well as providing practical support and his extensive experience to advise corporate clients, dealing with families who are affected by the death or serious injury of a loved one abroad.

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In this episode of The Online Bodyguard Podcast, he shares his expertise on how to assess persons of concern who may pose a threat to public and prominent figures. He discusses his extensive case history and expertise of proximal warning behaviours, communicated threats, mental illness in attackers, how they plan, escalate and appropriate interventions. Dr Meloy shares his thoughts of the future of the threat assessment industry, how to identify a professional organisation and finally shares some of his top tips for staying safe.

Dr. Reid Meloy is widely known as one the preeminent experts in the field of assessing threats of violence. Dr. Reid Meloy is a board-certified forensic psychologist (ABPP) and consults on criminal and civil cases throughout the U.S. and Europe. Dr. Meloy has authored or co-authored over two hundred fifty papers published in peer-reviewed psychiatric and psychological journals, and has authored, co-authored or edited thirteen books. He has been consulting, researching and writing about personality disorder, psychopathy, stalking, narcissism, criminality, mental disorder, and targeted violence for the past thirty years. He was a technical consultant to the television series CSI from its inception in 2000 until its final episode in 2015; and is the technical consultant to “Indivisible: Healing Hate,” a Paramount + television series exploring the historical roots of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. https://drreidmeloy.com/

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Richard Levick Esq was known as the ‘father of modern reputation management,’.

He was Chairman & CEO of LEVICK, a crisis communications and public affairs firm, representing countries and companies in the highest-stakes global matters – the Venezuelan crisis, Qatar, the Chinese trade war, the Gulf oil spill; Guantanamo Bay, the Catholic Church and many others.

He and his firm have represented over 300 of the world’s largest law firms, hundreds of companies and over 30 countries, providing heads of state with communications, access and insight into Washington.

Mr. Levick has been honoured multiple times on the prestigious “The 100 Most Influential People in the Boardroom” list. He has been named to several professional Halls of Fame for lifetime achievement.

He is the co-author of four books, including two on litigation communications, hosts daily podcasts for various publications and is a regular commentator on television and in print.

Under Richard Levick’s leadership, LEVICK has grown to one of the world’s leading firms in crisis, litigation, and public affairs, representing companies and countries in the highest-profile matters.

This podcast is a masterclass in crisis communications. It discusses the following:

• What constitutes a crisis
• Crisis communication in the internet age
• How crisis communications strategy has evolved
• Cancel Culture and how to recover from it
• The challenges of global clients
• The problem with ‘Wokeness’

Richard died on April 11 2023,  at a hospice centre in Bethesda, Md. He was 65.

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Dr Lorraine Sheridan is a Chartered Forensic Psychologist and partner in Defuse®. Lorraine completed Europe’s first PhD on stalking. She is a police accredited offender profiler and compiles psychological reports related to offenders, highlighting the risks posed by known or unknown suspects. Lorraine was formerly a senior academic in Perth, Western Australia.

Dr. Sheridan is the former President of the Asia Pacific Association of Threat Assessment Professionals.

This podcast is a masterclass in stalking. It discusses the following:

• What is stalking?
• What is the difference between harassment and stalking?
• Are there different types of stalking?
• What do you do if you are being stalked?
• What is psychological profiling?
• When should you have a profile completed?

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On this episode of the Family Business Voice, Philip Grindell, CEO of Defuse Global, and Ramia talk about how family businesses can stay safe in the digital age.

Philip Grindell’s background as a Scotland Yard Detective with time spent seconded to British Intelligence gives him an in-depth view on just what can happen in unsafe situations. And now, he’s applying those insights to the world of private security, helping family business members, politicians and other high-profile clients stay safe both online and in-person.

• Safety starts with people. Regardless of the type of threat a family business has to deal with, that threat originates from a person on the other end, and a person in the business must let that threat in — knowingly or unknowingly. As such, businesses should vet their employees thoroughly and check in with them regularly to make sure they are doing everything they can to keep the organisation safe. Check more than just a possible recruit’s experience or skills; check their associations and their potential to heighten risk.
•  Businesses should consider implementing safety governance. Even a few simple regulations can go a long way. Some examples of good safety governance are: changing passwords regularly and not using third-party hardware with unknown providence (thumb-drives from tradeshows, for instance).
• Start the conversation around safety before circumstance necessitates it. Only by encouraging a culture that recognises threats, whether physical, reputational or psychological, as real and serious can family businesses mitigate those threats when they arise.

https://www.tharawat-magazine.com/podcast/family-business-safety/

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