How to gather corporate intelligence? writes Mark Rowe.
It’s a time-consuming job and takes skill and experience. To do the work properly – and the right intelligence in good time can be the difference between a deal struck or not, and life or death – on-the-ground sources can provide information that is otherwise unavailable. In other words, it takes more than following the news on the radio or BBC online.
You get what you pay for – and if you gather open-source intelligence, rather than pay for a service, you might not find (without really having to hunt) what you are after; if you are seeking details of the kidnap risk, for instance, for business travellers in a particular city; or what corruption is like in a country that is new to you and your business. The more specialised your query, the more call you may have for a specialist. But here are a few ideas, of what you can glean online.
Stirling Assynt is run from offices in London; it also has representations in Hong Kong and Beijing. Its blog contains sample articles from the firm’s regular weekly reports. Visit www.stirlingassynt.com.
In 2013 for instance its blogs covered political and related risk in Pakistan (due to drone strikes), Tunisia and north Africa, Malaysia, unrest in Sudan, Bangladesh and Thailand; Buddhist and Muslim tensions in Sri Lanka; and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels in the Philippines,
http://blog.stirlingassynt.com
RiskMap is an annual study from Control Risks Group (CRG), providing a critical assessment, in terms of forecast and analysis, of the global and regional risks business is likely to face in the year ahead. The risk consultants offer maps, videos and research reports.
Control Risks online offers pages on Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Mexico, Myanmar and Russia. Visit the Mexico risk analysis for example – http://www.controlrisks.com/Country-View/Pages/Mexico.aspx
It says that it maintains regular contact with, and gathers information from, sources in operationally difficult locations, such as Ciudad Juárez and north eastern Mexico, which is a critical means of collating timely and accurate information in the current Mexican threat environment. Most sources have years of military and/or security experience and are able to collect timely, relevant, on-the-ground information that is rarely available from media sources or public records.
Or, try the blog of Control Risks CEO Richard Fenning, for a sense of geo-political risks as he sees them, and what his globe-trotting life is like as a chief exec: http://ceoblog.controlrisks.com
As Fenning wrote in September after a midsummer break: “If this blog has a theme it is probably about trying to shed some light on what a weird world we live in.” He, like his consultancy, seeks to detail what the problems are for business – while being alert to the truth that in risky regions or what in July Fenning termed ‘teeming emerging market megacities’ there are opportunities. In other words, risks in hostile places have to be assessed and acted on.
CRG also offers podcasts, for instance on Somalia and Kenya after the Westgate mall attack in Nairobi; Mexico; ‘the challenges in managing operational bribes’; and ‘the short and medium term implications for stability in Nigeria’. Visit http://controlrisks.podbean.com
The Risk Advisory Group based in London offers business intelligence, due diligence and employee screening among other services. Since launch in 1997 they have conducted assignments in more than 100 jurisdictions across six continents. Visit their June 2013 ‘risk quarterly’ –
http://news.riskadvisory.net/index.php/risk-quarterly-june-2013/
Click here to subscribe to the Risk Advisory newsletter – http://www.riskadvisory.net/contact
Risk Advisory also offers publications –
Risk Quarterly: Quarterly insight into international intelligence, investigations and security issues
Terrorism Tracker: Monthly review of terrorist attacks, counter terrorism activity and latest threats
