Change is the only constant in life. Business leaders with companies operating in several countries know too well the impact of changes can have on their businesses.
The complex world we live in today struggles with conflicts between nations, religions and ethnic groups, as well as crises ranging from drug wars, refugee flows to virus outbreaks.
Accordingly, decisions are made daily to provide countermeasures and mitigate risks. To aid the decision-making process, business leaders turn to corporate intelligence companies like Blackhawk Intelligence for unparalleled local intelligence reports.
Common countermeasures addressing geopolitical issues
Once upon a time, business leaders only wanted to invest in or do business with countries that were considered safe. The strategy to ‘avoid unstable geographical areas at all cost’ worked for only a short few decades. As the world becomes more connected than ever, new markets emerge, requiring companies to expand and harness new opportunities to stay competitive.
Also, it must be noted that the notion of ‘safe’ can be misleading. Any political unrest or virus outbreaks can now rapidly spread from one location to another, rendering once safe country as ‘risky’. In addition, natural disasters like raging wildfires and water crisis can strike all nations, be it large or small, advanced or developing, threating a company’s operations in the process.
Well aware that many global events are interconnected, business leaders have stepped up effort to manage risks pertaining to financial, strategic, operational, compliance and reputation. They do so by:
- Adhering to policies set up by governments
- Partnering with other international companies to tackle complicated issues like human trafficking, slavery and climate change
- Relying on localised intelligence and risk reports provided by companies like Blackhawk Intelligence to mitigate risks
The power of localised intelligence reports
A robust global company tends to have a set of risk management plans addressing prominent issues such as:
- Dealing with cyber attacks
- Dealing with theft and fraud
- Dealing with regulatory risks
- Dealing with credit risk, among others
These plans are far from comprehensive and cannot possibly cover every scenario because no organisation has adequate resources to plan for every hypercritical event taking place across wide geographic areas they operate in, let alone keeping the plan up-to-date. Consequently, global companies rely on Blackhawk Intelligence when it comes to localised intelligence.
Our localised intelligence reports offer timely and accurate information to business leaders should any of the following unfortunate events unfold:
- A coup d’état
- Political, social or religious unrest
- Terrorism threats
- Low-level and high-level criminal activity
- Traffic disruption
- Planned demonstrations
- Corruption
- Other key events, such as anticipated power outages that are likely to disrupt the smooth running of your business
Armed with up-to-the-minute intelligence reports, business leaders and employees can effectively:
- Assess and manage risks
- Reduce ambiguity and confusion
- Respond to crises and adversity
- Make informed decisions to keep overseas employees, facilities and investments safe
It must be said that not all localised intelligence reports are risk saturated, as some can also highlight opportunities. For example, from reading the political climate and knowing who is more likely to win in the next generation, business leaders can assume in greater confidence how the market is going to react and adjust the financial forecast accordingly. They may also choose to forge new partnerships or launch a new product or service to address an issue.
Rely on verified localised intelligence reports supplied by Blackhawk Intelligence
Without a doubt, not having up-to-date local intelligence can lead to serious financial loss, business interruption, or even adverse publicity, particularly when fake news is shared without much thought online. If your employees are hurt in the process, your company faces large medical bills and compensations.
At Blackhawk Intelligence, our corporate intelligence team oversees five key areas – due diligence, research, security, GDPR and risk management. Localised intelligence is part of risk management with cross-functional support from due diligence, research and security teams to offer reliable and first-rate services.
Depending on the level of intensity your business needs, a couple of specialists or a combination of investigators, financial analysts, legal representatives as well as our global network of intelligence experts can contribute and customise the localised intelligence reports for you. Call our local intelligence specialists on +44 (0)20 8108 9317 today.
Typically, we obtain our information from:
- Open sources (local and English-language media and newspapers)
- Local HUMINT (Human intelligence) gathered by means of interpersonal contact
- International security reports, e.g. from embassies & diplomatic sources
How the reports are delivered, their frequency and target audience are also tailored to each client. You can choose to have detailed weekly updates including forecasts and risk matrices, and/or ad-hoc HUMINT briefings on particular issues.
All reports are checked, cross-reference and verified, so you can assess and manage the situations with greater confidence.
Case #1
Company A had a factory in an Asian country which witnessed a series of demonstrations severely impacting its operations. Our local intelligence team monitored the situation closely and kept Company A updated as the events unfolded. At one point, our local intelligence reports forewarned of protests that shut down a major airport. The company took proactive steps to stop personnel from flying in and out, successfully keeping its employees safe and minimise business disruption in the process.
Case #2
Not many people read about attacks on energy grids from major newspapers but they do happen and cause companies millions of dollars. In March 2019, the power grid in western United States suffered major attacks which continued for 10 hours. On the other side of the globe, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea remains controversial. Not many of these events are published and commented widely, so companies whose operations are likely to be affected by energy grid disruptions rely on insights to formulate countermeasures.
To find out more about how Blackhawk Intelligence can help you to reduce risks pertaining to your business ventures and facilities overseas, call us today on +44 (0)20 8108 9317 or visit our updated localised intelligence risk report page.
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This post is intended to provide information of general interest about current business issues. It should not replace professional advice tailored to your specific circumstances.
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