A look back to our most popular content in 2018

A Look Back at Our Most Popular Contentin 2018

There was no shortage of headline-grabbing events in 2018 to catch the attention of chief security officers (CSO) and the executives and employees they help protect. The world is a dangerous place, with the internet and 24-hour news cycle adding fuel to the fire.

Regardless, companies expect CSOs to pay close attention to the real-world changes in the threat landscape. To understand what the future holds, it’s critical to acknowledge what happened in the past. In this short article, we’ve identified some of the more pressing problems our clients faced last year. And to help corporate security departments prepare for the challenges in 2019, we’ve provided links to our most popular articles and white papers.

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Gun Violence Continues to Plague the United States

The Gun Violence Archive reports 340 mass shootings in the United States in 2018, many of them involving businesses and, occasionally, religious groups.[1] With this in mind, combatting workplace violence remains a top priority for many security teams. Nonetheless, predicting when someone will attack their coworkers remains an inexact science at best. While many companies hope it never happens to them, ignoring the threat doesn’t lessen its likelihood. A proactive approach can save lives.

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Resources:

Are You a Soft Target? Here’s How to Find Out

Finding Balance in an Executive Protection Program

Executive Protection and the Role of the Personal Security Vulnerability Assessment

Physical Penetration Testing: Uncovering Your Security Weaknesses Before Adversaries Do

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A New President Assumes Office in Mexico

In December 2018, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, or AMLO as he is known, was elected as President of Mexico. He inherits a country struggling with a long list of problems, some stemming from the previous administration of Enrique Peña Nieto and others going back decades. One of Mexico’s most intractable problems is its shared border with the largest market for drugs in the world. Billions of dollars’ worth of drugs flow through and around the US–Mexico border, despite billions more being spent waging war on the cartels.

The recent spike in oil theft from the country’s pipeline networks is the latest indication of the cartels trying to enrich themselves. Stopping the illicit trade of the country’s oil will serve as the first significant test of AMLO and his administration’s willingness to confront the cartels.

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Resources:

What Can Business Travelers Learn from Attacks on Tourists in Mexico?

Driving in Mexico: What Business Travelers Need to Know

Oil & Gas Exploration in Mexico: Assessing the Security Risks

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Attacks on Overseas Hotels

Whenever foreigners gather in one location, such as a luxury hotel, the threat of an attack grows significantly. Attacks on hotels take careful planning, and not every terrorist organization has the means to undertake them. Nonetheless, the attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul in January 2018 resulted in the death of 42 people. While most hotels in business districts in high-risk countries invest heavily in security, terrorists are increasingly skilled at finding and exploiting weak points. Before embarking on your next trip, review our guidance on how to survive an attack on your hotel.

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Resources:

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Here’s How to Protect Yourself in the Event of a Terrorist Attack on Your Hotel

In the Bag: An Executive Survival Kit

Informal Executive Meetings: Know When to Engage a Security Provider

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America’s International Relationships Remain Mixed

Regardless of the individual occupying the Oval Office, the perception of the United States government varies widely from country to country. That’s why it is critical to understand the prevailing sentiment toward foreign business travelers overseas. In the past year, we’ve created a number of short yet informative articles on the security challenges and practical realities of nternational business travel.

Resources:

The Blockade of Qatar and the Implications for Multinationals

Here’s What You Need to Know Before Traveling to Bahrain

When a Routine Business Trip Turns into a Nightmare: What to Do If You Are Arrested in a Foreign Country

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