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 ..read more

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 Trac ..read more

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 threa ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 sha ..read more

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 ho ..read more

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 h ..read more

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 ..read more

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 wi ..read more