Conversations in Close Protection

The idea of the "international practitioner" is a goal often sought by many in the security, protection, and risk industry. While achievable, it requires adaptability and the presence of mind to see opportunities and not allow yourself to be stuck. On this "close protection week," we catch up with EP Wired founder and SCS - Security Crisis Solutions' Executive Director, Oran Ben Simon. OBS discusses his career, which spans full-time work in over three countries and efforts that span the globe. He talks about understanding his values and how that helped him stay open to new opportunities - and a stint with one of the top business consulting firms - and how the concept of EP WIRED came to be.

We all deal with setbacks. Small or large, they often cause us to doubt our actions, ability, and even values unconsciously. Without even realizing it - a reversal of momentum can have long-lasting effects on career and personal growth. Join us as we discuss dealing with bureaucratic machines, starting a security consultancy, and maintaining your core values with Alchemy Global's Managing Director, Stuart Nash.

Having served in the Royal Air Force (RAF), Stuart performed operations and logistics and began conducting protective functions in Kosovo (where he was awarded the "Queens Commendation for Bravery"); Stuart describes his career learning to meld operations and logistics, dealing with career setbacks, running global security operations, volunteering, and keeping true to your core values, even at 30,000 ft over the Atlantic Ocean!

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Risk encompasses many vectors. This week we step back to gain insight and awareness into three different but tangentially essential elements in risk management; protective, cyber, and privacy. Joined by Asymmetric Response's Tom Ryan and Privacy Attorney Jen Sander, the team discusses converged threats, response, and management best practices.

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It's been a minute, but the team is back to examine recent and relevant events to protectors, practitioners, and the more significant risk and security industry.

This month the team discusses efforts to bring security to Haiti, Shinzo Abe assassination probes, a break-in and assault at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's home, and The hacking of the New York Post's Twitter feed. We riff on insider threats, how to think about risk monitoring, coffee, and pay a small homage to a long-time quiet industry supporter.

Finally, the team digs into the upcoming Close Protection Conference, the agenda, sponsors, and our fantastic host.

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Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to a threat standing in your bedroom doorway. With no prior training or experience, that is precisely the moment Donna Miles and her then-husband faced. Listen to her harrowing story, learn how the couple reacted, and how she used it to reshape her life, empower others to manage their mindset, and become hard targets. Find out more about Donna's work over at https://www.hardtargetliving.com/

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With the team on the road, Chuck managed to grab multiple protectors and have a quick discussion about GSX '22 and the industry.

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GSX is leading this month's early edition of shoptalk as your CiCP team discusses issues of interest to the protective risk community. Join the team and listen in as they discuss the recent attempt to assassinate the VP (and former President) of Argentina, the targeting of an heiress, Alicia Keys brush with her audience, HNW prepping, positive feedback from the protector community (no seriously), and more! Please give us your feedback at [email protected].

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From a Devil Dog to a global security leader, Matt Bohatch has used flexibility and personal awareness as foundational principles in his career. Joining the United States Marine Corps when it was pretty certain you would find yourself in a combat theater, Matt used the skills he acquired as a Marine Embassy Security Guard to launch a successful close-protection career. Matt discusses his decision to become a protector and how being focused and situationally adaptable has helped him along the way. He talks about his time at Gavin de Becker & Associates, working as a contractor, and determinations that would eventually find him leading physical security operations for the Washington Post. Grab your pencils for this one!

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Risks continue, which means there is never a lack of issues for the team to discuss. Please join the conversation as the team CiCP examines recent developments in Haiti, assassination attempts and attacks, and why protectors should take that recent Apple cyber security announcement seriously. We take time to discuss risk as a tool for network expansion, risk monitoring, the power of NSTRs, and communicating threats within the "protective supply chain." All this... and more!

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From a desire to enter the sportscasting arena, Wendy Bashnan quickly pivoted to a life in Law Enforcement fueled by a desire to be in Diplomatic Security. Wendy takes a career worth of experience and talks to the team about what she learned and how she used those lessons to pivot into a corporate security leadership role with a Fortune 500 organization. Grab your pencils and get ready...