North East security risk management firm, Athena Risk, has agreed a sponsor partnership with Emirates’ to deliver workshops that help UK businesses understand the potential business risks when conducting business overseas.
Formed in February 2016, Athena Risk was founded by David Tait and Jason Hicks. Both David and Jason are from a British Military background and left the service 10 years ago. Since then they have been involved in delivering security risk management programs for UK and USA government agencies across the globe and more recently working with commercial organisations to help them understand global security risk, how it can impact operations and what can be done to mitigate exposure of critical resources.
Athena Risk was setup by David and Jason in response to some serious gaps in security risk management for UK companies when in overseas markets. They took their vast understanding of global risk and business to develop services that assist UK companies in identifying threats to business realization, understanding operational vulnerabilities in business and help turn these vulnerabilities into business opportunities. David explained: “we don’t see ourselves as security providers, we consider ourselves as business facilitators who understand security risk management. That’s not so say risk management comes second but more that business success for our clients comes first”
As part of their service offerings, Athena Risk provides detailed analysis of a broad range of business security risks. Whether this is assisting organisations in understanding the security concerns of particular countries and how their business goals can be disrupted, or the preparation and management of deploying resources into overseas markets. This has seen two very popular serves emerge for Athena Risk. Firstly, their political risk analysis which assesses the political landscape against client business objectives to establish how the political future could positively or negatively impact client business. Secondly, the vast majority of business overseas requires building relationships with partners, investors, distributors and agents. Ensuring the right relationship is developed is the difference between success and failure and Athena Risk’s investigative Due-diligence service put their customers in a position to make informed decisions. David explained: “our customers understand their products, services and markets in which they operate and it’s our job to ensure that we develop safe and successful environments for them to reach their full business potential”
It is this keen eye for service and detail which has caught the eye of Emirates Airline and prompted a sponsor partnership to deliver free travel risk awareness workshops to the business community. The Emirates Travel Risk Awareness course is tailored towards business executives who are required to travel and conduct business overseas. The first workshop begins on the 19th July in Newcastle and aims to provide an insight into how we are vulnerable when we travel and how they we can protect ourselves and our critical information. To find out more information about the course here’s the link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/travel-risk-awareness-sponsored-by-emirates-tickets-24228004614
Emirates is one of the leading aviation companies providing both personal and business travel across the globe.
Tracy Chandler, Emirates’ Senior Corporate Sales Executive for the North East, commented: “At Emirates we have long been committed to supporting small businesses in the communities in which we operate, whether that’s by offering tailored travel solutions, transporting cargo across our global network or through a range of other initiatives. David and Jason have created a service which will be of huge benefit to the region’s SME community, and we are delighted to help them in their endeavours.”
David Tait “Both myself and Jason are excited about the partnership that we have developed with Emirates. We feel that this opportunity will be a great platform to tackle the misconception of what are the real risks of doing business overseas and actually breakdown the barriers to exporting and give UK companies the confidence to move into these markets. Although a credible threat that needs considered dependent on which country you visit, terrorism is not our biggest concern, you have more chance of becoming the next US President then being killed in a terrorist related incident”
For more information about Athena Risk please contact the David and Jason at info@athenarisk.com. Alternatively check their website here: http://www.athenarisk.com/