# Control Risks > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Control_Risks > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Control_Risks.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_Risks > Source revision: 1355936583 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|UK worldwide insurance consulting and intelligence firm}} {{Infobox company | name = Control Risks | logo = Control Risks Group logo | type = [Corporation](/source/Corporation) | industry = [Consulting](/source/Consultant)
[Professional services](/source/Professional_services) | foundation = 1975 | location_city = [London](/source/London) | location_country = [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom){{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/25/murky-world-hostage-negotiations-price-ever-right-insurance |title=The murky world of hostage negotiations: is the price ever right? |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=25 August 2014}} | locations = 41 offices across the globe | key_people = [Nick Allan](/source/Nick_Allan) (CEO){{cite web |title=Nick Allan |url=https://www.controlrisks.com/who-we-are/our-experts/expert-bio/nick-allan|website=Control Risk |access-date=30 December 2025}} | products = Security services | homepage = [https://www.controlrisks.com/ www.controlrisks.com] }} '''Control Risks''' is a global [risk and strategic consulting](/source/risk_and_strategic_consulting) firm that specializes in geo-political, security, technical, and integrity [risk assessment](/source/risk_assessment)s.{{cite news |last1=Hershey Jr. |first1=Robert D. |title=Where Kidnapping Is Business |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/29/archives/where-kidnapping-is-business-london-firm-takes-on-risk-and-ransom.html |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |volume=44446 |date=December 29, 1979 |page=27}}{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Henry |title=Inside the corporate investigations business |url=https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2017-12-12/inside-the-corporate-investigations-business |agency=[The Bureau of Investigative Journalism](/source/The_Bureau_of_Investigative_Journalism) |date=December 12, 2017}} It offers a wide range of services including cyber risks assessments, open source intelligence and threat monitoring, and building risk assessments. In 2014, ''[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)'' called it the "largest and best-known" crisis response firm in the world. Control Risks publishes ‘RiskMap’, a forecast of business risk, geopolitical risks and trends, as well as a geopolitical calendar with events and anniversaries around the world. ==History== Control Risks was formed in London in 1975 when Julian Radcliffe, one of the company's founders, approached kidnap and ransom underwriters at [Lloyd's](/source/Lloyd's) and suggested they provide an insurance service to support organisations who have employees potentially exposed to the risk of kidnapping. Therefore, the initial focus for Control Risks was on providing kidnap and ransom support, and associated security consultancy services, with much of the work concentrated in Latin America. The firm expanded its capabilities when these crisis management and incident response specialists were joined by political and security risk analysts, before becoming independent in 1982 following a management buyout.{{cite web |date=March 13, 2010 |title=Iraq security firm joins bidding for Wall Street's favorite detective agency |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/mar/14/kroll-control-risks-bidding-war |work=The Guardian |location=London}} The first employees were hired in 1979 to deliver a new analysis service called Information Services, which covered 60 countries and was published once a month in hard copy. Their in-house team of political risk and country analysts formed the basis of the Global Risk Analysis business. In the 1980s, the company expanded its geographical footprint opening new offices in [Melbourne](/source/Melbourne), [Bogotá](/source/Bogot%C3%A1), Konigstein,{{clarify|date=February 2026}} and [Amsterdam](/source/Amsterdam). Control Risks opened an office in [Bethesda, Maryland](/source/Bethesda%2C_Maryland) in 1982.{{cite news |last1=Stone |first1=Peter H. |title=Boom For Risk Analysts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/07/business/boom-days-for-political-risk-consultants.html |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |date=August 7, 1983 |quote=And a leading British firm, Control Risks, opened a United States office in Bethesda,{{nbsp}}Md., in 1982 under the direction of Peter Goss, a former British intelligence agent in [India](/source/India) and [Northern Ireland](/source/Northern_Ireland), and Karl Ackerman, a former Director of Intelligence at the [Department of State](/source/Department_of_State).}} The business intelligence and investigation capability was established in the early 1990s. Further alignment of their due diligence expertise with existing political analysis capabilities led the continued growth of the investigations practices.{{Cite web |title=GIR 100 2020 - Global Investigations Review |url=https://globalinvestigationsreview.com/survey/gir-100/2020/organization-profile/control-risks |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=globalinvestigationsreview.com |language=en}} The [9/11 terrorist attacks](/source/September_11_attacks) in the United States accelerated the development of the firm's 24-hour travel and personal security service, CR1. Control Risks established a significant presence in [Iraq](/source/Iraq) following the [Iraq War](/source/Iraq_War) in 2003 and more recently Ukraine in 2022. This initially took the form of protective support for the diplomatic community. == Products and solutions == Control Risks offers products such as: * '''Control Risks ONE''' – a 24/7 Global Risk Operations Centre that provides advisory, monitoring, and response support. * '''Seerist''' – a predictive geolocation analytics solution to understand and respond to disruptive events. * '''Control Risks VANTAGE''' – third‑party risk and compliance solutions compatible across sectors and jurisdictions. * '''ESG Country Monitor''' and '''Sanctions Country Monitor''' – dashboards to evaluate ESG exposure and sector‑specific sanctions risks across jurisdictions. == Global presence == The firm maintains 41 offices across continents, emphasising local language capabilities, regional data privacy knowledge, and embedded support models. The ControlRisks ONE and the threat monitoring operates on a 'follow the sun model' with urgent work often being handed between teams to ensure rapid delivery. ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *{{official|url=https://www.controlrisks.com/}} Category:Companies based in the London Borough of Southwark Category:Consulting firms established in 1975 Category:Security consulting firms Category:Private intelligence agencies Category:1975 establishments in England --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Control Risks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_Risks) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_Risks?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.