
225.6K
Downloads
489
Episodes
Control Risks is a specialist global risk consultancy that helps organisations succeed in a volatile world. Through insight, intelligence and technology, we help you seize opportunities while remaining secure, compliant and resilient. When crises and complex issues arise, we help you recover. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Episodes

Wednesday Jul 02, 2014
Bulgarian banks - on the brink?
Wednesday Jul 02, 2014
Wednesday Jul 02, 2014
The European Commission earlier this week approved 1.7 billion euros in credit from Bulgaria’s central bank to boost the liquidity of the country’s banks, after savers in one of the four largest commercial banks, First Investment Bank, rushed to withdraw their deposits following rumours about the bank’s insolvency. This was the second bank run in two weeks, after Corporate Commercial Bank experienced similar problems. Control Risks' eastern Europe analyst, Cvete Koneska, discusses the outlook for Bulgaria and its banking sector.
About the presenter
Cvete Koneska is Control Risks’ lead analyst for Southeast Europe. She is responsible for providing security, political and operational risk analysis on countries in the region, providing regular contributions to Control Risks' subscription publications and advising clients on political and security risk factors impacting their investments.
Prior to joining Control Risks, Cvete completed a DPhil degree in politics at St Antony’s College, University of Oxford, where she researched factors driving success in post-conflict policy-making in the Balkans. Her book After Ethnic Conflict is due to be published in November 2014.

Friday Jun 27, 2014
Will Colombia's star continue to shine brightly?
Friday Jun 27, 2014
Friday Jun 27, 2014
In recent years, Colombia has been a bright spot amongst emerging markets with a stable government enabling progressive reform, and steady progress on peace talks with the FARC guerrilla movement painting a very different picture from the country’s historic reputation as a haven for drug cartels. In this podcast, Control Risks lead analyst in Bogotá, Oliver Wack, considers the prospects, opportunities and threats to the country’s future investment ambitions.
About the presenter
Oliver Wack is the Colombia Analyst for Global Risk Analysis, Control Risks’ market-leading political, operational and security risk analysis and forecasting team. In this capacity, Oliver provides daily updates for Control Risks’ subscription services (CRF and PRIME), as well as writing detailed reports and consulting clients on the political, operational and security risks to operations in the region.

Friday Jun 20, 2014
Friday Jun 20, 2014


Friday Jun 20, 2014
Friday Jun 20, 2014
In the next fortnight, Ukraine's gas supply becomes the latest front in its conflict with Russia, the US political landscape shifts following the ouster of a prominent congressional leader, and in Indonesia, presidential elections bring hope of reforms. These are the topics up for discussion with Michael Moran and Charles Hecker in the latest bi-weekly podcast from Control Risks.
About the presenters
Michael Moran, Managing Director, Global Risk Analysis
Michael Moran is Managing Director, Global Risk Analysis at Control Risks. A foreign policy journalist, writer and geo-strategist for investment banks and other institutions, he is author of The Reckoning: Debt, Democracy and the Future of American Power and co-author of the 2012 book The Fastest Billion: The Story Behind Africa's Economic Revolution.
Read the rest of this entry »

Wednesday Jun 11, 2014
Iraq Update - ISIS continue to take ground in strategic areas
Wednesday Jun 11, 2014
Wednesday Jun 11, 2014
Andreas Carleton-Smith, regional director for the Middle East and Gala Riani, Head of Analysis for Middle East and North Africa discuss the current situation in Iraq.

Friday Jun 06, 2014
Friday Jun 06, 2014
Over the coming fortnight, tensions between China and Vietnam over disputed waters in the South China Sea will keep the region on edge; a new Palestinian unity government makes waves in the Middle East; and all eyes turn to Brazil, where the stage could be set for more than just football.

Wednesday Jun 04, 2014
Conflict minerals: Implications of Section 1502
Wednesday Jun 04, 2014
Wednesday Jun 04, 2014
Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act came into effect on June 2. Under this legislation, US-listed companies will need to submit “conflict mineral reports” to the Securities and Exchange Commission, which assess whether the sourcing of the tin, tantalum, tungsten or gold used in their products may have helped fund Congolese fighting groups. In this podcast, Christoph Wille, Control Risks' political and security risk analyst for Congo (DRC) considers the potential implications of the new legislation.

Friday May 23, 2014
Friday May 23, 2014
In the coming weeks: Colombia holds a presidential election, which Oliver Wack says could help bring an end to that country’s decades-old insurgency; Angola begins bidding for onshore oil blocks, opening a new chapter in the country’s energy industry ; and the 70th anniversary of D-Day will bring Western leaders face-to-face with Vladimir Putin, providing a rich geopolitical subplot.

Thursday May 22, 2014
Elections Update: Greece and Belgium
Thursday May 22, 2014
Thursday May 22, 2014
While most attention is being drawn on the European elections, Charles Hecker, Global Research Director, and David Lea, Senior Analyst for Western Europe look at two other countries which are voting both in those elections and also domestically this week. Greece and Belgium.

Monday May 12, 2014
Iran - the view from Tehran
Monday May 12, 2014
Monday May 12, 2014
The more conciliatory tone adopted by Iranian President Hassan Rowhani and progress on the P5+1 talks in Geneva has raised the prospects of a lifting of the punitive sanctions which have been imposed on Iran since 2006. While those negotiations remain at an early stage, there is growing interest amongst multinational organisations about the opportunities that might arise should Iran return to the international fold.
Andreas Carleton-Smith, regional director for the Middle East and North Africa and Henry Smith, senior consultant in the Global Risk Analysis business have made a recent research trip to Iran to assess the prospects for progress. They discuss the mood on the ground and outline the key opportunities and risks should the sanctions be removed.

Friday May 09, 2014
RiskMap: Nigeria’s Counterinsurgency
Friday May 09, 2014
Friday May 09, 2014
Headlines in the coming weeks will highlight the challenges of quelling violence in northeast Nigeria. Elsewhere, India begins to form a government after its marathon election and the global anti-corruption movement gives power to the people.

Wednesday Apr 30, 2014
South African elections - outlook and implications
Wednesday Apr 30, 2014
Wednesday Apr 30, 2014
In the latest podcast from Control Risks, South Africa analyst, Paul Gabriel, discusses the potential outcomes of the upcoming General Election in South Africa at which voters will elect a new National Assembly and new provincial legislatures. The ANC and its tripartite partners aren't expected to lose much ground on the 65% of the vote they secured in 2009, but could these elections have greater significance?
About the Presenter
Paul Gabriel provides political, operational and security risk analysis on South Africa and the East Africa region to a broad range of clients through tailored reports and Control Risks’ subscription services, Country Risk Forecast and PRIME. Paul frequently travels to the region for client and research purposes.
Prior to joining Control Risks, Paul was an analyst with risk consultancy Maplecroft. He worked on political and security risks in sub-Saharan Africa for a number of global corporations, international organisations and government departments. Paul also held a position with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre monitoring the compliance of countries in sub-Saharan Africa with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.
Paul gained an MA in International Conflict Studies from King’s College London, where his work focused on the possibilities of using open source intelligence in the context of conflict early warning and response in sub-Saharan Africa. He holds a first-class Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg.

Friday Apr 25, 2014
RiskMap Podcast - 25 April 2014
Friday Apr 25, 2014
Friday Apr 25, 2014
In the latest instalment of Control Risks RiskMap podcast, Charles Hecker and Chris Torrens discuss President Obama's current tour of Asia. They are joined by Senior West Africa analyst, Thomas Hansen, who speaks about the recent significant revaluation of the Nigerian economy and talk to lead Egypt analyst, Lucy Jones, who considers the implications of the impending court case against Muslim Brotherhood followers accused of attacking a police station last summer.
About the presenters
Charles Hecker, Global Research Director
As Global Research Director, Charles Hecker is responsible for shaping Control Risks’ thought leadership on geopolitics, global security, macroeconomics and political risk methodology issues, and their impact on international business. Charles speaks at industry, policy and academic conferences and represents the company’s work to the international media. Charles also contributes to the content and production of Control Risks’ research services and designs and delivers complex, multi-jurisdiction political and security risk consultancy.

Wednesday Apr 16, 2014
RiskMap Podcast: Global Risks in the weeks ahead
Wednesday Apr 16, 2014
Wednesday Apr 16, 2014
In the latest instalment of Control Risks RiskMap podcast, Charles Hecker and Mike Moran consider the implications of the German trade delegation visit to Iran. They also discuss the possibility of an uptick in sectarian violence in Nortern Ireland and are joined by guest analyst Simon Whistler who looks at the latest state of play in Venezuela.
About the presenters
Charles Hecker, Global Research Director
As Global Research Director, Charles Hecker is responsible for shaping Control Risks’ thought leadership on geopolitics, global security, macroeconomics and political risk methodology issues, and their impact on international business. Charles speaks at industry, policy and academic conferences and represents the company’s work to the international media. Charles also contributes to the content and production of Control Risks’ research services and designs and delivers complex, multi-jurisdiction political and security risk consultancy.

Tuesday Apr 15, 2014
Thailand's troubles - latest update
Tuesday Apr 15, 2014
Tuesday Apr 15, 2014
In this podcast, Stephen Norris, Control Risks' political and security risk analyst for Thailand considers the likely next developments in the ongoing political turmoil which has stalled investment in the country.
Thailand’s Constitutional Court is due to make its ruling shortly on the petition filed by anti-government senators calling for the removal of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra following accusations that she violated the constitution by appointing a member of the extended Shinawatra family to a vital security post. At the same time, anti-government protestors are returning to the streets after taking time out for Thai new year and whilst this political impasse goes on, separatist insurgency groups have stepped up their militant activity in the troubled South of the country.