NYA International
Crisis Prevention and Response Services
Operating in challenging and high-risk environments
The security situation in many countries can quickly deteriorate, putting both business operations and company executives and their dependents at risk.
Kidnap for ransom is most prevalent in areas with a high disparity of wealth, active criminal and terrorist groups, under-resourced or inefficient law enforcement and high levels of corruption. Accurate global statistics do not exist because many incidents go unreported, however sources cite tens of thousands of cases each year.
There are also many other forms of extortion, which are broad ranging in their nature and complexity and typically target an organisation’s people, products, processes, IT systems, intellectual property and other critical assets.
Victim companies rarely publish information, because they wish to avoid causing reputational damage to their brands.
Around the world, man-made and natural disasters often occur with little or no warning, and it may be necessary to evacuate staff and dependents at short notice and under difficult conditions.
There is much that an organisation can do to reduce their exposure to crises. Effective risk management begins with a comprehensive understanding of the threat and an organisation’s vulnerability, and the application of appropriate mitigation measures.
In the event that an incident does take place the organisations that have proven themselves able to cope most effectively are those with thorough, tried and tested response plans and procedures, and access to professional, experienced advisors. This can make the difference between a rapid, controlled recovery or, in extreme cases, a business failing to recover at all.
Effective risk management begins with a comprehensive
understanding of the threat and an organisation’s vulnerability, and
the application of appropriate mitigation measures.
A world-leading, crisis prevention and response consultancy with over twenty years’ experience
Trusted advisor to clients around the world
NYA International (NYA) is a world-leading, crisis prevention and response consultancy with over twenty years’
experience of helping clients reduce their exposure to and manage incidents of:
• Kidnap for ransom
• Abduction
• Extortion
• Illegal detention
• Marine piracy
• Emergency evacuation and repatriation
• Malicious product tampering
• Other international problems and crises
We help organisations to understand the threats and vulnerabilities to their people, assets and international operations, and improve their resilience so they can more effectively mitigate and manage these risks.
In the event of a crisis we respond immediately, providing advice to the client’s crisis management team in order to help them manage the incident to a successful conclusion.
International clients operating in challenging and high-risk environments choose NYA because of our:
• Guaranteed response
NYA has one of the largest teams of full-time or
exclusively retained kidnap, extortion and piracy response consultants in the industry. This enables us to guarantee our response to clients anywhere in the world.
• Team
NYA’s selection and training process is extremely rigorous. This ensures that our clients have access to the very highest calibre individuals at the time they need them most.
• Experience
Our serving team has responded to over 500 kidnap, extortion and piracy incidents and a wide range of other crises across most industry sectors and regions of the world where such risks are prevalent.
• Unique response protocols
NYA is the only response team of its kind that will deploy up to four consultants upon notification of an incident:
two each to company headquarters and the incident location, providing maximum levels of support during the critical early stages of a crisis.
• Track record
Since NYA was founded in 1990, we have secured the safe release of every victim in all of the kidnap cases we have advised on.*
• Reputation
Our reputation for excellence, integrity and utmost confidentiality, combined with our service oriented approach, is why NYA is selected as the trusted advisor to clients around the world - from private individuals and families to multinational corporations, governments and non-governmental organisations.
* once we have deployed consultants and established proof of life for the victim(s).
We help organisations to understand the threats and vulnerabilities to their people, assets and international operations, and improve their resilience
Crisis prevention
NYA’s crisis prevention advisors help organisations manage their global security risks.
We listen, approaching every task from each client’s
perspective. Our solutions both support their unique business needs and fit with their organisation’s culture, rather than presenting a ‘one size fits all’ approach. This enables strong collaboration between the client’s team and ours and ensures the most successful implementation of proven risk management procedures.
NYA is experienced at designing solutions that can be implemented globally, whilst ensuring compatibility with the local operating environment and culture, as well as compliance with local and international legislation.
Our consulting services are delivered or project managed by our specialist response consultants, providing the most relevant experience and a knowledgeable approach to security risk.
Crisis prevention consulting services include (but are not limited to):
1. Assessment
Identification of threats and vulnerabilities to
ascertain the risk
2. Prevention
Implementation of appropriate and effective
measures to mitigate the risk
3. Training
Preparation of the crisis and security management
teams and ‘at risk’personnel
4. Rehearsal
Practice and consolidation through
simulated incident exercises
Risk
Appropriate mitigationmeasures Threat
Vulnerability
Threat and vulnerability assessment
A threat and vulnerability assessment identifies threats in a specific country, location or site against personnel, assets, property, operations, commercial viability and reputation, and the organisation’s vulnerability to such threats. A written report includes recommended risk mitigation measures and strategies.
Crisis and security management planning
An effective crisis management plan facilitates the response to any crisis, bringing all available and relevant resources to bear quickly and efficiently to help ensure a smooth and rapid transition to recovery. It provides structure and order to what is often a chaotic situation, aiding decision-making under stressful circumstances. It also helps the crisis management team to gain control, minimise the impact of the crisis - both on the individuals involved and the wider organisation - and resume normal activities as soon as possible. NYA can review existing plans or work with clients to build plans and protocols where none exist.
Crisis management training
Crisis management training prepares the crisis management team to respond effectively to crisis incidents. It is usually conducted via simulated incident scenarios, guiding participants through all phases of the crisis, including the various elements, agencies and issues involved; the unusual pressures inherent in responding; the importance of clear strategy, tactics and decision making and how a crisis incident can be managed to a successful conclusion. Training follows the protocols of the organisation’s crisis management plan - providing the chance to practice dealing with worst-case scenarios under controlled conditions.
Security awareness training
Designed for expatriate and local national employees and their dependents, who are living in or travelling to high-risk parts of the world, personal security awareness training provides a comprehensive understanding of the security elements that they need to be aware of, and offers practical methods to help them avoid falling victim to criminal attack.
Embedded advisors
NYA deploys embedded advisors to provide direct or remote support to clients who have identified security or capability gaps within their organisations, or for temporary assignments where an organisation may be lacking in-house resources or the relevant experience. NYA embeds consultants at all levels of an organisation, from senior crisis management advisors to remote and hostile environment site security managers.
Risk analysis
Understanding both the business and personal security risks inherent with investing and operating in demanding and difficult environments is critical for ensuring timely and informed decision-making. NYA can tailor its analysis to meet specific client requirements, providing detailed country and regional overviews that look at indigenous political and security risks such as crime, extortion, kidnapping, political and civil unrest, ethnic and sectarian violence, terrorism, natural hazards and the general security situation.
Project management
Our collective experience and ability to build trusting relationships with our clients often involves the project management and delivery of solutions in difficult situations, where the immediate resolution to a particular crisis or problem is not immediately apparent or achievable. These solutions are normally designed to support the corporate crisis, risk and security management functions, and focus on providing the most appropriate resource to address the problem. In the past, NYA has managed varied tasks on behalf of clients, including (but not limited to) business intelligence, due diligence, investigations, surveillance and counter-surveillance operations, travel security management and a variety of bespoke training packages.
Travel risk management
NYA has developed Global SafeTravel - a user-friendly but highly effective travel management solution that gives organisations rapid control over their global travel risk. Global SafeTravel is a secure, web-based system that enables organisations to keep their business travellers informed and up to date, manage, track and communicate with travelling employees and provide them with immediate, 24/7 advice and assistance in the event of any incident.
We help organisations to understand the threats and vulnerabilities to their people, assets and international operations, and improve their resilience
Crisis response
NYA’s unique approach to crisis response has been refined by many years’ experience of incident management. Our primary objective is the successful resolution of the crisis, whilst implementing the highest level of security for the parties involved and reducing potential risks for the organisation and/or family.
Role of the response consultants
Throughout any crisis, the role of our response consultants is to provide practical advice based on NYA’s collective experience, helping the client’s crisis management team to prepare for both likely and unforeseen eventualities and pursue a controlled, structured strategy which is firmly grounded on tried and tested procedures. Every case is different, but the consultants will typically provide advice on:
• Assessment of the situation as it develops
• Formulation of an effective response strategy
• Communication with the perpetrators and the handling of threats
• Dealing with the media, local and international authorities and legislation
• Liaison with other stakeholders
• Care of the victims’ families and other employees
• Preparations for ransom payment and safe release of the victim(s)
• Future risk mitigation
• Business continuity, and protection of corporate brand and reputation
Remote advice Deployment Advice to Crisis Management Team Recovery
• Once an incident has been reported via client’s crisis response number, an NYA consultant will contact the client within 20 minutes
• NYA provides immediate advice and support remotely
• NYA immediately deploys two consultants to each of the client’s Crisis Management Team locations
• Consultants are with the client within 24 hours or sooner
• Two consultants remain at each Crisis Management Team location for up to 10 days, ensuring optimal levels of support during the critical early stages of a crisis
• Subsequently the two consultants at each Crisis Management Team location work on a rotational basis
• At the conclusion of the incident, NYA conducts a detailed debrief with the victim, which is an essential part of the rehabilitation process
20 mins 24 hours Up to 10 days 21 day rotation End of case
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Incident notifica tion
Upon notification of an incident
NYA provides immediate support and deploys response consultants to the client’s crisis management team location and the organisation’s corporate headquarters, as required.
Within 24 hours
We deploy our consultants within 24 hours, subject to immigration or other regulatory requirements.
First ten days
Two consultants are deployed to each location for the first seven to ten days, to provide maximum levels of support during the critical early stages of a crisis and ensure that those involved get to know their advisors from the start.
Throughout the incident
Subsequently, the two consultants in each location work on a 21-day rotational basis with a two to three day handover period for each rotation. This maintains continuity throughout the case whilst ensuring that the consultants can deliver the optimum level of service to the client. Our collaborative approach means that the client benefits from the collective experience of the NYA team. We remain with the client until conclusion of the incident, regardless of its duration.
Conclusion of the incident
On resolution of the incident, NYA conducts a detailed debrief of the victim(s), which is an extremely important part of the rehabilitation process for those involved.
NYA’s unique approach to crisis response has been refined by many
years’ experience of incident management.
NYA’s selection and training process ensures that our clients have access to the very highest calibre individuals at the time they need them most
The NYA team
NYA maintains a dedicated team of specialist crisis response consultants, based in strategic locations throughout the Americas, EMEA (Europe/Middle East/Africa) and Asia Pacific.
Whilst this provides critical local expertise and
understanding, and allows for the most rapid and effective response, our consultants are chosen for their international experience and ability to support the unpredictable nature of crisis incidents, wherever in the world they occur.
Experience
NYA’s response consultants are carefully selected from a variety of backgrounds, including all arms of the military, national law enforcement, international intelligence
agencies and the commercial and corporate security and risk management sector. All are on permanent standby to deploy and are either full-time employees or exclusively retained by NYA, as it is our policy never to subcontract response services to third parties or external consultants.
A number have been decorated by the military or nationally recognised, and collectively they have worked for virtually every industry sector and in regions of the world where security problems such as kidnap and extortion are prevalent. Fluent languages spoken include English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Mandarin and Japanese.
Training
NYA invests significantly in its team. Following initial selection, and regardless of prior experience, every response consultant is required to complete a lengthy and rigorous training programme, and further training is provided throughout their career to maintain best practice standards.
Dedicated Operations Centre
Our clients and consultants are supported 24/7/365 by NYA’s dedicated Operations Centre. Comprising former military personnel from the USA ‘Wounded Warriors’
programme, the Operations Centre team has extensive land-based and maritime crisis management operational experience and access to the most up to date information and intelligence tools.
Information
Other information available from NYA International:
• Crisis Prevention and Response, Services for Private Clients
• Global SafeTravel - Travel Risk Management (Global SafeTravel)
• Maritime Security, Risk Management and Response
• MarTrack – Maritime security threat monitoring, vessel tracking and risk management
• Personal Security Guidelines
• A detailed introduction to the key principals of personal security, designed for individuals living or working in high- risk environments
• A Corporate Guide to Crisis Prevention and Response A comprehensive guide to the complex principles and issues of crisis risk management (issued on certain consulting projects)
For further details about NYA and our crisis prevention and response services, please visit our website or contact our management team.
Published by NYA International Registered office
+44 (0)207 086 4476 [email protected] www.nyainternational.com @NYAIntl
© Copyright NYA International Limited 2011. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any way or by any means, including photocopying or recording, without the written permission of the copyright holder, application for which should be addressed to the copyright holder.
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