Connect with Gareth on LinkedIn.
I have built and now manage a small team at a major pharmaceutical firm that provide insight and intelligence support to the Global Security team and its stakeholders.
Corporate security has long been a feature of Pharma, given the industry’s size and scope. Intelligence teams, depending on the company range from being well established to reasonably new. It’s a growing capability within Pharma companies and I’ve seen intelligence teams support physical security, travel security, investigations, personnel security, insider threat, business continuity and more.
The work I do is mainly limited to supporting various aspects of physical security and investigations.
I think the skills and experience required for corporate intelligence teams map across industries.
Most of my professional colleagues are split into two categories:
Certainly at the mid - higher levels, a background in intelligence analysis and reporting are required, be that from service in the public sector or within a corporate intelligence environment. However, at the entry level, the basics required could have been obtained from a university degree or indeed, another sector in which critical thinking and report writing is undertaken.
This really depends on what the corporate intelligence team are set up to do. Some of the skills within me and my team include:
My first job was in teaching.
My first intelligence and security job was gained through joining the British Military.
Don’t rule out anything. Even if you think you’re not suited. Apply for everything.
Get out there and interview – you never know what opportunities have in store and at worst, you’ve practiced your interview technique.
I’d have started my career in the military a lot sooner!
The internet is a wonderful place for development. Much excellent training is free. However, it’s no substitute (at the start of your career) for formal training in intelligence.
Books:
Useful information sources (in no particular order):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18rtqh8EG2q1xBo2cLNyhIDuK9jrPGwYr9DI2UncoqJQ/htmlview
https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/
https://acleddata.com/#/dashboard
https://www.gdeltproject.org/
and many many more!.....
There are a multitude of courses out there.Do link up with me on LinkedIn if you'd like recommendations, any more info on the above or just a chin wag!
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