Business Intelligence Services
In modern market economies, potential investors and corporations have, in theory, equal and transparent access to relevant information upon which to base their strategic business decisions. Unfortunately, the degree to which this holds true elsewhere, particularly in developing & emerging markets, varies considerably.
Reports
Alcyon provides a range of intelligence reports that systematically identify & analyze actual, and forecast potential security and business risks. The objective is to enable clients to weigh-up the risks v rewards of pursuing or aborting commercial and investment transactions.
Country & organization reports
Through a broad range of highly developed sources, Alcyon's professional political and intelligence analysts conduct in-depth research into countries & organizations, carefully concentrating on national and sub-national organizations that may pose threats to nations and corporations. The objective is to discriminate between reliable and non-credible sources, current and outdated sources, as well as relevant and irrelevant ones.
Emerging markets risk briefings
Where there is risk, there is often opportunity. The challenge here lies in mitigating the risks and, after careful assessment and analysis, leveraging the opportunities.
This service includes not only country and regional reports but also industry specific risk profiles. The result is highly targeted documents that contain exceptional information and detail pertaining to the different areas of risk. The objective of this service is to help clients bridge the political, cultural and information gaps that often exist, enabling them to make highly informed commercial / investment decisions.
Due diligence & investigation
Many businesses have at some stage inadvertently served as financial funnels for criminal and terrorist transactions due to the lack of availability of in-depth information on clients and counter-parties. The result of errors or oversight can now be severe financial penalties, exclusion from countries and markets and even long prison sentences.
Enterprise vigilance, and in particular “knowing your client”, is the key to safe and successful commerce. Although most western countries now have extremely strict disclosure rules concerning the provenance of funds, their ownership, origin, destination, etc., the fact is that proper due diligence and risk appraisals are frequently compromised by the lack of clear information &/or through the obstacle of language and cultural barriers.
As a consequence even global groups and corporations – including banks and other legal and financial institutions – find themselves limited as to the business transactions they are able to undertake. The end result is an avoidable lack of service and a potential loss of profit.
Alcyon’s international expertise in the field of criminal & terrorist organizations – particularly with regard to illegal & illicit activities – enables it to bring to its clients a course that will prove to be an extraordinary powerful weapon when it comes to trading safely in potentially unstable and insecure regions, or with people and companies from such areas.
Countering-Terror financing & Anti-money laundering
In response to the September 11th and other sophisticated attacks, the combating of terrorist financing and other money laundering has become a priority for governments, corporations and financial institutions.
International regulations and guidelines have been put in place to curb money laundering and terror financing, with requirements that include: criminalizing terrorism financing; developing systems to freeze terrorist / criminal assets; and adequate oversight of non-profit institutions such as charities and foundations. When these systems are efficiently implemented and effectively managed, the illegal financial funnel can be eradicated and institutions protected.
Alcyon is a specialist in counter-terror financing and in anti-money laundering and offers courses that include:
- Counsel on the identification and freezing of criminal and terrorist assets
- Analysis of charities and hawalas (an informal and common Middle Eastern system for transferring money)
- Best practices for avoiding the misuse of charities and hawalas, thereby preventing terrorists and money launderers from infiltrating and abusing these entities
All of Alcyon’s courses are led by distinguished, international specialists who have spent decades working in these fields. |
