Travel Threat: Executive Operational Risk...

Operational Risk Management is a vital component for any Board Member or Corporate Manager who travel internationally.

Company executives who travel extensively on commercial airlines are constantly being subjected to a spectrum of new threats. The latest concern is putting executives in potential harms way with the rise in Avian Flu.

Once these highly compensated and important corporate officers reach a cities destination, there is of course the choice of hotel. Where and where not to stay is now a question many corporate travel departments are asking themselves. How do you know what is the most secure and safe place to stay?

Stratfor provides substantive tips and advice from their intelligence and publications. Terrorist attacks in past years against U.S., Israeli and Australian embassies forced Western countries to harden their diplomatic compounds abroad, turning them into veritable fortresses of security. In response, terrorists began focusing on softer symbols of Western influence, such as large hotels and resorts. By attacking a Marriott, a Hyatt, a Moevenpick or another popular Western chain, the perpetrators can cause mass casualties and gain international media attention -- and all without having to penetrate extreme security.

As a saavy travel department and global corporate security chief already know, there are some other choices that should be considered namely, iJet:

iJET was incorporated in 1999 with a mission of protecting international travelers through the use of our proprietary technology and services platform. That mission has evolved and broadened over time as our Worldcue® Risk Management System has been applied to protecting both employees and other assets of multinational corporations. Today, iJET has over 350 corporate clients that rely on iJET to monitor, protect, and respond to operating risks around the world.

The escalation of terrorism, infectious diseases, and unforeseen natural disasters has forced multinational organizations and their employees to re-evaluate their perception of risk. Such events are often beyond a company's control, yet corporate liability and responsibility to employees and assets continues to increase. As a result, corporations need a fresh approach and new set of tools to meet the operational risk management demands in today's business environment.

This part of the equation is an easy one. Get real-time intelligence while on the go and utilize strategic tools and solutions for risk mitigation along the way. Moreover, travel light and without a huge entourage of large NFL size body guards in tow. You might as well paint a bulls eye on your back.

The hard part of the equation is getting your executives and highly valued employee assets trained and ready. Having all of the "What Could Happen" and "Be Careful of" in your head will not be enough unless you train, practice and test. Many global companies are doing just that, training their employees in threat detection and giving them new skills and strategy to save themselves from potential attacks of all kinds. See Threat Detection and Management to learn how.