Tackling the threat of kidnapping, hijack and hostage taking
Chaired by Andrew Kain, founder of security risk mitigation company AKE Ltd, Quaynote’s fourth annual ‘Tackling Kidnapping, Hostage Taking and Hijacking’ event takes place at the Holiday Inn, Regent’s Park, on May 22-23.
The conference aims to update delegates on the persistent and ever-changing threat by highlighting the current hotspots, both those publicised and lesser known, and discussing how the threat of kidnapping and hijack is evolving in those areas where employees could be most at risk.
It will identify and assess those criminal gangs and terrorist groups who are operating in each of the hot spots and demonstrate how effective crisis management strategies and risk assessment can be used to mitigate the effects of these events.
One specific section looks at maritime piracy, where attacks cost the world economy billions of pounds a year.
Likewise, multinational companies operating in high-risk areas are becoming targets for criminals, creating security risk to both personnel and the company infrastructure. Companies are under increasing pressure to ensure the personal safety of employees and contractors travelling or working abroad. Kidnapping for ransom is a significant form of terrorist financing with the size of ransom demands and payments on the increase. According to conference organiser Quaynote, this persistent and ever-changing threat is evolving beyond ransom demands to extorting substantial annual payments from companies in the form of protection money.
