Oliver Wack

Partner

  • Americas
  • Market Entry/Exit Risk Assessment
  • Political and Economic Risk Monitoring

Based in Bogota, Oliver is responsible for supporting the successful execution of our clients’ operations and investments in the Andean region. Drawing on Control Risks’ multidisciplinary teams across the world, he works to help our clients unlock commercial opportunities in the Andes by enabling them to manage their corresponding strategic and operational risks, as well as resolve their most complex problems when they arise. Oliver’s specific areas of expertise include risk intelligence, issues management, crisis-driven investigations, stakeholder engagement and corporate reputation risk management, among others.

Having first joined in 2012 as the lead analyst covering Colombia and Venezuela, he is intimately familiar with the region, its language, and its culture. Prior to taking up his current role, Oliver led Control Risks’ Global Risk Analysis practice for the Americas, based in Washington, D.C., and previously served as head of the North American consulting business out of New York.

Recent tasks that Oliver has worked on include:

  • Leading a team of risk analysts, security consultants and data-analysis experts to develop and deploy a data-drive risk monitoring and tracking solution for a North America –based client in the extractives space. The project included the development of cutting-edge tools to crowd-source threat intelligence gathering.
  • Leading a multi-year project to help a multinational mining company develop and execute risk-based stakeholder mapping and stakeholder engagement strategies. The focus of the project was helping the client manage an acute issue while protecting corporate reputation.
  • Leading on development and delivery of a series of threat intelligence analysis trainings for clients in the retail and technology sectors.
  • Leading on the development of a multi-year project to provide a client in the financial services sector with global business continuity threat assessments.
  • Developing and delivering a tailored global portfolio threat monitoring solution for a client in the private equity space to facilitate tracking and timely management of above-ground risks to a diverse portfolio of mining investments.

  • Before joining Control Risks, Oliver worked for the Organisation of American States (OAS) in the US and in Colombia, where he verified the peace process between the Uribe government and the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia paramilitary umbrella group.

    Oliver holds a First Class BA (Hons) in Development Studies and International Relations from London Metropolitan University and a Master’s degree (summa cum laude) from Sciences Po Paris. Oliver speaks fluent English, French, German and Spanish. He is a frequent media commentator on current affairs in Colombia and globally in leading print, radio and TV news outlets, including The Guardian, The Miami Herald, BBC World Service, The Wall Street Journal, The Christian Science Monitor, CNBC and CNN en Español. 

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