As Control Risks’ Director for Government and Defence, Richard oversees risk and security engagements with governments and firms close to government. It is a major element of Control Risks’ operations to work with UK and western governments, multilateral departments, and leading international commercial organisations close to government. 

Examples of Richard’s recent work include:

• Security provision and guidance for Western governments and firms, often in high threat locations,
• Political and economic information provision to institutions and major corporations;
• Threat assessments, cyber capacity building, and aviation risk management.
  
   

Richard served for 28 years in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), where he held senior positions in bilateral and security policy positions, with his final overseas posting being in Berlin where he was Counsellor Political.  Earlier in his service, he was the UK’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Asian Commission in the Bangkok and Phnom Penh Embassies, and followed this with postings to Rome as First Secretary, and Kabul as Counsellor.  Between postings abroad, Richard was responsible for policy and capability development in parts of Africa, South America and the Middle East.

Richard is a Trustee of the FCO's Pimpernel Trust helping with the welfare of former FCO officials. He is a Visiting Fellow of the University of Exeter’s Strategy and Security Institute.