Private actors, whether companies, NGOs or civil society organisations, have never been immune from politics, but over the last decade, global and national political games have become more intense and volatile. This has led to more political spillover into other domains, and the buffer between private and political has eroded. What happens between and within states now acutely matters for private actors, both for its direct effects on organisational health and performance, and the strategic uncertainty it generates.

 

Harmattan Risk helps organisations to understand how politics is relevant to them, and to develop capabilities to sense and manage what matters. There are specific services within the website, but they should be regarded as reference points rather than a finite menu, since client requirements are often unique and call for tailored approaches. Our work has ranged from advisory discussions and focused talks through to supporting client teams on the ground as they developed responses to challenging situations.

 

Our focus

 

Our premise is that clear and relevant thinking is the bedrock of political risk management. Thus, we are not data or information providers. Rather, we work with clients in concise, interactive engagements to help them to become political risk thinkers, and therefore more effective in sustaining organisational health and integrity in challenging times and places.

 

We tend to focus on the context of organisations working globally or in specific foreign countries, particularly complex emerging markets which can present the more serious challenges. However, volatility and “strange politics” are manifesting even in places long known for robust institutions, and our focus flexes accordingly.