Our story
An independent house, built for difficult questions.
Founded in 2009 to give boards, investors and governments a place to ask the questions that don't fit on a research subscription.
Mission
We exist to make uncertainty a managed risk.
The world our clients operate in is more contested than at any point in our professional lifetimes. Trade is weaponised, regulation moves faster than capital, and the political tail risks once relegated to emerging markets now drive boardroom agendas in every capital.
In that environment, generic research is not enough. Our job is to listen carefully to what a client is actually trying to decide, and to build, briefing by briefing, the picture that lets them act.
We measure ourselves not by reports delivered, but by decisions made well.
Principles
Four commitments to every client.
Independence
We are owned by our partners. No conflicts, no third-party agendas, no advice that fits anyone's portfolio but yours.
Discretion
Most of our work is never published. Reputations and transactions worth billions depend on what we don't say.
Specificity
We never reach for a template. Each engagement is scoped to one client, one question, one moment.
Network
Former diplomats, intelligence officers, regulators, central bankers and journalists, in twenty-eight countries.
History
Seventeen years of judgement.
- 2009
Founded in London by Eleanor Whitcombe and three former diplomats.
- 2013
Opened our Brussels office to serve EU clients through the eurozone crisis.
- 2017
Established Washington DC presence ahead of the first Trump administration.
- 2020
Launched our Singapore hub to coordinate Asia-Pacific work.
- 2024
Crossed 200 senior advisors across our global network.
- 2026
Recognised as a top-tier geopolitical advisory by The Lawyer and Chambers.
Have a question you can't put in writing?
Send a short note. A senior advisor will be in touch within one working day.