Thought Leadership

Up & Out: Breaking Barriers & Expanding Influence

In the first instalment of the Up & Out Series, we explored the potential for private sector intelligence teams to elevate their roles beyond traditional security functions. However, achieving this shift is far from simple. Intelligence teams often encounter structural, cultural, and organisational obstacles that prevent them from integrating into broader corporate decision-making. This article dives into the current state of intelligence teams, the hurdles they face, and strategies for overcoming them. If you find the #Up&OutSeries useful, follow us on LinkedIn or subscribe to get it in your inbox.

The Siloed Approach: A Persistent Challenge

Intelligence teams within multinational organisations frequently operate within a siloed risk environment that limits their ability to engage with key stakeholders. This fragmented approach results in organisational leaders underutilising intelligence beyond the Chief Security Officer (CSO) perimeter, despite its potential to provide enterprise-wide strategic value. 

The reasons behind this isolation are multifaceted:

• Organisational Barriers – Intelligence teams are often housed within the security function, which primarily focuses on physical security. This placement can reinforce a “security-first” mindset, making it difficult to position intelligence as a strategic business enabler. Additionally, complex corporate structures lack clear pathways for integrating intelligence insights into holistic decision-making processes. 

• Cultural Challenges – Many intelligence professionals come from government or military backgrounds, where specialised terminology and operational approaches differ significantly from the private sector. This disconnect can create a language barrier, making it challenging for intelligence teams to effectively communicate their value to other corporate business functions. 

• Awareness and Communication Gaps – Intelligence teams often face challenges due to a lack of awareness among other business units about their full capabilities beyond security functions. This leads to missed opportunities for collaboration on broader business risks such as regulatory, market, and reputational challenges. Simultaneously, intelligence teams themselves may struggle to develop truly effective intelligence products when they are not fully informed about the strategic decisions being made within the organisation. A common pitfall is an overemphasis on crafting meticulously detailed intelligence reports at the expense of timely, actionable insights that directly support business decision-making. Without stronger communication and integration, intelligence teams risk operating in a vacuum, limiting their impact on enterprise-wide strategy. 

Overcoming the Barriers: A Strategic Shift

To break out of their silos and achieve a broader impact, intelligence teams need to take a proactive approach to engaging with the wider organisation. Key strategies include: 

1. Reposition Intelligence Within the Organisation 

• Solution: Intelligence teams should initiate internal workshops to demonstrate their capabilities beyond security, illustrating how their insights can enhance risk identification and assessment across the enterprise. 
• Tactic: Instead of a one-size-fits-all pitch, teams should tailor discussions to each business function. Start by asking stakeholders, “What keeps you up at night?” and show how intelligence can help mitigate those concerns. 

2. Break Down Cultural Barriers & Create a Common Language 

• Solution: Intelligence professionals should foster informal connections with other business units to better understand their needs and terminology. 
• Tactic: Casual meetings or coffee chats with colleagues in strategy, corporate communications, finance, risk, compliance, and procurement can help develop a shared operating language, reducing the friction caused by jargon-heavy communication. 

3. Navigate Internal Politics & Build Cross-Functional Alliances 

• Solution: Intelligence teams should recognise that other risk functions—such as Cyber Risk and Group Risk—may view them as competitors rather than collaborators. 
• Tactic: Instead of positioning intelligence as a competing risk function, frame it as an enabler that supports a more holistic approach to enterprise risk management. Use real-world examples, such as geopolitical forecasting, to illustrate how intelligence can complement, rather than replace, other risk functions. 

The Path to the Gold Standard 

For intelligence teams to reach their full potential, they must evolve from isolated security-focused entities into integral components of corporate strategy. The ‘Gold Standard’ intelligence team: 

• Provides decision-makers with timely, actionable geopolitical insights that extend beyond security concerns 

• Works across functions—such as legal, compliance, and procurement—to integrate intelligence into enterprise-wide risk management and strategic decision-making 

• Secures a seat at key decision-making tables, including at the C-suite level and/or on the Executive Committee, and are involved in key risk management decisions 

This transformation requires persistence and adaptability. However, in an era of escalating geopolitical uncertainty, intelligence teams have an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate their value and embed themselves as essential players in corporate decision-making. 

Up Next: The Intelligence Playbook for Strategic Integration 

In the next instalment of the Up & Out Series, we’ll explore practical frameworks intelligence teams can use to institutionalise their expanded roles within the organisation. 

We’d love to hear your thoughts—what obstacles have you encountered while repositioning intelligence within your organisation? Join the conversation and follow us for more insights.