Spotlight | United Kingdom
British embassy in Riyadh springboard for retired diplomats' private sector careers

Saudi Arabia, UAE
Abu Dhabi-funded French start-up QuantCube breaks into Gulf market

After signing a joint venture with Abu Dhabi's Strategic Development Fund, already a stakeholder, French macroeconomic big data analytics company QuantCube is also to start operating in Riyadh and Doha.

Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom
Sales rep to Pakistani navy, Ali Alwabel, trades in on Newcastle-Riyadh connections

Former Saudi navy officer-turned-consultant Ali Alwabel wants to branch out into new lines of business and is building ties between Riyadh and business circles in Newcastle, whose football club is owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund.

Kazakhstan, United Kingdom
Astra Mining aims to lead UK rare earths exploration drive in Kazakhstan

British company Astra Mining, which is looking to get into the much sought-after rare earths market and is currently active in Kazakhstan, aims to forge closer links with the UK government.

Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom
TAG International helps UK grow influence in Saudi national security

TAG International is operating a major training contract with the Saudi security forces under a secretive British government programme.

The Intelligence Gazette
MbS and Sunak, OIS/Russia, Prague's VZ, NCSC audit, Tracfin

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community. This week, we bring news from Riyadh, London, Washington, Prague and Paris.

Saudi Arabia/United KingdomMbS refuses terms of his London visit

United StatesOffice of Investment Security further increases presence in Russia

Czech RepublicSpymaster focuses its annual report on new hybrid warfare in Ukraine

United StatesNCSC under audit as it faces change of command

FranceTracfin's uncontrollable Startrac to remain in place

Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom
Saudi Arabian spy school drains British intelligence brains

A growing number of British intelligence officers are working to develop Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's top secret spy school, and there are starting to be concerns about the intelligence brain drain this is creating back home.

United Kingdom
Amid budget cuts, JS Held reshapes investigation department

Layoffs have led to tensions at the London office of JS Held, which recently acquired the corporate intelligence firm GPW.

Indonesia, United Kingdom
Cyber Capacity Unit champions British cyber diplomacy in Indonesia

Then UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has turned to the consultancy firm Cyber Capacity Unit to present its cyber tools in Asia.

United Kingdom
London searches for new security contractors to handle its operations in crisis zones

Overseen by the National Security Council (NSC), Britain's CSSF, which provides funds for projects in crisis zones and influence operations, has started the long process of selecting its new contractors. With an annual allocation of £1.

United Kingdom
Charles Powell returns to Wafic Said, still close to Sultan's clan

The businessman close to the late Sultan bin Abdulaziz's clan is working again with consultant Charles Powell. The descendants of Saudi Arabia's defence minister of four decades are on the rise again in Riyadh.

United Kingdom
Collecott weighs in on international arbitration cases

The Ambassador Partnership, a haunt of retired British ambassadors, is looking to position itself as a mediator in countries involved in international arbitration cases.

Saudi Arabia
Bandar bin Sultan still in business

After being roundly excluded when the official roles were allocated by the new regime in Saudi Arabia, Bandar Bin Sultan, the former national security advisor, is developing his business activities.

United Kingdom
BAE snags Cowper-Coles

BAE Systems)'s International Operating Group, which is in charge of negotiating international contracts, has hired one of the best-connected British [...]