Geopolitical and domain risk intelligence experts

Gemma has 14 years’ experience in geopolitical and strategic intelligence research. Her background lies in information management, in which she has a Masters degree from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and she has worked internationally as an information advisor to the National Records Service in The Gambia, and the University of Botswana. She leads on quality assurance for all Torchlight Insights global report coverage.

Katrina has over a decade of experience advising a diverse range of clients on geopolitical and security risks. At Torchlight AI, Katrina oversees the company’s embedded analyst programme, managing a team of analysts based in the UK, UAE and South Africa. She also leads our Talent Development programme, including liaising closely with HR and Operations, and running bespoke training programmes. Katrina is based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and holds an MA in Intelligence and International Security from King’s College London.

Sam Belshaw has worked in the military and corporate intelligence sectors since 2000, and has extensive experience of analyzing threats to companies and organizations across various industries. Following his military service as an Arabic linguist, Sam spent several years as a threat intelligence analyst in Iraq. Having spent most of the past decade as an intelligence consultant to a major tech multinational, Sam joined Torchlight AI as the Director of Geopolitical Intelligence in January 2023. When Sam was 17 years old, he appeared on a BBC Panorama documentary singing a Bryan Adams song at karaoke.  

Judith Jacob has spent over a decade working in political risk and security intelligence. She began her career as a global terrorism analyst before focusing on geopolitical intelligence in the Asia Pacific region. Judith has lived and worked in Singapore and Indonesia, and led in-country projects for clients in Cambodia and the Philippines. She has worked with clients in a variety of sectors including mining, insurance, oil and gas, aerospace, social media and technology. She has served as a consultant for Interpol and has provided expert advice to governments in Europe and Asia.

At Torchlight, she leads the company’s analysis and research on Asia, overseeing a team of analysts and contributing to client-focused product development. Judith holds a doctorate from the London School of Economics. Her research examined the role and development of ideology in Islamist militant groups in Southeast Asia. She also holds an MSc in Conflict Studies from LSE.

Andrew was appointed as Torchlight’s head of Africa in May 2022, after having spent two years as an embedded analyst with one of our clients. After graduating with an MA in Conflict, Security & Development from King’s College London in 2017, he held several positions with other risk consultancies and a think tank, where he focused almost exclusively on politics, security and economic issues in sub-Saharan Africa, and in particular East Africa.

To date, he has supported clients from various sectors on a range of projects across the region, including market entries in the telecommunications and renewables sectors in Ethiopia and Uganda, risk assessments on Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Nigeria, and stakeholder mapping for a mining operator in Sierra Leone.

Camilo Carranza is the Head of Americas for Torchlight AI. He conducts political, social and security risk assessments and continuous monitoring for clients across industries (including energy, mining, infrastructure, telecommunications, renewables, forestry and transportation). With over ten years of experience in research, analysis, strategy and academia in political contexts in Latin America and the US, Camilo offers our clients the vision of how political, security, social and economic risks affect businesses in the LatAm region.

Camilo holds a MA degree in Security Studies and a BA in International Relations. He has worked and lived in the US, Colombia, Argentina, and the Czech Republic.

Since joining Torchlight in 2020, Sebastian has been an Embedded Analyst with several clients with a focus on geopolitical and technological trends in Europe. He became Head of Europe in 2022 and is in charge of providing in-depth geopolitical analysis of key developments in the continent, including EU-related matters. He holds an MSc in EU Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences.

Nhlanhla Moyo joined Assynt Group as a central analyst in April 2022. He has over six years of experience in the NGO sector, research think tanks and private security firms in South Africa, Zimbabwe and the UK. He holds an MA in Conflict, Development and Security from the University of Leeds.

Hamza Chaban is a MENA analyst at Torchlight. Hamza has extensive professional experience in the MENA region, having lived and worked there for several years. In addition, Hamza’s education focused primarily on security and political issues in Middle Eastern countries, which enabled him to gain an exquisite understanding of the region. Having worked in business intelligence and political risk analysis roles, Hamza has over 4 years of experience in MENA-focused consultancy services. Hamza completed a master’s degree in International Relations Theories from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Before joining Torchlight AI, Tarun held analytical and managerial roles in firms across the private intelligence space, where he focused on issues of extremism and political violence in South and Southeast Asia. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies. Tarun likes to spend his free time catching up on unfinished reading, playing video games, or planning his next trip around the world.

Hailing from New Hampshire, Adam joined the US Marine Corps as an enlisted reservist prior to attending the Virginia Military Institute. As a student, he was selected for the NROTC program and later upon graduation commissioned as an officer in the Marines. Adam participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, leading a mechanized platoon from Kuwait to Baghdad, and later deployed twice to Japan to conduct training operations across Asia. Subsequently, he was promoted to the rank of Captain and served in the Marine Corps Special Operations Command. After leaving the Marine Corps, Adam taught military skills and tactics in Burundi and Djibouti for the US State Department before continuing his higher education with an MBA from the prestigious HEC School of Management in Paris and Master of Science in Economics from the NHH School of Economics in Bergen, Norway. In 2011, Adam joined the Ackerman Group LLC as their Regional Director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In this role, Adam led hostage negotiations, responded to extortion attempts, conducted security audits, and taught security training seminars. A founding member of the Torchlight team, Adam is tasked with leading the business development of our Insights product and our Physical Security Assets business unit.

Brad is an accomplished Special Operations leader for 26 years with a passion for coaching and mentoring others and developing new ideas and initiatives while always maintaining the highest ethics. He’s a highly analytical problem solver, adept at arranging the individuals on the team for optimal success and creating opportunities for emerging leaders to develop and grow.

With over 80 months of combat experience throughout Afghanistan and North-Western Africa, he had the honor of serving with and leading the most elite people on earth. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to Torchlight in his current position as our SOF Account Executive and Contributor to Torchlight.

Ben Cornett is an accomplished Technical Director with a wealth of experience in linguistics and risk management. After serving as a Cryptologic Linguist in the US Army, Ben worked in various positions with Op Techs Alliance and CACI before joining Torchlight AI. In his current role, Ben is a key member of our Discovery and Analysis (D&A) team, where he applies his linguistic expertise to manage risks and contribute to our technological success. With his impressive track record and valuable skill set, Ben plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring the success of our projects.

Zac Forristall is a highly skilled Technical Director with extensive experience in data analysis and discovery. As the Technical Director for Discovery & Analysis at Torchlight AI, Zac leads a team of experts to develop and implement cutting-edge solutions to complex data challenges. With a deep understanding of data analytics and a talent for problem-solving, Zac plays a critical role in driving innovation and advancing Torchlight AI’s mission to transform the way businesses use data to gain insights and make informed decisions. With a proven track record of success and a passion for pushing the boundaries of what is possible, Zac is an invaluable asset to the Torchlight AI team.