About

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About Audere

Combining confidentiality, objectivity and integrity with analytical thinking.

Audere is a specialist commercial intelligence and investigations company, headquartered in London with expertise across the Middle East, Africa, Russia, CEE, Central Asia and the Asia Pacific region, as well as the UK and North America.

We source and analyse hitherto undisclosed information and intelligence about individuals and companies to support our clients during commercial negotiations, in dispute resolution and to identify risks when investing overseas, whether prior to market entry, during the life of an investment, or at exit when certain contingent or hidden liabilities might be triggered.

Cross-border M&A transactions are a particular area of focus.

What Differentiates Us?

Source Network

Our biggest asset is the quality of our intelligence network.

We have unique sources in the offshore financial world, governments and the security services; and others with access to industry-specific insights.

We have cultivated long-standing, well-tested, trusted relationships across multiple jurisdictions.

Ultimately, our coverage reflects the needs of our Clients which requires us to be versatile and adaptable in utilising our global network.

Emerging Markets

Audere has over 20 years’ experience of operating in frontier and emerging markets.

The biggest challenge is sourcing independent and objective intelligence. This includes separating out the vested interests of individuals and local entities.

Local ‘insights’ can often be too partisan and our operatives are adept at triangulating information to establish the real facts.

Transparency

Audere’s methodology, objectives and timelines are developed to reflect the bespoke needs of each client.

We are committed to ensuring open lines of communication with our clients, developing our approach to align with their requirements and expectations whilst maintaining the highest ethical standards.

Analysis

Our house style is to produce competitively priced reports known for brevity and strong analytics. We do not regurgitate publicly available information.

Audere goes beyond database-generated research, instead triangulating data points, cross examining sources and contextualising local politics against the self-interest and commercial bias of third parties.

Our research analysts and Case Managers are experienced at methodically examining information and intelligence and asking the question ‘So What?’ before analysing it from multiple angles.

Audere’s vision is to provide highly focused insights to key decision-makers. Ensuring quality, trust, objectivity and discretion throughout.

Why Us?

It’s what you don’t know that affects your business and reputation. Our critical, timely intelligence fills the gaps so you can take informed risk-based decisions.

We uncover backgrounds and the facts which otherwise remain hidden, investigate and trace assets in foreign and complex jurisdictions.

Our Team

Charles Blackmore

Chief Executive Officer
Charles founded Audere International in 2015 as a specialist commercial intelligence and investigations company.

Nigel Williams

Managing Director
Nigel has extensive intelligence, investigative and corporate security experience having worked in both public and private sectors, including UK counter terrorism and global aviation operations.

Monika Rihma

Director
Monika has worked in the public and private sectors, including government service and at PwC, investigating political, commercial and security risks.

Teagan Erichsen

Director
Teagan leads Audere’s research team and case manages complex due diligence and investigations assignments.

Mike Longstaff OBE

Managing Director, Securus
Mike Longstaff is Managing Director of the newly created security division, Audere Securus at Audere International ltd,  a leading UK commercial intelligence and security company.

Vivien Li

Associate Director
Vivien, a native Mandarin and Cantonese speaker, specialises in the Asia Pacific region and enhanced Due Diligence.

Burcu Ozcelik

Associate Director
Burcu specialises in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean. Prior to joining Audere in April 2023, Burcu taught Middle East politics, conflict, and peacebuilding studies at the University of Cambridge.

Oliver Blackmore

Chief Operating Officer
Oliver brings a wealth of Africa knowledge where he spent ten years building and managing mining, security and logistics operations.

Russ Byrne MC

Operations Director
Russ is the Operations Director at Audere, responsible for delivery and oversight of all Securus Global Operations. He has extensive operational experience from a thirty-year career, with over two decades in United Kingdom Special Forces.

Bryan Hutcheson BEM

Head of Security
Bryan manages Audere International’s Security Advisory, Executive Protection and Surveillance Services, and brings a wealth of experience from over 40 years serving in the British Army, primarily in a specialised Army environment.

Mathieu Boulègue

Associate Director
Mathieu started his career as a director and partner for a risk management consultancy firm in Paris. There, he worked on corporate intelligence cases, due diligence, and geopolitical risk analysis related to Russia, Ukraine, and the Former Soviet Union for the public and private sectors.

Jean-François Minier

Regional Director, APAC
Jean-François joins Audere with over 30 years’ experience in finance and strategic advisory.

Iggy Ostanin

Senior Analyst
Iggy was part of the pioneering Bellingcat Investigations Team that uncovered Russian military involvement in the downing of flight of MH17. Findings he unearthed were confirmed by the official investigation of the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service.

Jordan Dobney

Research Analyst
Jordan is a Research Analyst, with strong interests in the Middle East and Africa, having studied these regions in depth.

Sam Lytton Cobbold

Junior Research & Intelligence Analyst
Sam Lytton Cobbold is a Junior Research & Intelligence Analyst focused on Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

William Seymour

Research Analyst
Will is a Research Analyst with a strong focus on Europe, Russia, and CIS jurisdictions. He is proficient in French and Russian and has experience working for businesses in Paris and Moscow.

Thais Maemura

Research Analyst
Thais is a Research Analyst with focus on the Asia Pacific region. Prior to joining Audere International, Thais worked in the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court

Our Advisors

Sir David Wright, GCMG LVO

Strategic Advisor
Sir David Wright has over 55 years’ experience in Asian affairs. Fluent in Japanese, he spent 36 years in HM Diplomatic Service.

Lady Olga Maitland

Strategic Advisor
Lady Olga has developed relationships which are key to businesses with over 35 years experience in security and governmental activities.

Sir Anthony Brenton, KCMG

Strategic Advisor
Sir Tony Brenton has dealt with Russia at a senior level for the past 25 years. He served twice as a senior British diplomat in Moscow.

Konark Bhandari

Country Manager, India
Konark has two decades’ worth of experience in Investment Banking and Strategic Business Development in India.

Chris Holden, OBE

Strategic Advisor
Chris spent 28 years in HM Diplomatic Service in senior management positions dealing at high level with a variety of complex,

Alan Rosling, CBE

Strategic Advisor
Alan has profound experience as a senior executive, entrepreneur and advisor focused on complex growth markets, especially in Asia.

Tom Gaffney

Strategic Advisor
Tom has a wealth of knowledge in the financial services industry. In the past 30 year he has advised executive boards of multi-nationals,

Our Values

  • Accountability

    We analyse source intelligence with diligence, and we question and triangulate our research so we can stand behind it.
  • Boldness

    Audere signifies to venture, to dare, and to risk. With the right resources, skills, and determination, our team is prepared to test unchartered territory and ask difficult questions.
  • Creativity

    We use imagination to approach problems; think outside the box; find ways around issues - both in terms of the objective of the investigation and in the intelligence gathering and we deliver clear, penetrating insights to help clients make informed decisions.
  • Commerciality

    We are commercially minded and pro-transaction, not trying to be the unwieldy deal-stopper on behalf of tick-box compliance departments. We want to be part of successful client transactions. Equally, we will go the extra mile to protect a client’s commercial interests and reputation.
  • Integrity

    We are committed to upholding the highest standards and practices, taking ownership of our work and responsibility for our advice.
  • Receptivity

    Our team places emphasis on listening and absorbing critical information. As the ears and eyes of our clients, we are vigilant and supple in the way we respond to our environment. This enables us to be at the right place, at the right time, to identify the right subject.
  • Trust

    We instil trust amongst one another and with our clients by being honest, managing expectations and protecting sensitive information.
  • Quality

    We pride ourselves on our unique source network, our analysis and our deliverables. Reports are concise, clearly presented and our analysis anticipates the inevitable client question ‘So what?’

Knowledge is Power