Tom Roberts moved into the exciting career of maritime security, risk management and analysis at Crisis24 after spending six years with the Marines. Since 2010, he’s conducted worldwide trainings and helped develop risk mitigation strategies to keep people and assets safe. 

 

I spent six years with the Royal Marines in the British military, which included deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. I then went on to further my studies with a Master’s degree in International Security Studies, with the intention of pursuing a career in the security industry. 

 

Making a career out of battling piracy threats 

Shortly after graduating, I joined Drum Cussac, which is now part of Crisis24, to be part of the piracy and maritime analysis team as a security analyst. This is an area where I had already developed strong interest and knowledge. Piracy continues to be an issue in certain parts of the world, especially off the African coast. When I started out at Drum Cussac, Somalia used to be the piracy hotspot with dozens of ships hijacked every year. Nigeria and South East Asia have become more prominent in the last few years. Shipping organizations have to be aware of piracy threats constantly. 

In the last 10 years, since joining the organization, I’ve worked my way up to head of Intelligence and Analysis. I take pride in working with a team that analyzes and responds to piracy and other critical global vulnerabilities, with the ultimate goal of protecting our clients. 

 

Making waves against piracy, from the sea to the courts 

One of the many high points of my career was when I was called as an expert witness for a very renowned vessel hijacking off the coast of Nigeria. I presented compelling written and verbal arguments and was able to provide key evidence to show that the crew had done their due diligence and followed the standard practices in the area. In the end, the case was settled in our client’s favor. This allowed our client to avoid a lengthy, expensive hearing and confirmed our credibility in maritime security. 

 

A diverse, exciting job that’s enriched by collaboration 

Crisis24 has provided me with the ability to not only leverage my experience and knowledge, but to take on new projects and responsibilities. Through my job, I’ve had many opportunities to travel to prominent organizations to conduct onsite security assessments, to train staff, and to meet with corporate board members to plan out risk mitigation strategies. 

I also appreciate how everyone brings deep expertise to the table in specific areas. Having that additional context from other security-related projects means better collaboration and more comprehensive and proactive service delivery for our clients. 

 

The recipe for a fulfilling and rewarding career 

I believe that it’s important to always strive for excellence, and I approach every task to the best of my abilities, whether it is a major report to the board of directors, or testing a new process for the team. No matter the relative importance or size of the undertaking, I encourage anyone starting at GardaWorld to adopt this philosophy of always putting your best foot forward. Your consistency will be noticed and appreciated. 

I think it’s also really important to push yourself to operate outside your comfort zone. I’ve always felt that if you want to get ahead, you have to push yourself into unfamiliar areas. 

 

Expanding your skills in a supportive organization 

The great thing about GardaWorld is that you will be supported when you want to expand your skills or responsibilities. Volunteering and gaining additional training is highly encouraged at GardaWorld, and this leads to well-rounded team members. This organization has always been very good at encouraging employees who ask for additional training or experience in new areas of security expertise. Managers appreciate it when employees show initiative. 

 

 

See how you can build a fulfilling career at GardaWorld’s Crisis24. View our job opportunities here.