03 Sep The Value of Intelligence in an Age of Information

By Bechara Chaya, VP Global Client Sales, Securitas Europe and Michael Evans, Director Securitas Risk Intelligence Center

Positioning threat intelligence as a strategic operational asset to protect business continuity.

Organisations have more threat data than ever, yet identifying the risks that impact business continuity remains complex. Risk is no longer a background consideration; it is a central force shaping strategic decision-making. Michael Evans, Director Securitas Risk Intelligence Center, Securitas describes this shared challenge as a state of “data but no decisions”. It is a challenge at the heart of the ASIS Europe agenda, and one the global security community is increasingly well-positioned to address together.

The interpretation challenge: aligning data with action

The difficulty is not a shortage of information. Faced with high alert volumes, prioritisation is complex, and teams spend time filtering out background noise. At mid-year, Securitas Risk Intelligence point to a growing use of blended tactics that combine cyber, physical, and informational disruption. Threats now build gradually through access attempts, repeated false alarms, or unusual movement around a site, shifting the focus from collecting data to interpreting it in time.

Situational understanding: protecting enterprise value through context

High-impact risk intelligence focuses on recognising critical signals early and translating them into clear directions. Evans notes that organisations can achieve this by advancing from situational awareness – which simply reports “what is happening” – to situational understanding. This approach answers the strategic question: “so what?” and converts security into a proactive decision-making partner for the business.

Proactive warning: preserving operational continuity

Earlier visibility matters because it buys the one resource no enterprise can recover once a disruption begins: time. When online activist mobilisation was identified building up against a technology organisation’s site, the warning arrived 72 hours ahead of the planned action – enough time to adjust the security posture, brief stakeholders, and maintain operations.

Without that window, it is estimated that the organisation would have faced $300,000 in disruption, reputational fallout, and emergency call-out fees. The threat itself did not change; the time available to respond did.

Operational analysis: turning insight into action

Achieving operational agility requires a balanced combination of technology and human expertise. Every threat assessment needs a human in the loop, pairing analytical tools with critical thinking. “Intelligence only creates value when someone acts on it,” says Bechara Chaya, VP Global Client Sales, Securitas Europe. “The advantage comes when insight reaches the people who can adjust what happens on the ground, in real time, and when they have the clarity to act with confidence.”

Sustaining resilience: building a foundation for agility

Ultimately, this proactive intelligence-led model transforms how businesses navigate global volatility. Resilience matters far more than prevention alone, and better intelligence is what drives those smarter, faster decisions.

Chaya says, “By identifying risks earlier, organisations can move away from reactive measures and build a supportive, highly resilient posture that protects enterprise value, reassures stakeholders, and maintains a stable foundation for long-term growth.”