Spotlight | France
Between Avisa and French intelligence services, it's complicated

France
Former DGSE intelligence officer joins ex-Avisa Partners' cyber unit

Frédéric Polycarpe has left Eviden to join Matthieu Creux's Forward Global, previously known as Avisa Partners.

Spotlight | United States
Opposition research firms flourish ahead of US elections

Many Republican groups are relying on little-known and obscure companies to investigate their political rivals, while Democrats have picked more seasoned firms for the job.

France, United Kingdom, United States
UK fund to inject capital into Forward Global

British investment fund Bridgepoint Capital is to acquire a stake in the corporate intelligence company in a deal that is expected to be signed off in the coming weeks.

France, United States
Forward Global, ex-Avisa Partners, looks for fresh cash

Matthieu Creux, chair of the advisory now going by the name of Forward Global, would like to secure a new credit line to fund the company's development. Due diligence seems to be on the cards, after a taxing 2022-2023 period.

The Corporate Intelligence Gazette
Tikehau , Nardello, Alaco, Avisa

Appointments, financial results, new contracts: every Wednesday, we report on events big and small that matter in the global corporate intelligence community.

Paris/LondonFrench fund Tikehau invests in UK corporate intelligence with Antithesis

Los AngelesWendy Wu joins Nardello's expanding California office

London/New YorkFormer FBI agent Robert Heuchling anchors Alaco in the US

ParisAvisa bolsters its ethics committee

France
French corporate intelligence top brass 'debriefed' by Senate commission

A French Senate mission tasked with drawing up a policy for dealing with foreign economic intelligence threats was able to interview all the leading figures in France's private corporate intelligence sector. Some have intimate, first-hand knowledge of foreign influence operations.

France, United States
Forward Global loses well-connected Washington CEO

The Washington head of the corporate intelligence firm Forward Global - formerly Avisa Partners - has left after four years to launch his own firm, taking key clients with him.

France, Ukraine
French state's battle with Avisa takes toll on French-Ukrainian cyber diplomacy

While Kyiv is preparing to send cyber specialists to France's Forum International de la Cybersécurité (FIC), French authorities are stopping their own officials from taking part in the event as tensions flare with the organiser Avisa Partners.

Europe, Germany
Brussels brings in consultants to help it learn first lessons from war on Ukraine

The European Defence agency plans to use analysis from a panel of German and French advisory and corporate intelligence companies as the basis for its 2023 defence and capacity development programme.

France, United Kingdom, United States
Burton moves to Nardello, Sene sanction confirmed, Crystal Blockchain sets up in London, Kikkar debuts in asset recovery, Avisa expands in DC

Appointments, financial results, new contracts: each week, we report on events both big and small that matter in the global corporate intelligence community. This week, we go to New York, London, Paris and Washington.

Austria
DGSE and Mossad have front row seats at upcoming Al Halabi trial in Vienna

The torture trial of former Syrian intelligence officer Al Halabi, due to open in Austria soon, raises questions about the handling of intelligence sources in countries with complex governance.

The Corporate Intelligence Gazette
Ex-CIA official launches new firm, RosettiStarr, Davra Consulting, Avisa loses ethics chairman

Appointments, financial results, new contracts: each week we report on events both big and small that matter in the global corporate intelligence community. This week we go to Washington, San Diego, London and France.

WashingtonEx-CIA official Ameer Shalaby launches intelligence tradecraft consultancy

San DiegoRosettiStarr hires ex-hacks

LondonRAF veteran launches consulting career

FranceGourdault-Montagne steps down as chairman of Avisa Partners' ethics committee

France
Viginum and DGSI consider partnering with defence-backed startups to fight fake news

With four months to go before the French presidential elections, Sahar and Storyzy, two start-ups backed in their early days by the French armed forces ministry, are leading the field for contracts to equip the DGSI and Viginum - the second on the advice of the first - with cyber systems to fight fake news.

Africa, France
Ziad Takieddine's 'fixer' tells police of ambitions to lobby for Haftar with Avisa avec Avisa

A figure of the shady world of backchannel diplomacy in Africa, Noël Dubus has found himself caught up in the investigation into why Ziad Takieddine retracted his accusations against former president Nicolas Sarkozy. Speaking to police, the freelance French lobbyist detailed his career and the firms with which he has worked.

France
Avisa sues Figaro over DGSE claims

The influence firm Avisa Partners' libel case against the daily [...]

France
Avisa Partners acquires CEIS

Avisa Partners, which specialises in online influence, has bought the corporate intelligence and cybersecurity firm CEIS.

France
Competition steps up in online reputation management sector

ESL & Network, the lobbying firm headed by Alexandre Medvedowsky, announced last month that it was teaming with the small [...]

France
Timmerman joins Avisa Partners

Former French defence ministry official François-Charles Timmerman, the international director [...]

Spotlight | France
Paris turning into e-reputation management hub

A few specialist firms have turned Paris into something of a hub for clandestine influence operations and online propaganda. Demeter Partners has beeen blazing the trail.