West Sands

Tamara has 15 years experience advising government and commercial clients on how hidden risk factors can impact their interests, investments and operations. Beginning her professional career as a freelance intelligence consultant, she has spent a large percentage of her time establishing source networks used to identify the interplay between crime, corruption and legitimate business. Her initial work was conducted in the Balkans and former Soviet Union, but later extended to cover the Gulf and South Asia.

Immediately prior to co-founding West Sands in 2006, Tamara provided exclusive services to the private security industry. She was engaged by two leading private security companies - with extensive operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa - to design private intelligence networks and systems of risk monitoring and analysis. Before working in the private sector, Tamara engaged in freelance investigations, providing advise to various government departments and officials in countries including the U.S.A., U.K., Afghanistan, Bulgaria, China, Pakistan, Qatar, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan and the U.A.E.

Tamara manages complex cross-border investigations and heads the West Sands' relationship and influence mapping service.

Daphne has spent her professional career advising public and private sector clients on issues related to cultural intelligence and stakeholder analysis. Her work has primarily focused on servicing clients with interests in emerging economies and (post) conflict states. Within these markets, she advises on responsible investments and the impact of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues on the performance of investment portfolios.

Her knowledge of social networks has supported her involvement in major Government projects. Daphne has also advised clients on the anti-globalisation movement and political implications of corporate citizenship. Prior to co-founding West Sands Daphne worked as an environment and development consultant, and headed international operations for a management consultancy based in Greece. She is proficient in six languages.

Daphne manages enhanced due diligence assignments, and stakeholder analysis.

Alexander is a recognized expert on organized crime and corruption in post-Soviet Eurasia. He has over 10 years' experience conducting complex investigations involving multi-jurisdictional criminal operations. In this capacity, he has conducted analysis that has been used to identify commercial exposure to political, regulatory and operational risks in emerging and frontier markets.

He obtained his PhD in International Relations from the University of St. Andrews (UK) and has held academic and research posts at the Transnational Crime and Corruption Centre (Washington D.C.), the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (Tbilisi, Georgia), the OSCE Academy of Central Asia (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan), the Elliott School of International Affairs (Washington D.C.), and Oxford and Princeton Universities. Alexander is fluent in Russian and Georgian.

Alexander leads complex investigations in the FSU, and heads up the West Sands' analytical unit.

Hans is an experienced German diplomat, spending the last 6 years in post in Iran. He has an extensive international track record conducting political risk analysis, and advising senior government officials and international corporations on risks emanating from terrorism, the Gulf, Middle East and Central Asia.

A skilled advisor and negotiator, Hans has regularly acted as a liaison with national and international governments, security authorities and international corporations. He is proficient at conducting political risk and network analysis, and providing associated commercial risk assessments in fragile environments. In addition to his native German, Hans speaks French, Hebrew, and is a fluent Farsi speaker.

Hans heads up the West Sands' political risk services, including managing associated political risk 'watching briefs'.

Michael has focused his analytical career on the politics and elite networks of Central Asia, specifically looking at Kazakhstan. He worked in the region between 2007 and 2009 working with U.S. government agencies and local NGO's.

A highly regarded researcher, Michael supports due diligence and investigations through his extensive knowledge of public record and open source research. He also coordinates research for large political risk assignments.

Michael has a Master's degree from the University of St. Andrews, focusing on Central Asian and Middle Eastern Studies.

In addition to the four members of the senior management team who are fully responsible for the collation of information, analysis, reporting and client relations, West Sands' core team incorporates six regionally focused associates who provide contextualized support and help manage source networks on the ground.

• Africa: A previous British civil servant, West Sands' Africa associate has over a decade of experience providing political risk and related advisory services in relation to investments and commercial operations in the region.
• Balkans: West Sands' Balkans associate has extensive experience researching and investigating criminal influence in the Balkans, including its' impact on political stability and commercial enterprise. In addition to providing results for commercial clients, our Balkans associate has also regularly consulted international organizations, including the World Bank, the UN and Interpol.
• Central and Eastern Europe: West Sands' CEE associate has over 12 years experience in conducing corporate intelligence assignments in the region. He has a background in the British Army, and as a freelance journalist writing for broadsheets and current affairs magazines.
• Former Soviet Union: West Sands' FSU associate has over ten years experience conducting investigations in Russia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. She has specific expertise in uncovering relationships between criminal, political and business interests; as well as having an in-depth understanding of formal and informal structures of power and influence.
• Gulf & Middle East: West Sands' ME associate began their career in banking, and then conducted investigations in the region for almost 20 years. Having worked extensively in Lebanon, Syria, Saudi, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman, she has developed an extensive network with intimate knowledge of stakeholders and circles of influence.
• Latin America: West Sands' Latin America associate has over 15 years experience conducting corporate investigations and compiling intelligence on illicit financing, and conducting political risk assessments in the region. This has enhanced West Sands access in Colombia, Brazil and Peru; and has added significant capabilities in Argentina, Chile and Mexico.