Consistency: The cornerstone of effective leadership 

International Security Journal speaks exclusively with Scott Wilcox, Founder, Sicuro Group 

How has Sicuro Group developed since its inception and what strategic shifts have you overseen during your time as Founder? 

That’s a great question. I started Sicuro in 2005 while still serving in the Marines and working as a door supervisor in my evenings and weekends to cobble together some extra money.

Initially, we supplied servicemen to look after bars and clubs in Plymouth in the UK.

We quickly earned a strong reputation and expanded to events like celebrity weddings and festivals and eventually to security management in London.  

Unfortunately, the wheels nearly came off less than a year from when I started; the quick expansion nearly led to bankruptcy, teaching me some harsh lessons… notably that my GCSE ‘E’ in Economics had not fully prepared me to manage cashflow too well.

I sold 50% of the business to a friend for £5,000, which I needed for legal fees and an accountant. This decision saved the company. 

In 2007, after serving in Afghanistan, I moved to Dubai. Despite numerous challenges, including struggling to find work, I accepted an armed security role back in Afghanistan, which proved pivotal.  

This allowed me to gain commercial experience, presenting solutions that saved, and eventually, made money for the company.

However, despite the contributions and commendations, I was deemed unsuitable for more senior or commercially-focused roles, leading me to resign and take on more risk by going out on my own. 

A breakthrough came when I answered an online advert for a contract training Special Forces in Saudi Arabia, which led to close protection work in Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE.

This period was intense, with no time off and constant travel, but it was crucial for our growth.

Despite facing disputes over payments and living in credit card debt for years, I always ensured my team was paid on time and I had insurance in place. 

A turning point came with a decent sized contract in Dubai, which allowed us to pull together a team and make our mark just before the financial crash in 2008.

Despite this setback, we continued to innovate, especially in Afghanistan, where we developed a solution to track thousands of vehicles and people and developed reliable and consistent, data driven intelligence that is credited with saving countless lives and changing the way contractors and parts of the coalition, including the Afghan Security Forces, conducted operations. 

What are the strategic priorities for Sicuro Group and how do you see the company evolving? 

Sicuro Group is committed to expanding and deepening offerings through strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions with organisations and products that complement our mission.

We are excited about the potential of AI-enabled SaaS solutions aimed at enhancing B2B operations, with our investments and developments extending beyond security, underscoring our commitment to innovation and growth. 

The industry has often been constrained by outdated leadership, resulting in untapped potential and underutilised talent. Sicuro Group thrives on recognising and cultivating this potential, setting the foundation for growth both domestically and internationally.

We believe that a risk-centric consultancy can drive commercial success by identifying threats and opportunities, managing risks and leading on and executing strategic solutions. 

While conventional management and advisory consultancies are staffed by highly intelligent and well educated individuals, they aren’t the only answer.

Our street smarts and real world experiences enable us to spot opportunities that others might miss and develop them effectively, making us valuable expeditionary partners to traditional investors. 

Sicuro’s growing reputation for delivering unfiltered and unfettered advice has led to increasing direct approaches from governments, businesses and NGOs seeking to leverage our expertise in both emerging markets and established regions.

Our understanding of local economies and the intricate interplay between economic, security and political challenges positions us to drive meaningful, sustainable and profitable change. 

Over the next five years, our focus will be on continuing to lay a robust foundation for sustained growth and innovation, ensuring that we are well positioned to capitalise on future opportunities and continue delivering value to clients and partners.

We’re in it for the long haul. 

Can you discuss any recent projects or initiatives that highlight Sicuro Group’s capabilities in complex environments? 

We thrive on complexity – that is what motivates our individuals to get out of bed in the morning and keeps them engaged until the caffeine takes over!

One example is the establishment of an exclusive operating agreement for the import-export of natural gas between two Central Asian countries.

Together, we were able to negotiate an agreement that achieved operational and financial efficiencies while enhancing border security at no additional cost, resulting in projected annual savings of $123m. 

Closer to home, we successfully de-risked a $53m investment for a European consortium, enabling them to commence gold extraction operations in East Africa.

By leveraging our local network and drawing upon our understanding of the local regulatory landscape, we helped our clients overcome several bureaucratic hurdles, mitigate political and community risks and identify, contract and measure the performance of local service providers. 

Additionally, we recently partnered with a US-based healthcare provider to facilitate its entry into the highly regulated Saudi Arabian market.

Our collaboration ensures compliance with local regulations and paves the way for the opening of its first tranche of tech-enabled primary care clinics that will bolster Sicuro Group’s Duty of Care offering, whilst positioning them to capture a significant share of the $20b healthcare market in the region in the years to come. 

How does Sicuro Group ensure the safety and efficiency of its operations, particularly in high risk regions? 

Sicuro Group’s approach to ensuring the safety and efficiency of its operations, particularly in high risk regions, started almost by accident… more by luck than design.

We simply didn’t have the money to buy expensive ‘off the shelf’ expats – and the latest kit and equipment – so we had to beg, borrow and steal as we identified people we could trust, train and operate with – something I learned to do by being embedded with foreign military as a Marine and then later as a contractor. 

Today, that accident is my and Sicuro’s biggest blessing and is truly our template for success. We invest heavily in local relationships, local workforces and consistent ongoing dialogue.

Our model has never been to compete with local companies, but to identify and improve nascent capabilities through real, fair and equitable partnerships. 

By leveraging the expertise and local knowledge of our partners, we are more effective than our international competitors when it comes to anticipating and mitigating risks and delivering results efficiently.

Our commitment to building strong, trust-based relationships with local stakeholders has proven to be a key factor in our ability to operate safely and successfully in high risk regions. 

It’s not always the easiest path, but it’s the one that works for us and our clients.

We’ve found that by empowering communities and businesses, we not only enhance the safety and efficiency of our operations but also contribute to the long term stability and prosperity of the regions in which we work.

This is the core of our philosophy – creating value for stakeholders through partnership, trust and a deep understanding of local context.

]This approach has ensured the security and success of our projects for nearly 20 years in more than 60 countries, fostering community resilience. 

What is Sicuro Group’s approach to building and maintaining strong relationships with clients? 

Our approach to building and maintaining strong client relationships begins with asking the right questions to get a deep understanding of challenges, past attempts at solutions and core values.

We recognise that clients often possess the necessary tools or intentions, but may lack the right process, for example. Through well thought out questions, we can gauge receptiveness to new solutions. 

However, we occasionally encounter situations where the client’s constraints or criteria for a solution render the “problem”, the only acceptable option: “You have to use “company X” as it’s too much hassle for us to get rid of them.”

If a client is not prepared to embrace change for improvement, it is a misuse of both their time and ours.

Experience has taught us that we may not always be the ideal partner for every client – and we are now capable of having that candid conversation.  

When there is alignment between our approach and the client’s needs, we nurture strong relationships built on consistency, communication and honesty.

With these foundations in place, the rest falls into place naturally. 

What leadership qualities do you think are critical when looking to effectively guide a diverse and geographically dispersed team? 

I’ve found that consistency is the cornerstone of effective leadership, especially when managing a diverse and geographically dispersed team.

Equally important is clear and concise communication, as it ensures that team members understand the vision and can work together to achieve it efficiently.  

Empowerment is another crucial aspect; learning to remove myself as the bottleneck and trusting and empowering team members has allowed them to take ownership of challenges and derive a sense of fulfilment from their work.

This ultimately leads to higher retention rates.  

Maintaining stability within the team is also vital and I have always strived to retain top talent while being decisive in letting go of those who do not align with the team’s goals and values.

You can learn more about this from the book, Good to Great.

It’s not new, but the tenets are as relevant today as the day it was published.