Strategic intelligence

Gala started her career working for the then nascent Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), initially as a political advisor to the KRG’s Nordic representative in Stockholm and subsequently as an advisor to the Minister of Sports and Youth in Erbil. She later moved to London to join IHS Global Insight (now IHS Markit) as a Middle East and North Africa (MENA) analyst, and subsequently managed the company’s MENA regional desk. She spent five years with Control Risks, leaving that company as a Director in the Global Risk Analysis department, where she managed consulting engagements, subscription products and the company’s MENA analysts. Before joining S-RM in 2020, Gala worked as a freelance political risk and due diligence consultant covering MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Gala has a BA in Social and Political Sciences from Cambridge University, an MSc in Theory and History of International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science and is a graduate of the United World College of the Atlantic. Gala speaks Kurdish, Swedish and basic Persian.

Gabrielle Reid is Associate Director for S-RM’s Strategic Intelligence practice. With over 10 years in the industry, Gabrielle works closely with our clients to develop tailored strategic intelligence and risk management solutions based on their locations, exposure and objectives, analysing changing (geo)political, security and regulatory landscapes to better inform decision-making. She has led on the development of S-RM’s methodology-led approach across our threat assessments, (geo)political risk analysis, scenario mapping and horizon scanning products, working hand-in-hand with our clients to help address their unique needs. Prior to joining S-RM, Gabrielle worked for a travel risk advisory firm, and assisted in the planning and coordination of non-medical evacuations.

Gabrielle holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Politics and Psychology, a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Justice and Transformation (Conflict Resolution), and a Master’s Degree in International Relations, specialising in terrorism threats in East Africa.

Markus has over a decade’s experience in political analysis and risk consulting. He joined S-RM in 2018, and since then he has led on a range of projects globally. Within the Strategic Intelligence practice, Markus works with clients to develop tailored intelligence outputs, as well as overseeing S-RM’s Global Security Insight threat intelligence platform.

Before joining S-RM, he worked as a lecturer at the Universities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch, and at Webster University’s campus in Accra, teaching a variety of political science courses including International Political Economy and Comparative Politics. He also worked as a writer for Africa Check, the continent’s first fact-checking organisation. Markus holds an MSc by Research in African Studies from the University of Edinburgh, and an MA in Politics and International Relations from the University of Aberdeen. He also holds an International Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management (IRMCert).