Praesidio means to ‘protect’ and that forms the foundation of the Praesidio group. A crisis manager, senior advisor, security intelligence specialist Susanne Skov Diemer the CEO and founder of Praesidio Group says it is her duty and privilege to serve & protect others. Creating her own security intelligence company with the highest ethics, working with the best people in the industry, across borders and sectors came as organic career development for Susanne Skov Diemer. The freedom, the diversity, and being able to assist and advise different sectors, companies, governments and working with competent partners on numerous projects in different roles retains her motivation.
Instituting rudiments
Surviving in the industry for more than 25 years Susanne says nothing has changed her entrepreneurial motivations ever since inception. Susanne’s fundamental aspect has always been focused on preparation and prevention. As a security specialist, she considers herself the voice of inconvenient truth and she no longer gets motivated trying to convince people about the actual risk or solutions if they are not willing or prepared for it. The notion of hope for the best and preparing for the worst is what compels her to be distinct from others. She contemplates her work is not an alternative or sacrifice but a commitment for life. Susanne considers cyber threats to be the biggest concern to our critical infrastructure, to our data protection, privacy, governments, and even countries. Advancement in technology also means advancement in risk, as it brings new possibilities new opportunities, and new crises along with new risks that make the world smaller and stakes higher.
Attaining Perfection in Unforeseeable circumstances
The Praesidio group has worked on wide-reaching events with large risks, on EU projects, and areas where they can make big difference. A strong sense of situational awareness throughout the years, being able to read people, predict the unpredictable, paving the new ways has brought the group to the present elite position in the industry. Susanne also gave an insight into her job where though you have been told things are under control still you have to work inside the box rather than thinking divergently. One case where she was ought to fix a little boat turned out to be one of the world’s largest yachts with a 100-man crew that was to sail through the Gulf of Aden between Yemen and Somalia, which was plagued by pirates at the time. She had to plan and execute, encountering a number of obstacles one among them was the deck of the yacht. It was covered with the finest mahogany and the royal family requested not to fasten the safety measures to the deck, something you would normally do defending against the pirates. The group came with numerous solutions where the large rubber edges were assembled in a net on the ship’s back gate and they smeared the deck in brown soap. If anyone had the luck to board the ship at the low end at the back, they would be surprised by a mirror-smooth deck and large rolling rubber balls. Défense posts were also prepared along the rail, where the yacht’s fine mahogany furniture that weighed around 50kilos a piece was set up so they could be thrown down hit the pirate’s small fast-moving boats. Finally, the sailors were trained to use the fire hoses on the board to hose pirates off the deck.
Navigating through her experiences
Susanne is also the author of her book titled “Your Urban Crisis Survival Planner “. The content is based on her international experience in consulting, management, security, intelligence mixed with a personal anecdote, risk assessment, and crisis assessment. Having spent a large part of her working life advising authorities, men, and wealthy families in many parts of the world, now she aims to pass on her knowledge preparing people to take responsibility on an individual level. She believes being a global citizen, mother, daughter, wife, friend, and business owner it’s her responsibility towards herself, her friends, her family, her employees to always be prepped up with a plan in a critical situation. And that is what made her book come to life.
Five crucial elements
Furthermore, Susanne has followed the five key factors throughout her career. Listening to information, observing, communication, courage to speak up where you disagree, and respecting views and experiences.
Conclusion
Being consistent in this fast-paced world, not being afraid of refusing projects or clients, and most importantly never trying to be someone else is what she advises for aspiring women entrepreneurs.
