SA WEST SA WEST · Global Intelligence & Risk Advisory

Intelligence that brings value.
Insights that help navigate the unknown.

I'm the Head of Intelligence at SA WEST and advise several specialized companies in Russia and Europe. My specialization is all‑source intelligence, enhanced due diligence, and geopolitical risk analysis — always human‑informed, always built for cross‑border cooperation, and always focused on the knowledge that makes a real difference.

Work with Dmitry →
18+
years in intelligence
Global
cross‑border mandates
BRICS
advisory role
Multi‑region
professional network
Dmitry Ivanov - Head of Intelligence at SA WEST

Experience & international background

I lead intelligence operations at SA WEST Global Intelligence, serving international corporations, investors, government-linked entities, and diplomatic circles. My background bridges Chinese history, finance, and over 18 years of hands‑on intelligence work — from corporate counterintelligence to high‑stakes human due diligence across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. I also hold advisory positions in several specialized companies in Russia and Europe, and serve as Adviser to the Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the BRICS Business Forum.

Key milestones:

  • Head of Intelligence & Member of the Board, SA WEST (2014–present) — serving predominantly Western corporations and private investors
  • Co‑founder of Counter Force Group — corporate counterintelligence with offices in Germany, UK, USA, and Russia (2018–2022)
  • Led analytics department at Staf‑Alliance (top‑5 security group, North‑West Russia)
  • Adviser to the Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the BRICS Business Forum
  • Organizer of the BRICS session "Predictability and stability through mutual respect and cultural diversity" (Municipal BRICS Forum 2025)
  • Active member of ACFE Russian Chapter — speaker at annual conferences since 2020, covering philosophical and humanitarian aspects of security, intelligence, and investigations
  • Trusted partner for international due diligence, asset tracing, and perception analysis worldwide

📌 Selected international projects

▪ Go‑to‑market strategy development and on‑the‑ground support for an EU pharmaceutical corporation entering new markets

▪ Independent monitoring of India's first high‑speed railway project (for a Japanese state corporation)

▪ Human Due Diligence on a member of a royal family (2019)

▪ Asset tracing & nominal ownership investigations across multiple jurisdictions

▪ Profiling of board members and executives for international clients

▪ Investigative due diligence at the earliest stages of M&A transactions

▪ Cross‑border M&A intelligence for European and Asian investors

▪ Perception studies for diplomatic and business delegations

Core capabilities · transparent intelligence

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Competitive & all‑source intelligence

Integrated OSINT, HUMINT, and proprietary data — transformed into decision‑ready analysis for international markets.

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Geopolitical risk advisory

Contextual risk for your cross‑border exposure: entry points, local partners, sanctions landscapes, and home‑government dynamics.

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Enhanced due diligence & human vetting

Beyond red flags — we uncover hidden value, perception risks, and network strengths for international hires, partnerships, and investments.

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Perception & narrative analysis

What stakeholders believe often matters more than facts. We map sentiment across borders, media narratives, and belief landscapes.

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Corporate counterintelligence

Through Counter Force Group legacy — protecting sensitive information and detecting insider threats in multinational environments.

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International cooperation facilitation

Bridging intelligence, security, diplomatic, and business communities — enabling trusted dialogue and informed cross‑border decisions.

🔗 Advisory roles in specialized companies

YP Intelligence

YP Intelligence

Advisor — methodological support & internal consulting

YP Intelligence specializes in enhanced due diligence, dispute consulting, and compliance & risk. Their work spans investment banking, FinTech, construction, oil & gas, and logistics — with recent projects across Africa, Canada, Central Asia, and Europe. The team conducts business reputation audits, identifies sources of wealth, analyzes political connections and sanction risks, and supports clients in corporate conflicts. I provide methodological guidance and internal consulting, helping the team navigate complex cross‑border investigations.

SP3.Group

SP3.Group

Advisor — private counterintelligence & strategic intelligence

SP3.Group is a compact team with global reach — operating across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia‑Pacific. They focus on strategic intelligence, sanctions & risk analysis, and conflict support. With 342 reputation and risk analysis projects completed in 2024 alone across 63 countries, they bring rigorous, unbiased insight to every engagement. I contribute my expertise in private counterintelligence and all‑source analysis.

🧠 What clients say:

"We didn't expect intelligence could strengthen our position this way. We were used to relying on lawyers for legal matters, financiers for financial matters, and investigators when we needed data. But we had never worked with someone who could combine all these perspectives — enriched with management advisory expertise — and deliver insights that fit our corporate culture. The result wasn't shaped by an external provider's internal processes; it was built around our decision‑making rhythm. That made all the difference."

Global network · spanning continents & disciplines

My professional network unites trusted experts and decision‑makers across intelligence, security & investigations, diplomacy, and international business. This collaborative ecosystem enables nuanced, on‑the‑ground insight and rapid, multi‑jurisdictional coordination.

🌍 Regions of active cooperation

🇪🇺 European Union 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇺🇸 United States 🇮🇳 India 🇨🇳 China 🇯🇵 Japan 🇩🇪 Germany 🇷🇺 Russia 🌏 Southeast Asia 🌍 Middle East 🇧🇷 Brazil 🇿🇦 South Africa

🔗 Professional communities

  • Intelligence & investigations — OSINT, HUMINT, corporate counterintelligence specialists
  • Security & risk management — physical security, cyber, travel risk, crisis response
  • Diplomatic & governmental — BRICS working groups, trade missions, cultural attachés
  • Business & investment — cross‑border M&A advisors, private equity, compliance officers

🤝 Collaborative approach:

I believe that the most valuable intelligence emerges at the intersection of disciplines. My network is built on mutual respect, cultural awareness, and a shared commitment to transparency. Whether you need a vetted local source in Mumbai, a diplomatic perspective from Brussels, or a security assessment from Berlin — the right connection is already in place.

This network also powers my Telegram channel, where professionals from across these fields engage in open dialogue about intelligence tradecraft, business transparency, and international cooperation.

BRICS engagement & international dialogue

BRICS BRICS Advisory

Adviser to the Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the preparation and holding of the BRICS Business Interregional Forum

I actively contribute to the BRICS business dialogue, focusing on transparency, predictability, and mutual respect as foundations for international cooperation. The BRICS Municipal Forum brings together municipal leaders, business representatives, and experts from BRICS nations to foster sustainable development and cross‑border partnerships.

Organizer of the BRICS session 2025:
"Predictability and stability through mutual respect and cultural diversity" — Municipal BRICS Forum 2025.

This platform reinforces my belief that intelligence, cultural awareness, and trusted cross‑border relationships are essential for sustainable international partnerships — in business, diplomacy, and security.

Municipal BRICS Forum

BRICS Municipal Forum 2025

Session on mutual respect & cultural diversity — fostering stability through international dialogue.

Connecting diplomatic, business, and security perspectives within the BRICS framework.

imbricsforum.com →

Insights & intelligence community

📢 Telegram channel

I run a Telegram channel dedicated to intelligence tradecraft, transparency in international business, and cross‑border risk analysis — followed by professionals from intelligence, security, diplomacy, and business:

🔗 t.me/intelligencia_dn

Content includes case studies, methodology discussions, geopolitical risk reviews, and practical insights for enhancing transparency in international operations.

📚 Recent perspectives

  • ▪ The Shortest Distance Between Two Facts Is a Client Who Actually Talks
  • ▪ Why Intelligence and Research Work Differently Than We're Told
  • ▪ Geopolitical risks are not standalone data points
  • ▪ From human spies to algorithmic actors: The shift in global intelligence

📄 Read all articles on LinkedIn →

Ready to discuss your international intelligence needs?

Confidential consultation · Cross‑border investigations · Due diligence · Geopolitical risk advisory · International cooperation facilitation.

✉️ dmitry@sawest.eu 🔗 LinkedIn 📢 Telegram channel

📞 +7 921 947 18 52

Based in the EU · Serving global clients · SA WEST Global Intelligence · www.sawest.eu