Dear Decision Maker,

Western intelligence has a blind spot problem.

And it's costing companies millions.

I've spent almost 2 decades in intelligence, moving from government to private sector work. The most valuable lesson I learned?

The best intelligence doesn't come from the most credentials. It comes from the most perspectives.

Last year, a European energy company asked us to assess political risk for a major infrastructure project in East Africa.

They'd already paid a top-tier Western consultancy $500,000 for analysis.

The report was thorough. Well-researched. Professionally formatted.

And completely wrong about what actually mattered.

Here's what they missed:

The consultancy analysed formal government structures and official policy frameworks. All the boxes Western analysts are trained to check.

They concluded:

1. Low political risk.
2. Regulatory environment stable.
3. Green light to proceed.

But they never talked to anyone who actually lived there.

Our assessment team included analysts with deep roots in the region. People who understood that power doesn't always flow through official channels.

We identified the real decision-makers within 48 hours.

Turns out, the minister's formal approval meant nothing without buy-in from 3 key tribal elders who controlled land access. The Chinese competitor had already secured those relationships.

Our client restructured their entire approach.

Diversity in intelligence isn't about checking boxes. It's about survival.

When your entire team sees the world through the same lens, you miss what matters:

• Cultural context that determines how deals actually get done.
• Informal power structures that override formal institutions.
• Local dynamics that Western frameworks can't capture.
• Relationships that matter more than regulations.

I've worked with former CIA officers who are brilliant analysts.

And I've worked with local sources who never finished university but understand power dynamics better than anyone with a PhD.

The best intelligence teams look like the world they're analyzing.

Not because it's the right thing to do morally. Though it is.

Because it's the only way to get ground truth.

Your competition is hiring analysts who all went to the same schools, read the same books, and think the same way.

They're producing reports that confirm what everyone already believes.

The companies that win in complex markets are the ones who hire for perspective, not pedigree.

When everyone on your team has the same background, you're not doing intelligence.

You're doing groupthink with footnotes...

How diverse are the perspectives in your intelligence operations? Or are you paying for analysis that just confirms Western assumptions?

In global markets, the intelligence advantage doesn't come from the most analysts. It comes from the most diverse networks who see what others miss.

Ready to challenge Western intelligence blind spots? The best insights don't come from London or Washington. They come from people who actually understand how power works on the ground.

Ahmed Hassan
CEO Grey Dynamics
​Where headlines end, ground truth begins

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