OUR DATA PORTAL

Who We Are

What Makes ERI Different

What Makes ERI Different

Pervasive technology and rapid global change allow us to witness global events as never before. Looking around, it’s easy to believe our risks are bigger and more dangerous.

We see it differently.

While our feeds pummel us with news of disruption and upheaval, much of the world – with obvious exceptions – has never been safer. But it’s also never changed faster, and that creates risk for business and organizations that operate in the global marketplace. In turn, businesses’ responsibility to recognize and mitigate that risk while remaining competitive has increased exponentially. Most of those risks will not come from headline grabbing events. Instead, they will emanate from less obvious – but often more consequential – external risks like poor political leadership, environmental change, cyber-threats, or regulatory uncertainty.

In our view, the key to mitigating risk and growing in overseas markets lies in having a clear understanding of the challenges and opportunities that these markets provide in the context of your business model. We equip your organization for this through tailored intelligence, strategic advice, and training that allows your team to build well-informed, culturally relevant strategies.

We help you to identify opportunity and enable business.

Risk intelligence in business is different from government intelligence. While government intelligence training provides a tremendous foundation for work in the private sector, risk intelligence in a business setting requires a different set of skills and inputs. Most importantly, it demands a specific mindset that aligns analytic tools and focus of analysis to the mission and operations of your business.

Through this lens, we offer something different from our competitors. We approach intelligence and risk from a systems-based perspective. We examine your company’s full spectrum value chain to identify risks and opportunities in the most critical parts of your business. We provide training, analysis, advice, and strategies that drive intelligence-led decision-making across the business and create strategic advantage in challenging environments.


Leadership Bios

Meredith Wilson

Meredith Wilson

Chief Executive Officer & Founder

Meredith leads Emergent Risk International, overseeing strategy, growth, and client solutions. She founded ERI in 2014 with the vision of transforming risk intelligence into a strategic advantage for businesses.

With more than 20 years of experience in intelligence, government, and corporate risk, Meredith has built and led intelligence functions in diverse global environments. Her career has taken her across Southeast Asia and Europe, shaping her expertise in geopolitical risk, corporate security, and strategic intelligence. She has also advised national intelligence bodies and professional associations on private-sector intelligence.

Meredith holds a degree in international affairs and has specialized training in intelligence and security.

The best part of her role is our people. She loves watching them build their careers and connect the right intelligence with the right clients for maximum impact. Outside of work, you’ll find Meredith traveling with her partner and kids, or at their home in New England with their three canine children. 

Brady Roberts

Brady Roberts

Chief Operating Officer

Brady joined Meredith as business partner in 2018, and oversees ERI’s operations, client training, and consulting engagements.  

With over 20 years of intelligence experience across private and public sectors, he spent 16 years at the Central Intelligence Agency, serving in South Asia, the Middle East, Central Europe, and Washington, D.C. He’s worked closely with intelligence and law enforcement agencies worldwide, gaining deep expertise in risk analysis, security operations, and international partner liaison relationships. 

Brady holds a degree in political science from Texas A&M University’s Bush School and advanced training across several areas of intelligence tradecraft, both in analysis and operations. 

The best part of his role is creating impactful jobs and supporting career development, fostering environments that enable people to reach their full potential while pursuing the professional mission that inspires them. Outside of work, you’ll find Brady in the throes of parenthood, attending the next play, sporting event, awards ceremony, or fundraiser on the family calendar. Occasionally, he sneaks away for a motorcycle ride. 

David Priess

David Priess

Global Head of Training & Education

David joined ERI in 2025 and oversees ERI’s training and education programs, drawing on decades of national security experience.

He has served as an intelligence briefer, analyst, and policy advisor, with a career focus on Middle Eastern politics and terrorism. He is a former CIA officer and intelligence analysis and management trainer, a former briefer of the President’s Daily Brief (PDB), author of The President’s Book of Secrets (a history of the PDB published by PublicAffairs in 2016), and frequent media commentator on intelligence and the presidency.

He holds a BA in political science from Illinois Wesleyan University and both an MA and PhD in political science from Duke University. He has also taught at leading US universities including George Mason University.

The best part of his role is learning with and from others – always. Outside of work, you’ll most often find David reading, writing, running, or exploring the world with his family.

Hannah Poppy

Hannah Poppy

Global Head of Risk Intelligence 

Hannah has overall responsibility for our intelligence and analysis teams, joining ERI in 2025.

Hannah has over a decade of experience working in geopolitical and security risk. Before joining ERI, she managed a large multicultural intelligence team at a security and political risk firm. Hannah is an empathetic and decisive leader, with an unrelenting focus on iterative development and efficiency. She has also led a MENA-focused due diligence research team, and her analytical background is in that region.

An Arabic speaker, she has a degree in Middle Eastern studies from the University of Cambridge.

The best part of her role is hearing about how our intelligence supports clients’ decision-making. Outside of work, you’ll find Hannah in London, tending to her allotment and cycling. 

Kieran O’Leary

Kieran O’Leary

Senior Director of Intelligence & Analysis

Kieran joined ERI in 2020 and oversees ERI’s subscription and bespoke geopolitical risk intelligence products.  
 
Kieran has previously worked in foreign policy, defense strategy and intelligence for the Australian government, focusing on the Indo-Pacific region, the South Pacific and the Australia-US alliance, including postings to the Australian Embassy in Jakarta and US Indo-Pacific Command Headquarters in Hawaii.  

Kieran has Master’s degrees in international relations and defense strategy, the latter from the Indonesian Defense University, where he was the first foreign student to graduate as valedictorian from an Indonesian military school.   

The best part about his role is helping clients understand the world’s thorniest and most complex geopolitical problems. Outside of work you can find Kieran skiing, hiking and cycling. 

Paul McGrath

Paul McGrath

Director of Products & Services 

Paul has overall responsibility for our products and services and joined the team in 2024.

Paul has 20 years’ experience formulating and delivering commercially relevant solutions for hundreds of clients working across insurance, corporate security, government and strategic planning. He has been a Latin America analyst, Intelligence Manager and then Product Manager for a number of other industry platforms and has worked in over 20 different countries.

Paul holds an MA in Conflict, Security & Development from King’s College London and a BA in Latin American Studies from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

The best part of his role is improving the Emergent RiskIQ platform and working with our great analysts. Outside of work, you’ll find Paul walking the dog.

Erol Yalciner

Erol Yalciner

Global Head of Marketing

Erol has overall responsibility for our marketing and joined the team at the start of 2024. 

He has over 20 years’ experience in professional services, working for leading companies in consulting, law, property, energy, strategic business risk, geopolitical and security intelligence. 

Erol holds a business and marketing degree from London Metropolitan University (BA (Hons) and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (DipM FCIM). 

The best part of his role is the variety of responsibilities and every day being different; but above all, hearing first-hand about the great things we do and the difference we make to our clients’ businesses. Outside of work, you’ll find Erol being kept busy by his young daughters or escaping them by watching soccer (erm, football) or going for a run. 

James Derrick

James Derrick

Global Head of Commercial 

James joined ERI in November 2024 and is responsible for scaling revenue generation and driving growth.

A seasoned senior executive, former board member, and commercial leader, he brings 20 years of sales experience and most of that within the risk intelligence space. His expertise in geopolitical risk and security intelligence has enabled him to successfully scale global commercial functions, navigate acquisitions, and lead strategic restructurings.

James holds a bachelor’s degree in International Development Studies from the University of Liverpool.

The best part of his role is talent development and delivering true value to ERI’s clients. Outside of work, James keeps his energetic sons entertained and, when he finds a quiet moment, enjoys fly fishing in the Yorkshire Dales

Iman Elbanna

Iman Elbanna

Director of Customer Success

Iman joined ERI in 2015 as the company’s first full-time employee. As Director of Customer Success, she works closely with clients to ensure they maximize the value of ERI’s products and services.

Iman holds a BA in International Relations & Global Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and an MA in Middle East Studies from George Washington University. Beyond her leadership in customer engagement, she brings deep subject matter expertise on the Middle East and North Africa.

The best part of her role is getting to work directly with our clients spanning multiple sectors and areas of focus, all of whom use intelligence in fascinating and innovative ways. Outside of work, you’ll find Iman loyally (and painfully) rooting for Dallas sports teams, hitting the gym or scoping out new coffee shops.

Huw Longmore

Huw Longmore

Director of Client Relations (Americas)

Huw has responsibility for developing client relations in the Americas region and has been with the team since 2020. 

Before joining ERI, Huw worked global security, resilience and consulting in the UK and US, and was an Officer in the British Army for nearly 10 years. During this time, he served across North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. 

The best part of his role is the moment he hears a client’s challenge and then figuring out how best our team can help them. 

Anna Stuermer

Anna Stuermer

Director of Business Services

Anna has overall responsibility for business services and has been with the ERI team since 2019.

She has over a decade of experience in project finance, administration and operations for disaster relief and development organizations.

Anna holds a master’s degree in international cultural and business studies from the University of Passau, Germany. She speaks six languages and has worked and lived in various Latin America countries, Germany and Russia.

The best part of her role is collaborating with the diverse team, and she enjoys the challenges ERI’s global expansion brings for her area. Outside of work, you’ll find Anna discovering exciting new cuisines or embracing the great outdoors by hiking on scenic trails.

Jamie Etheridge

Jamie Etheridge

Global Head of Human Resources & Embedded Services

Jamie has overall responsibility for ERI’s global talent and embedded services and joined the team in 2022. 

With 20+ years of experience, Jamie excels in designing strategic programs that drive company success. She has guided teams across private sector intelligence, geopolitics, journalism, and global finance. As a seasoned MENA analyst with a specialized focus on the GCC, Jamie brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to her role. 

Jamie holds a bachelor’s degree from New York University and a master’s in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Texas-Austin. 

The best part of her role is helping people grow and succeed. Outside of work, you’ll find Jamie immersed in a good book, exploring the lush woodlands of the southeastern US or spending quality time with her family and two dogs. 


Who We Work For

Our Clients

ERI works with firms across the multi-national spectrum: Fortune 10 companies, investment firms, rapidly growing tech start-ups, non-government organizations and everything in between. We work with clients in extractives, insurance, engineering and agriculture, among others.

Green Energy
Transport
Agriculture
Healthcare
Technologies
Manufacturing

Testimonial

ERI’s embedded analyst program has punched far above its weight for our company. We went from almost no capability to a mature intelligence program with huge demand from our C-level executives and business lines, in less than a year. It’s been a huge success.
Sr. Director, Global Security – Fortune 50 company

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