The Defuse Podcast: Beyond Security - The Science of Feeling Safer
🔊 The Defuse Podcast: Personal Threat Management for High-Risk Lives
How do you keep high-profile people safe in a world of escalating threats, online hostility, and real-world harm?
Hosted by Philip Grindell, former Scotland Yard detective and author of Personal Threat Management: The Practitioner’s Guide to Keeping Clients Safer, The Defuse Podcast goes behind the scenes of elite protective strategies used to safeguard prominent individuals, executives, and private clients.
Each episode features candid, expert-led conversations on topics including:
- Stalking, fixated threats, and insider risk
- Protective intelligence and behavioural profiling
- Workplace violence and reputational harm
- Digital vulnerability, doxxing, and OSINT
- Crisis leadership and executive resilience
Whether you're a security professional, family office advisor, C-suite leader, or someone responsible for protecting others, this podcast will give you real-world insight into what works — and what doesn't — when lives and reputations are on the line.
Subscribe now and learn how to manage threats before they become crises.
Episodes
39 episodes
Countering Extremism with Guy Mathias - Part 1
"Countering Extremism with Guy Mathias" – The Defuse Podcast This two-part podcast features an in-depth conversation between Philip Grindell and Guy Mathias, a renowned security expert with extensive experience countering ext...
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41:40
Reputation Management with Andrew Sanderson – Part 2
What do you do when your reputation or brand is threatened?Reputation management can mean different things depending on your status. An organisation may have spent millions on developing and building its brand reputation, whilst pr...
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28:36
Sexual Harassment Causes Suicide with Philip Grindell
In this, my first video recorded podcast without a guest, I’ll share why subscribing to this podcast will deliver even more value this year, with an episode every week. In this episode I’ll share my thought of the appalling c...
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23:35
Reputation Management with Andrew Sanderson - Part 1
What do you do when your reputation or brand is threatened?Handling a threatened reputation requires both short-term crisis management and long-term strategic efforts to rebuild trust and credibility.This month, we speak with este...
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Episode 36
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32:42
Right of Bang – Post Incident Lessons with Dr. Gene Deisinger
Right of Bang – Preparing for the next critical incident with Gene Deisinger Ph.D.How many times have we heard organisations tell us that they will learn the lessons from an incident? If like me, you have been involved in thes...
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1:05:19
High Risk Workplace Behaviours with Dr. Marc McElhaney
With the rise in disruptive and problematic workplace issues, this month we talk with Dr. Marc McElhaney, CEO of Critical Response Associates based out of Atlanta, Georgia.In this podcast Marc shares decades of experience of investigatin...
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55:28
Martyn’s Law – Better Protection from Terrorism with Figen Murray
On the 22nd May 2017, Figen Murray’s life as she knew it changed forever.Her son, Martyn Hett, was one of the 22 people killed in the devastating Manchester Arena terrorist attack.The acts of kindness and support that followed the...
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1:09:47
The Trigger Points - Inside the mission to stop mass shootings in America with Mark Follman
This podcast provides an insight into the causes and possible solutions of mass attacks in the US. In this podcast Mark discusses:Importance of Talking to AttackersKey Elements of Threat AssessmentChall...
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1:05:03
Improving Personal Safety with the Power of Awareness with Dan Schilling
With the The Power of Awareness you can change your approach to personal safety from passive bystander to becoming your own personal safety expert.Your personal safety is your responsibility and no one else’s. That is a simple fact. And...
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1:00:20
Family Office Risk Management with Edward V Marshall
The Defuse Podcast – Family Office Risk Management with Edward V MarshallFrom December 2023 to January 2024, Dentons, led by Edward Marshall, surveyed over 200 family office respondents from 33 countries worldwide, comparing the finding...
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Episode 30
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54:56
Psychology 101 Part 2 – Psychopaths, sociopaths, pathology, Fixation and the impact of Social Media with Dr Caroline Logan
In this episode, part 2 of the series, we expand on the discussion of the psychological terms and learn about psychopathy, how high functioning psychopaths become CEOs, politicians and leaders, the difference between psychopaths and sociopaths,...
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56:53
Psychology 101 - Part 1 - Demystifying Psychological Labels: A Deep Dive into Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Personality Disorders with Dr. Caroline Logan
In this episode, the first of a two part series, we learn about what exactly a psychologist is and the differences between a Clinical and a Forensic Psychologist. Dr. Caroline Logan, who is a Consultant Forensic Clinical Psychologist, t...
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1:09:28
Behavioural Threat Assessment – a political and commercial insight with Bill Zimmerman
Bill Zimmerman has spent over 35 years analysing and managing threats. He started out in the fledgling Threat Assessment team of the US Capital Police shortly after its creation and, having spent over 20 years there, moved into the private sect...
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1:11:20
Crisis Communication with Giles Kenningham MBE
Giles Kenningham is an expert in crisis communication. A former journalist who honed his skills at the sharp end of politics as the strategic advisor to Prime Minister David Cameron shares his thoughts on the relevant issues. In this podcast, w...
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57:58
Mind Management and Psychological Health with Tracey Jones
Being wealthy, prominent, and successful doesn’t mean all your problems disappear. A study co-funded by the Gates Foundation published in the Wall Street Journal found that many of the ‘Ultra-rich’ turn out to be a generally dissatisfied lot wh...
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1:00:38
Being Elite with former SAS soldier Guy Batchelor
In this podcast, the first of 2024 we delve into what It really takes to be an elite performer with Guy Batchelor.Guy is the CEO and founder of Minerva Elite, an elite global risk management service.Minerva Elite is a highly profe...
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1:03:35
Threat Assessment and Stalking – An Expert Perspective with Gabrielle Thompson
This month's very special guest is Gabrielle Thompson, PI, CPP. I am delighted to have Gabby as our Christmas guest. Gabby has recently announced that after a glittering 25-year career at Gavin de Becker & Associates (GD...
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47:58
Social engineering, digital exploitation and cyber targeting with Benjamin Barrontine
The Defuse Podcast with Benjamin Barrontine – Social engineering, digital exploitation and cyber targeting. In an increasingly digital age staying safe requires an understanding of how adversaries operate in order to b...
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1:00:35
De-mystifying doing business in the Middle East with Corina Goetz
This month’s podcast is all about doing business in the Gulf region. For many people, the Gulf region is an unexploited opportunity. It is a culture that is perceived to be at odds with the West. Corina is an expert in the region and shares wit...
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51:12
Fundamentals in Behavioural Threat Management with Jameson Ritter
In this podcast we speak with Jameson Ritter, there are only 200 individuals globally that have the same level of qualifications as Jameson when it comes to threat assessments.Jameson has recently published his excellent book titled “Thi...
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1:01:08
Creating a Psychologically Safe Workplace with Behavioural Threat Management by Bryan Flannery
In an increasingly unpredictable and sometimes divisive world how do we help the workplace be a safer place, not just physically but psychologically? It is one thing ensuring that your workplace, place of worship or education is saf...
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57:25
Bridging the Gap Between Security and HR with Melissa Muir
In this podcast HR and Threat Management specialist Melissa Muir discussesHow grievances drive issues at work.How to say goodbye to employees leaving an organisation.The power of multi-disciplinary teamsHo...
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54:36
Close Protection - The Man Who Kept Mandela Safe with Rory Steyn
In this podcast, we speak with Rory Steyn. Rory has a unique story having gone from an officer investigating the ANC to the one chosen to protect Mandela on his release from prison and election to lead South Africa. During the next 5 years, Ror...
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57:32
Being a 21st century Politician, Threats and Hopes with Kim Leadbeater MBE MP
Kim Leadbeater MBE MP is the Labour party MP for Batley and Spen. It is the same constituency that he sister Jo Cox MP held when she was murdered in 2016. Kim is a friend of mine, a hugely bubbly inspiring person who had...
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49:24
Hunters & Howlers & The Pathway to Intended Violence with Frederick S. Calhoun, PhD
In this podcast we talk with one of the genuine legends of the Threat Assessment industry. Frederick is one of the co-authors behind some of the key elements of assessing threats used by every recognised individual and organisation globally. Fr...
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58:30