On March 5, 2013, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez died, triggering political unrest and protests across the country. Airports were closed, roadways blocked and gunshots were heard in the country’s capital. Mourning, unruly crowds took to the streets as businesses shuttered their doors, bracing for riots and violence. A group of protesters gathered around the Nielsen office in Caracas, shouting anti-American slogans.
Global companies like Nielsen, which operates in 106 countries, often face situations like this. A global economy offers unprecedented opportunity through new markets but with this, also comes heightened risks for foreign employees. Managing these risks and preparing for volatile situations is a reality for global organizations today. In the Venezuelan case above, swift action was put into place. “Within 45 minutes, we had armed security on the ground, getting the two Nielsen auditors and their families to a safe hotel because the airport was closed,” says Robert Messemer, Chief Security Officer at Nielsen. “We couldn’t put them on a plane that night, but we did the very next morning, and we got them safely evacuated.”