04 PA MAGAZINE – AUTUMN 08
Corporate Espionage
Secrets out? Glamorised by the world of TV and movies, the idea
of espionage isn’t one given too much thought in our day-to-day
lives, yet when it comes to business, are PAs overlooking a
crucial detail in planning a meeting or conference?
Pharmaceutical market a real target in. Something else to consider, if your manager were common themes. These
In the UK, pharmaceutical and meeting room is not privately located, have been integrated into the design
biotechnological companies spend would be if the room has adequate and management of the new venue.
approximately £2.8 billion per annum soundproofing. Moreover, as a stand-alone venue it
on research and development making can be booked in its entirety to offer
the sector a lucrative candidate for To ensure only permitted personnel an exclusive and private setting,
espionage. Yet other sectors are just attend conferences, consider the use helping to ease any fears surrounding
as at risk. Defined as the theft of of ID badges with accompanying potential espionage.
commercially valuable information it photos. Another factor to consider
can take many forms and although it is the potential for information to Security online
is difficult to quantify, experts suggest be taken away from key conference Many businesses, hotels included,
it is growing. rooms. To avoid this it would be have embraced the Wi-fi revolution
sensible to ensure data is disseminated wholeheartedly as the way forward,
According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, electronically and either encrypted, yet by its very nature its security can
this type of corporate crime costs the or password protected. Alternatively, be compromised. In fact one of the
world’s 1,000 largest companies in should hard copies of information companies surveyed as part of the
excess of $45 billion (£22.4 billion) need to be distributed, ensure that it research conducted by Great Fosters,
every year. is properly disposed of after its use by commented on the importance
utilising cross-cut shredders. of having access to safe and fast
Share product innovation... just not broadband via a modem. Indeed
with competitors the company surveyed now has a
With advances in technology bringing company policy of not allowing its
new risks to companies, many have staff to use Wi-fi in hotels because of
upgraded systems to look at protecting the sensitivity of information, adding
themselves. Yet security is often weight to the growing concern of
overlooked once companies leave espionage amongst business. Although
the office. For example, meetings by way of balance, out of those who
and conferences play a large role in were surveyed by Great Fosters, a
bringing ideas to the forum and whilst number stated that they wanted to
they are an important part of the see Wi-fi access throughout the hotel
development process, PAs should treat including the bedrooms, leading the
external venues as an extension of their hotel to install both modem and
office and not overlook security. wireless options.
The most important part of any Venues taking concerns on board
conference is the venue, both in One venue which has recognised
terms of accessibility to the motorway the growing concern about security
network and airports and for the is Great Fosters (www.greatfosters.
size of facilities offered. Yet the type co.uk), a hotel in Egham, Surrey.
of location is also a factor worth Ahead of the development of a new
considering. For example, if you choose executive £ million business facility
a large establishment in a city centre called The Coach House, the hotel
setting, it would not seem unusual for commissioned research amongst its
a number of people to be coming and clients to find out what they wanted. Although, corporate espionage is a
going; whilst exclusive settings that Out of those questioned, 90% listed growing concern, what PAs need to
offer privacy and seclusion would make security as of high importance and realise is that if they build effective
it more difficult for rivals to infiltrate in particular requests such as hidden measures into their planning strategy
your meetings, as they would stand storage for laptops, sound proofed as a precaution, they need not be
less chance of being able to ‘blend’ meeting rooms and a dedicated a victim.
PA MAGAZINE AUTUMN 08
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