Compliance, investigations and security consulting specialists, Guidepost Solutions, announced on April 15 the establishment of its National Security practice and the promotion of former senior FBI national security official Stephanie Douglas to president of the division.
The group will assist companies and law firms in managing and meeting the challenges of complying with the ever-growing and complex array of government regulation in key areas including the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), sanctions and export controls, cybersecurity, and more. Douglas will split her time between the San Francisco and Washington, DC offices.
“Given her distinguished career in the public and private sectors, Stephanie is uniquely situated to assist those operating in the global business landscape,” said Julie Myers Wood, CEO, Guidepost Solutions. “Under her leadership, our National Security team will provide expert guidance and support to clients in mission-critical areas of their businesses as they navigate the complexities of building a compliant organization.”
Prior to joining Guidepost Solutions, Douglas served as the FBI’s executive assistant director for the National Security Branch, overseeing its global counterterrorism, counterintelligence and intelligence operations. She also served as the FBI’s chief intelligence officer. “The global nature of today’s business can often intersect with national security issues. We hope to work with businesses to better understand and mitigate those areas of concern, both for the client and for the government,” she said.
Douglas is joined by a veteran group of professionals with experience inside key agencies of the United States government, including the White House, Department of Justice, Department of the Treasury, Department of Commerce, Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. Several still maintain high-level security clearances within the federal government.
“We are continuing to add talent to our highly qualified team,” added Douglas. “Kenneth Mendelson joined Guidepost Solutions earlier this year. He has worked for more than 25 years at the intersection of law, information technology and public policy. He specializes in compliance matters related to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and Team Telecom. And, last month Christopher Kim joined us with over 23 years of investigative and legal experience. Prior to joining Guidepost Solutions, his practice was focused on international financial institutions such as the World Bank Group sanctions matters, internal corporate investigations, and monitorships involving the U.S. government.
The new National Security practice will cover several focus areas:
CFIUS: When questions arise regarding CFIUS compliance, Guidepost can assist through the identification of key risk areas, the development of appropriate mitigation measures, and where required, CFIUS compliance monitoring and auditing.
Sanctions and Export Controls: Complying with sanctions and export controls requires continued vigilance. Just in the past several years, there have been several major changes to sanctions regulations to ensure you are prepared, Guidepost develops compliance plans and performs critical monitoring of anti-money laundering (AML) and the U.S. economic sanctions programs.
The company can also assist on a variety of trade compliance matters, including compliance with the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
Immigration and Cross-Border Services: Guidepost provides guidance on immigration compliance programs for individuals, companies, and schools, helping navigate immigration laws and regulations in their respective industries.
Cybersecurity and Data Privacy: Cyber threat mitigation with a holistic and top-level planning approach is provided through Guidepost’s comprehensive threat, risk and vulnerability management services to protect against a full spectrum of cyber and physical security issues.
Guidepost has an exclusive strategic partnership and equity stake in Revolutionary Security, a full-service cyber security firm. This partnership offers a depth of expertise and a breadth of services to address a broad range of corporate risk mitigation needs.
Government Contracts: Guidepost assists in addressing challenges relating to national security and government contracts, serving as experts and assisting law firms and companies in responding to audits and investigations, as well as conducting internal investigations.
Find out more about the new practice at Guidepost
