Julian Fisher

Biography

Julian Fisher is an intelligence specialist with decades of operational experience, in the private and public sectors. He starred in Channel 4’s Spies as one of the lead trainers/assessors. He is also the author of Think Like a Spy: Master the Nine Secret Skills of Influence and Leadership. In the book, Julian explains how readers can apply the key skills of espionage to help them achieve their personal and professional goals.

After a short career as a City economist, Julian joined the UK’s Foreign Service, for which he worked in challenging locations across Africa and beyond. In this capacity he worked with senior political, official and military figures on matters relating to national security. After leaving the Service, Julian worked for a high-profile Private Security Company, running operations and investigations in Africa. More recently, he founded Africa Integrity Services Ltd, a boutique provider of human-source intelligence on the region.

Amongst other adventures, Julian has been invited to help plot a coup in a West African country (he declined!), intercepted camel-rustlers on a drive across war-torn Somalia and worked with security agencies in South Sudan to help prepare the country for independence. Involvement in such escapades piqued the interest of author Tyler Maroney, who dedicated a chapter of his work The Modern Detective to Julian. 

Julian achieved a public profile as one of the three instructors on the Channel 4 show Spies, which challenged fifteen members of the public to find out if they have what it takes to work in intelligence. As well as fronting the series, he worked with the producers to help mould the final shape of the programme. Since then, he has worked on a number of other TV, film and literary projects as a consultant, to enhance authenticity and plausibility around themes of privacy, security and intelligence.

A specialist in the ‘people’ side of intelligence, Julian talks about what companies and individuals can learn from this world to enhance their effectiveness and productivity, focusing on leadership, interpersonal skills, motivations and influence. Organisations can also learn the uses of intelligence in threat and risk management, privacy and security. He also provides insights into global security matters, geopolitical risk and the realities behind headlines about terrorism, China, Russia and beyond. He has particular expertise on Africa and the continent’s political, social and commercial make-up.

As well as delivering keynotes Julian can lead team-building activities, giving teams missions to work on together to learn lessons about risk and intelligence.