By Aran Dharmeratnam

In the volatile climate of 2026, de-escalation is a necessity on global levels. It's proven indispensable in my security career, turning potentially violent tight spots into moments that simply fade out peacefully.

An academic background in Criminology, provided me with an understanding of the mind set of the aggressive. I later pressure tested different theories in handling confrontation, as a door supervisor- one of my more visceral early security roles.

Extensive travels and training in the martial arts, sharpened my awareness to heightened levels, allowing me to decode body language and better sense a person's intent, before a situation erupts. The years working in risk intelligence and investigations have also provided further moments to use these skills to disengage from hostility and protect my clients' interests.

Today, I share these skills with executives, Family Offices and people working in security. While some clients initially seek me out for my expertise in physical self-defence, we still place focus on the verbal and psychological dimensions of a confrontation, to prevent a turbulent situation from regressing into something far more volatile.

The ability to diffuse an adversarial situation isn't just relevant when faced with a dangerous criminal. Conflict can manifest almost anywhere- in unheralded, blunt verbal exchange during a commute; in domestic violence or where a person needs to slip away from a narcissist. Alternatively, you might be facing a fraudster, who........

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