Clarity when the stakes are personal
Converting uncertainty into controlled, deliberate action
A kidnapping or extortion demand can leave families and organisations facing uncertainty, incomplete information and difficult decisions. We help establish what is known, assess the situation and coordinate a proportionate response, with the safety of those affected at its centre.
SJ Group International supports private clients, families, family offices, organisations and their professional advisers with kidnap, ransom and extortion response. We bring together specialist negotiation, crisis coordination and support for decision makers, alongside legal counsel, insurers and relevant authorities where appropriate.
Assess and prepare
Understand exposure before a threat develops.
The most effective crisis response is shaped long before anything happens, through agreed escalation pathways, defined decision making authority and a structure that people understand beyond the written plan.
We review exposure linked to travel, personal visibility and organisational activity, then help families and teams prepare practical escalation and communication arrangements. Scenario based exercises build confidence in who will make decisions and how specialist support will be brought in.
Readiness planning and escalation pathways
Defined decision making authority
Crisis structures people understand under pressure
Scenario led exercises and immersive simulations
Coordinate the response
Fast decisions, specialist negotiation and calm coordination.
We help assess the threat, establish the facts and organise the response. Specialist negotiation support helps clients consider their options and manage communication under pressure, whether the situation involves a kidnapping, ransom demand, blackmail or cyber extortion.
We work alongside families, organisational leaders and their advisers, coordinating with legal counsel, insurers, communications specialists and relevant authorities where appropriate. Defined roles and regular updates help everyone work from the same understanding while sensitive information is handled in confidence.
Triage, stabilisation and disciplined decision cadence
Confirmed facts separated from early reporting
Stakeholder and adviser coordination
Trusted specialists integrated under one point of control
Support recovery
Support beyond the immediate response.
Resolution of the immediate threat can leave families and teams with practical decisions and a continuing need for support. We help coordinate the transition from response to recovery, review remaining exposure and identify what needs to happen next.
A confidential review captures lessons about communication, decisions and preparedness. We work with clients and their advisers to strengthen future arrangements and coordinate additional specialist support where needed, recognising the impact an incident can have on everyone involved.
Structured stand down and recovery planning
Honest post incident review, without blame
Lessons converted into stronger arrangements
Ongoing support, available for as long as you need it
Prevention & preparedness
Reduce exposure early with practical, proportionate measures tailored to context.
We help clients anticipate scenarios, clarify decision points, and build readiness before pressure arrives.
Response & recovery
Stabilise incidents with calm structure and hands on coordination.
Support recovery and apply lessons learned to reduce future exposure.
Leadership, judgement & trust
Calm judgement and discretion from the first conversation to resolution.
High consequence situations demand more than process. They demand trust.
Support in complex situations
We work alongside individuals, organisations and trusted advisers where outcomes, reputation and safety are critical.
Calm support that reduces noise and creates practical momentum.
Decision making under pressure
Coordinate decisions and communications when time is limited and stakes are high.
We set roles and escalation routes, so decisions get made under pressure.
What clients can expect
Prevention first, ready to respond
Founded by Nick Shah OBE, author of the UN counter kidnap manual, SJ Group International brings experience from complex, high consequence situations to private clients and organisations. Our approach combines preparation, specialist judgement and calm coordination.
"In cyber extortion cases, technical expertise alone is not enough. SJ Group International's understanding of human behaviour, negotiation dynamics and crisis leadership brought significant value to the response and helped achieve the best possible outcome."
Cyber security firm
1.
A brief, confidential call
We listen, clarify what’s happening, and understand what you need.
2.
Your options
We outline proportionate support, priorities and a practical way forward.
3.
Coordinated delivery
If you proceed, we agree the scope and coordinate the right specialist support around your situation, keeping you informed throughout.
Next steps
What happens when you get in touch
What does a kidnap, ransom and extortion consultancy do?
We advise the family or organisation from the first contact to the safe return. That means establishing the facts, guiding every conversation with the kidnappers or extortionists, coordinating lawyers, insurers and authorities, and supporting recovery afterwards. We work for the client, confidentially.
How quickly can SJ Group International respond?
Within the hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call +44 (0)20 8050 2939 at any time.
Who do you work for?
High net worth individuals and families, family offices, private client law firms and their clients, and companies whose staff travel or work abroad. Many clients come to us through their lawyer or adviser.
How experienced is your team?
Our team has handled more than 1,000 kidnap, extortion and crisis cases in 50 countries. It is led by Nick Shah OBE, a former National Crime Agency officer and author of the United Nations manual on countering kidnapping and extortion.
Do you work with kidnap and ransom insurance?
Yes. We work alongside existing policies, brokers and insurers, and we also help families and organisations who have no cover at all.
Should we pay the ransom?
That decision belongs to the family, and it should never be made quickly or alone. Paying fast often leads to higher or repeated demands, and paying a group linked to terrorism can be a criminal offence in the UK. We help you understand the options before any decision is made.
Do you work with the police and the FCDO?
Yes. We coordinate with the FCDO, UK police and authorities abroad where appropriate, while keeping the family's interests and confidentiality at the centre.
What is virtual kidnapping?
A virtual kidnap is a scam where criminals claim to be holding someone who is actually safe, and demand fast payment. The first step in any case is to establish the facts, which is often how a virtual kidnap is exposed.
Do you help with more than kidnap?
Yes. As well as kidnap response, we respond to extortion, blackmail, sextortion, cyber extortion and threats against families and businesses, and we help clients prepare through risk reviews, crisis plans and tabletop exercises.
Where are you based?
Our London address is in Canary Wharf, and our consultants work worldwide. We have contacts in every country except North Korea.
Further reading
FAQs
Questions families and advisers ask us
Proven experience
Specialist judgement informed by complex, high consequence situations.
Prevention first
Readiness built early, with calm response capability.
Bespoke by design
Tailored around context, priorities and trust.
Coordinated end to end
Trusted associates integrated when specialist support is required.
How to reach us
A confidential first step
If you’d like to discuss a situation or assess exposure, we’ll respond promptly and in confidence.