Threats to individuals and client assets surged by more than a third in 2025, becoming the most frequently reported incident type handled by a major corporate crisis management service.
The incidents accounted for 37% of all cases reported to Alert:24, the in-house risk advisory and crisis support division of Willis, a WTW business. Political repatriation ranked second at 19% of total incidents, the Crisis Management Annual Review found.
“We heard from many clients that 2025 was a challenging year,” said Jo Holliday, global head of crisis management at Willis.
The report documented how geopolitical volatility, economic pressures, and youth-led activism created sustained uncertainty for international organizations throughout 2025. While overall incident volume remained consistent with recent years, the nature of risks evolved significantly.
Threat notifications spiked in June following the Iran-Israel conflict, driving increased demand for repatriation assistance, situational information, and intelligence analysis. The company reported a 10% rise in total clients assisted during the first 11 months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.
Kidnap and extortion risks intensified in countries previously considered lower risk, according to the review. Organized criminal groups in Latin America and West Africa increasingly used kidnapping to generate revenue and challenge state authority amid persistent political and economic instability.
The report highlighted crypto-linked kidnappings rising sharply in France, marking what it described as “a new frontier in financially motivated violence.”
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded the highest number of client notifications for the third consecutive year, accounting for more than a quarter of incidents. Nearly half originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo amid ongoing conflict and criminality.
North America followed closely in notification volume, driven by what the report called a surge in politically motivated violence, including high-profile assassinations and targeted attacks on public officials.
Latin America saw an overall decline in incidents despite persistent kidnapping and extortion risks in Colombia, Peru, and Mexico. Europe and Asia Pacific continued reporting the fewest notifications.
The review identified several trends shaping the 2025 risk environment, including intensified hybrid warfare across Europe targeting critical infrastructure and aviation networks. Russia’s campaign expanded following the war in Ukraine entering what the report described as “a destructive new phase.”
Youth-driven protest movements emerged as a significant factor, generating unpredictability for business operations in major cities from Morocco to Nepal and Madagascar.
Active assailant incidents and heightening political tensions, particularly in the United States, drove threat notifications significantly higher despite a decline in mass shooting statistics.
The report projects 2026 will be defined by continued geopolitical fragmentation and an increasingly adaptive threat environment. WTW noted that organizations will need to refine crisis management plans and strengthen situational intelligence, according to the review.
“Episodes of political instability will reshape global trade, creating an environment of ongoing uncertainty where a single event can trigger widespread commercial disruption,” the report noted.
