| Mercenary soldiers have been used by nation | | | | of an undisciplined, but brutal force |
| states since Biblical times. The Romans used | | | | estimated between 50,000 and 60,000 |
| Goth mercenaries to fight Hannibal and his | | | | rebels.The mercenary's depended on speed, |
| Carthaginian army. The English used Celtic | | | | surprise, coordinated tactics and logistics. |
| warriors to defend them against the Vikings. | | | | The rebels depended on superior numbers and |
| The British used Hessians during the | | | | firepower. The contest was, well, no contest. |
| Revolutionary War here in the United States. | | | | In a matter of days the rebels had been |
| Mercenaries have enjoyed a very mixed | | | | removed from the capital, flushed into the |
| reputation as long as government entities | | | | jungle and slaughtered by concealed fire |
| have utilized this soldier-for-hire | | | | teams and snipers.The United States had |
| service.The most successful use of a | | | | suffered an embarrassing defeat in a similar |
| mercenary army almost certainly must be the | | | | situation in Somalia a year before the events |
| late 20th century prowess displayed by a | | | | in Sierra Leone. The unbelievable success of |
| company named Executive Outcomes. In strife | | | | Executive Outcomes was an eye opener to |
| torn countries all over Africa governments | | | | military planners, governments and |
| and multi-national corporations hired the | | | | humanitarian groups all over the world. It |
| firm to protect assets such as oil fields and | | | | was an embarrassment for them. As the |
| diamond mines while slaughter raged around | | | | mercenary army secured Sierra Leone, the |
| them. Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia, Sierra Leone, | | | | violence ebbed and food and medical care |
| Namibia, Botswana and Angola are only some of | | | | re-entered the country. The unpopular truth |
| the countries that deployed Executive | | | | was that Executive Outcomes, 300 strong army, |
| Outcomes. Chevron, DeBeers, Rio Tinto/Zinc | | | | had performed a feat that no government |
| and Texaco are just the tip of the companies | | | | could, or would undertake.Here is where the |
| that hired the company to protect valuable | | | | story takes a sad, almost perverted turn. |
| producing assets.The name Executive Outcomes | | | | Within 18 months of stabilizing the country |
| would seem to indicate that this mercenary | | | | of Sierra Leone, the government, under severe |
| army provided more than just bullets and | | | | international pressure asked the Executive |
| soldiers for contract hire, and they did. The | | | | Outcomes forces to leave. They did, and |
| firm acted as advisors to governments, | | | | within a few weeks the rebels regrouped and |
| provided deep background checks on | | | | infiltrated the cities anew.In addition, at |
| prospective employees, wrote software, | | | | this time the genocide in Rwanda was |
| provided training at their company owned | | | | beginning to receive international news |
| schools and controlled over 30 legitimate | | | | coverage. Executive Outcomes presented the |
| businesses. However, it was as mercenaries | | | | CIA, United Nations and the French government |
| that Executive Outcomes dazzled.The company | | | | a business plan offering to enter Rwanda and |
| consisted principally of former South African | | | | stop the slaughter. Amazingly, all said no |
| Special Forces, sprinkled with a few British, | | | | and the issue was kept Top Secret. No |
| Scot, Irish and Americans soldiers of | | | | government took action as over 800,000 |
| fortune.The speed and lethality of the | | | | Rwandan's were butchered in a televised |
| Executive Outcomes operations became | | | | ethnic cleansing.In 1999 the government of |
| legendary, striking fear into their opponents | | | | South Africa outlawed mercenary activities, |
| and admiration from such interested parties | | | | effectively putting Executive Outcomes out of |
| as the CIA, Hamas, the Israeli Mossad and | | | | action. The embarrassment that the company |
| Russian KGB. | | | | had laid at the doorstep of weak, vacillating |
| | | | governments was too much for them to bear. |
| Executive Outcomes offered a turnkey service | | | | Rather than utilize and manage Executive |
| customized to each geopolitical and corporate | | | | Outcomes as a tool to minimize and snuff out |
| need. If a refinery needed protection from | | | | rogues everywhere, the United Nations |
| revolutionaries it was done, and corporate | | | | preferred to serve up sanctimonious blather |
| assets contracted for protection to the | | | | while a country was raped, pillaged and |
| company were never lost. If a town or city | | | | murdered.I wish we lived in a perfect world, |
| needed liberation, this would be accomplished | | | | or a sane one. We don't. I wish there were no |
| with unbridled speed, tactics and | | | | need for a mercenary army to exist anywhere. |
| firepower.The company's most famous, and | | | | Executive Outcomes proved, however, that such |
| public, success was in Sierra Leone. A brutal | | | | a force, when utilized by the good guys would |
| civil war had turned the country into an | | | | be a force for good.Executive Outcomes is the |
| otherworldly zone of death, inhumane | | | | military equivalent of an organization like |
| slaughter, rape, torture and hate. Young boys | | | | the consulting firm McKinsey & Co. The |
| were armed to the teeth and took immense | | | | Executive Outcomes disruptive innovation was |
| pleasure in killing children, the disabled, | | | | to negotiate contracts with governments and |
| puppies and each other.Sierra Leone has one | | | | international organizations, provide swift, |
| of the world's largest deposits of diamonds | | | | clear decisive outcomes, minimize loss of |
| and the rebels were constantly attacking the | | | | life, stabilizing territory and providing an |
| mines. The Sierra Leone government and the | | | | opportunity for peace. The company should |
| United Nations, feared that if the rebels | | | | have been lauded, not derided by cowardly, |
| seized control of the diamond mines they | | | | insipid bureaucrats and politicians. The |
| would be able to use conflict diamonds to | | | | company was a classic example of an |
| further fund their madness. The rules of | | | | entrepreneurial success, solving problems and |
| engagement and the fees paid to Executive | | | | providing needed benefits.Geoff Ficke has |
| Outcomes were never publicly revealed. It was | | | | been a serial entrepreneur for almost 50 |
| also never announced, but widely believed | | | | years. As a small boy, earning his spending |
| that the company was hired and paid by the | | | | money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, he |
| United Nations.The United Nations had placed | | | | learned the value of selling himself, |
| four thousand peacekeeping troops in Sierra | | | | offering service and value for money.After |
| Leone. They had suffered a number of | | | | putting himself through the University of |
| embarrassing losses, and predictably were | | | | Kentucky (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, 1969) |
| unable to stop, or even slightly slow the | | | | and serving in the United States Marine Corp, |
| rebels. The decision to engage Executive | | | | Mr. Ficke commenced a career in the cosmetic |
| Outcomes was a painful one for the | | | | industry. After rising to National Sales |
| international community. Diplomacy would | | | | Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age |
| never work. Starvation was rampant. The | | | | 28, he then launched a number of ventures, |
| potential for the fighting to spread to | | | | including Rubigo Cosmetics, Parfums Pierre |
| Nigeria and other countries was imminent. The | | | | Wulff Paris, Le Bain Couture and Fashion |
| thought that a private-company could settle | | | | Fragrance.Mr. Ficke and his consulting firm, |
| the situation, and quickly, was a bitter pill | | | | Duquesa Marketing, Inc. ( has assisted |
| for the diplomatic community.Executive | | | | businesses large and small, domestic and |
| Outcomes assembled a team of 300 professional | | | | international, entrepreneurs, inventors and |
| mercenaries. If they were a baseball team, | | | | students in new product development, capital |
| the equivalent would have been a team of 300 | | | | formation, licensing, marketing, sales and |
| Albert Pujols or Mickey Mantles. These guys | | | | business plans and successful implementation |
| were good, the best fighters in the world. | | | | of his customized strategies. He is a Senior |
| Each had extensive experience in multiple | | | | Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial |
| nasty wars, from Angola to East Timor, and | | | | Studies, Business School, Miami University, |
| many more. They faced a rebel army consisting | | | | Oxford, Ohio. |