Fred Burton

Fred Burton is one of the world’s foremost authorities on protective intelligence, security and counterterrorism. As Executive Director of the Ontic Center for Protective Intelligence, he spearheads strategic consulting to physical security leaders at major corporations, advising how to optimize their security programs, streamline protective intelligence initiatives and keep their people safe.

Burton previously served as Chief Security Officer at Stratfor, a leading geopolitical intelligence platform, where he remains an advisor. Burton began his career in law enforcement for the U.S. Secret Service, and later worked as a police officer in Montgomery County, Md. From 1985 to 1999, he was a special agent with the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). He eventually became the deputy chief of the DSS counterterrorism division.

Burton is also a New York Times best-selling author of four books, including his personal memoir GHOST: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent, Chasing Shadows: A Special Agent’s Lifelong Hunt to Bring a Cold War Assassin to Justice, Under Fire: The Untold Story of the Attack in Benghazi and Beirut Rules: The Murder of a CIA Station Chief and Hezbollah’s War Against America.