Our Journey
EXARCH was established to deliver professional, American-led security consulting and protective services in environments where standards, discipline, and accountability matter most. The firm was built around the principle that effective security is achieved through planning, integration, and experienced leadership rather than scale alone.
From the outset, EXARCH has focused on supporting clients operating in complex and high-risk environments through advisory-driven solutions grounded in Western professional standards. Our work spans security consulting, risk management, protective services, and operational enablement, delivered in coordination with trusted partners where appropriate.
EXARCH draws on a network of experienced professionals from military, law enforcement, intelligence, and security backgrounds. This depth of experience allows the firm to adapt to diverse operating conditions while maintaining consistency, discretion, and compliance.
Today, EXARCH continues to evolve as a specialist firm defined by select engagements, senior-level involvement, and a commitment to long-term credibility with clients and partners alike.
Our Team
Esteban Várady
Founder & Director
Leads EXARCH’s strategy, operational planning, and client engagement across security consulting, risk management, and protective services. Oversees engagement scoping, risk alignment, and delivery to ensure work is legally compliant, proportionate, and defensible.
Provides senior oversight of security consulting activities, partner coordination, and protective operations across regions, maintaining executive responsibility for governance, escalation, and quality standards.
Brendon Marais
Security Advisor, Operations Lead
Provides operational support to security consulting engagements, including planning input, readiness preparation, and in-country coordination. Supports partner liaison and contributes practical operational perspective to client-facing risk assessment and operational planning.
Supports delivery oversight during execution phases under executive direction and contributes to the development of operational frameworks, documentation, and client engagements, reinforcing continuity, control, and professional standards.
Dr. Elias Querales, MPH, CCRP
Medical Consultant
Provides medical consulting support focused on clinical quality, governance, and operational medical readiness for security and expeditionary engagements.
Supports the development and review of medical SOPs, training standards, documentation frameworks, and readiness assessments, ensuring medical considerations are integrated into operational planning, risk management, and duty-of-care frameworks.
Experience & Reach
US-based leadership with US, UK, and EU professionals supporting global operations.
10+
Countries of Operational Experience
60+
Highly Qualified Security Professionals
5+
Partner Organizations Across 4 Continents
Our values
EXARCH was built on the belief that lasting success in security consulting comes from discipline, professionalism, and trust earned over time. We operate in environments where standards matter, decisions carry real consequences, and credibility cannot be manufactured. Our work is grounded in American and broader Western professional norms, emphasizing accountability, rule-of-law awareness, and responsible engagement.
Our values reflect the principles that guide how we select our people, engage with clients, and execute our work. They emphasize accountability over optics, preparation over reaction, and long-term reputation over short-term gain.
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Integrity
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Professionalism
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Operational Discipline
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People & Leadership
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Long-Term Credibility
Standards & Governance
EXARCH operates in alignment with internationally recognized best practices, including ISO 18788 (Private Security Operations Management), ISO 31000 (Risk Management), ISO 31030 (Travel Risk Management), ISO 22301 (Business Continuity), ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 27001 (Information Security principles), and ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety).
These frameworks inform EXARCH’s approach to risk-led planning, travel and movement security, contractor welfare, incident management, and duty-of-care obligations across advisory and operational engagements.
Our operations are further informed by U.S. legal and professional standards applicable to private security and defense-adjacent services, including U.S. federal contracting norms, export control and sanctions compliance frameworks, and established U.S. military and law enforcement operational doctrines, alongside the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and applicable national regulatory regimes.
