Born in Harare in 1980 during the transitional period from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe, Ryan Brotherton’s first claim to fame was being one of Zimbabwe’s first white Christmas babies—a title that probably only a few can boast about. But before he could even fully grasp his VIP status, his family relocated to South Africa when he was just two. Under the influence of his father’s military background, Ryan was introduced to Karate at the age of five, because why not start your martial arts career while most kids are still learning to ride a bike? His natural talent in the sport saw him rack up multiple national titles and two world championships, essentially setting him up for a future where kicking down doors would be in the job description.

At 19, Ryan jumped into the security industry, thanks to some fatherly influence and a nudge from an ex-Hereford soldier. By 20, he’d traded in the sunny skies of South Africa for the rainy training grounds of the British military. After surviving the grueling P Company selection, Ryan joined the elite Parachute Regiment, which led to deployments in Northern Ireland, Iraq, and the infamous Sagin Valley in Afghanistan—places where “tough” took on a whole new meaning. The 2006 operation in Afghanistan shaped his values of brotherhood and selflessness, and probably added a few grey hairs.

After six years of military service, Ryan decided it was time to swap combat zones for boardrooms and returned to South Africa, joining his father’s security firm. For the past 15 years, he’s been the mastermind behind Ipeleng Risk Management Services (PTY) Ltd, leading high-level security operations for everyone from governments to the private sector. With experience in over 68 countries, Ryan is not just a security expert but also a well-traveled adventurer. When he’s not keeping the world safe, he’s busy keeping up with his partner and three daughters, while still on the hunt for the next big challenge in global security—because who says you can’t have it all?