Joe Saunders

Joe Saunders has spent over two decades in the trenches of violence prevention and protective security—first on the front lines, then in boardrooms, classrooms, and policy discussions. His career has taken him from restraining violent offenders on the streets of Brisbane to briefing executives on how to keep their people safe in volatile environments. He’s led security strategy across hospitals, coached businesses through crisis planning, and travelled the world studying and teaching about human conflict and security solutions.

He is the 2021 Australian Security Consultant of the Year, was featured on the 2022 IFSEC Global Top 25 Thought Leaders in Security list, 2023 R2S Consultant of the Year, and 2024 runner-up as RMIA Risk Consultant of the Year. He's also a Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Security Risk Management Certified Professional (SRMCP), and Fellow of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (F.ISRM)

Joe is a recognised thought leader in Protective Security and occupational violence prevention. He’s also the founder and host of the Managing Violence Podcast, where he’s interviewed elite operatives, psychologists, and survivors in pursuit of practical wisdom—delivered without fluff.

Joe writes the way he speaks: clear, grounded, and an appropriate amount of warmth and humour. His work blends hard-won experience with insights from behavioural science, risk management, and real-world case studies. Whether it’s a training program or a book, his goal is always the same: to help good people navigate bad situations and come out stronger.

His latest book, Safe Passage, is a modern field manual for staying safe on the move—whether you're in Jakarta, Johannesburg or just a dodgy hotel carpark at 2am.

Joe lives in Brisbane with his wife Amanda and their four children. When he’s not writing or consulting, he’s usually lifting weights in his garage gym, brewing coffee strong enough to raise the dead, or quietly plotting ways to make the world just a little safer.