Blackwater 3.0: Rebranded ‘Academi’ Wants Back in Iraq [View all]
The company formerly known as Blackwater
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/12/blackwater-rebrand-academi/
Blackwater 3.0: Rebranded Academi Wants Back in Iraq
By Spencer Ackerman
Email Author
December 12, 2011 | 12:00 pm
~snip~
Say goodbye to Xe. The company formerly known as Blackwater the worlds most infamous private security corporation has jettisoned the name it chose in its 2009 rebrand. Now the security solutions provider wants to wash away the taint of the 2007 Nisour Square shootings by adopting the new name Academi.
But the company is changing its name not its core business. And it even wants back into the country where it ran its brand through the mud: Iraq.
Our focus is on training and security services. Were continuing that, new CEO Ted Wright tells Danger Room. Were not backing away from security services. The lions share of our business today is providing training for security services and [providing] security services.
If Blackwater sorry, Academi was a sports franchise, youd consider 2011 its rebuilding year. A consortium of investors close to the family of founder Erik Prince bought the company in late 2010, and spent 2011 putting together its new leadership team. It brought on board former Attorney General John Ashcroft, Bill Clinton consigliere Jack Quinn and Suzanne Folsom from the insurance giant AIG. Wright came from military-services giant KBR. Notice a pattern? All have deep experience with crisis management.