Opinion piece by Enric Vilamajò. Private detective. Barcelona
The essential contribution to enhancing the prestige of the profession
In my view, the most valuable contribution La Sociedad Clave can make to enhance the prestige of the profession and to project the seriousness and competence that characterise the vast majority of its members does not lie in asserting who we are, but rather in establishing ourselves naturally within the spaces where opinion, knowledge and the public agenda are shaped.
The evolution of the membership model
The aspiration must be to move beyond the traditional model of a professional association —typically defensive or self-interested— and to evolve towards a specialised think tank, capable of contributing rigorous analysis and valuable proposals to the economic, legal and social debate.
Relevance and positioning in public debate
The aim should not be to talk about private investigation. That, in my judgement, has been one of the historical mistakes of our sector. On the contrary, private detectives must demonstrate that we are equipped to engage authoritatively with matters that go beyond the strictly professional, offering perspectives that only analytical, investigative and multidisciplinary training such as ours can provide.
We must be present in economic, business, legal, financial and technological forums, taking part in them not to explain what our work involves, but to address the very challenges that concern those organisations: emerging risks, fraud, digitalisation, integrity, governance, security, international relations and regulatory impact.
Social recognition through knowledge
Social recognition is not gained by explaining what we do, but by showing that we can engage authoritatively with the issues that define the present and the future of society, bringing a distinctive, practical and deeply informed point of view.
A proposal for action: selecting strategic topics
To begin this process, I believe it would be wise to select a series of strategic topics of general interest, related either directly or tangentially to our professional activity, and to start producing analysis, reflection and quality content. That body of intellectual work will allow us to be relevant, to be cited and, in time, to be sought after as an authoritative voice in public debate.
Suggested areas of analysis
• Digital integrity and governance, including the responsible management of data (data trust), disinformation, cybersecurity and technology-related fraud.
• Competitiveness and business risks, with particular attention to internationalisation, economic security and economic relations with Latin America, for example.
• The evolving geopolitical landscape, examining the role of the European Union in an increasingly polarised world and its function as a potential global regulator.
These topics, and others like them, make it possible to address questions of workplace conflict, absenteeism, corporate fraud, banking security, regulation and compliance… all of them fields closely related to our professional practice and, at the same time, of considerable interest to those who make strategic decisions in companies and institutions.
A vision for the future of La Sociedad Clave
In short, my vision for La Sociedad Clave is that it becomes a genuine think tank, a generator of analysis, opinion and knowledge. A space from which to influence, to suggest and to shed light on the great debates of our time.
And that, when those who read us, listen to us or invite us to take part in a forum ask themselves who we are, they discover —with genuine surprise— that behind such well-founded reflections lies a community of private detectives.
