Since 2011, Heinrich Schneider has been delivering expert consulting and training through Maxcellence GmbH, supporting a wide range of governmental agencies, non-governmental organisations, and private companies. Before this, he spent a decade leading International Police Reform at the Swiss Federal Office of Police, working in close partnership with the United Nations, the European Union, and the OSCE. During this time, he also served as a key member of the Swiss government’s special task force for hostage and extortion cases.

Drawing on 35 years of frontline experience in policing and security, Heinrich Schneider brings deep expertise from special forces operations, organised crime investigations, and high-level surveillance work. He has served directly in police reform missions across the Balkans and complements this operational background with security mission experience across various African and Caucasian countries. He holds Swiss Federal Certificates as a trainer for adult education and as a specialist in the protection of persons and property. He has also completed advanced leadership training programs run by the Swiss Confederation, as well as specialised EU and UN leadership courses for international police missions and UN Police Commissioners.

Dominic Bigi studied and practiced martial arts in Asia for many years and draws on over 25 years of experience as a specialist in Executive Protection (UHNWI). He is a certified expert in the protection of persons and property, security risks and crisis management, as well as an expert and trainer in de-escalation, self-assurance and self-defense. In addition, he is a first responder in trauma management and a CPR instructor.

Dr. Simon de Saint-Claire is a well-known facilitator of international security sector development, focusing on security sector reform, international crisis management and post-conflict development.

A former New Zealand Army officer, for more than a decade Simon subcontracted to the United Nations Secretariat, providing field-based strategic services. Since 2002, he has provided independent field advice, facilitation and research to intergovernmental actors, national police authorities, government development agencies, international police missions, technical assistance NGOs and the private security sector.

Simon de Saint-Claire has an interdisciplinary academic and research background in the social sciences (international relations, strategic studies, socio-cultural anthropology, human geography), human rights legislation and democratic policing.

Graham Flood-Hunt is a security risk and crisis training specialist for humanitarian aid organisations, relief workers and peacekeepers. His extensive international experience in mission preparedeness with the UN, Swiss Foreign Ministry, Swiss International Peace-Keeping Centre, ZIF – Zentrum für Internationale Friedenseinsätze, RedR, Essential Field Training and many non-governmental organisations is a great asset for Maxcellence training activities.

Mirjam Nufer is an experienced project manager and trainer with a background in international development and peace support missions. She holds a MAS in Development and Cooperation.

Her perspective on personal and female safety has been shaped through different operations and fieldwork assignments in fragile contexts, such as South Sudan, Burundi, or Bosnia-Herzegovina. Over the years, she has continuously broadened her knowledge of stress-management techniques, enhancing her capacity to navigate physically and mentally demanding posts. These methods include hands-on practices and strategies, contributing to greater resilience before, during, and after deployment.

In her work, she emphasizes the importance of teamwork. She helps individuals understand how personal perceptions, cultural settings, and gender-diverse team compositions affect a team and its interdependence with the environment, and how, in turn, it can impact the safety and security of a team and its individuals differently.

For many years Hansueli Steiner has been a trainer for security purposes and instructor for the Swiss Army. He draws on over 25 years’ experience in international missions as supervisor, consultant and trainer for the army and security forces.