Community Highlights: Meet Nina Hobson of Torchstone Global

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina Hobson.

Hi Nina, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Growing up, I wanted to be a vet. I had a huge love of animals, and being a vet (or a pop star!) was all I ever really wanted. When, at the age of 16, I realized that this was not going to be achieved due to my academic inadequacies, I had to rethink. It was devastating, and I had no clue what to do. Mum and Dad decided to send me off to business school, but it wasn’t for me. I did really well, but man, it was boring.
One night I was watching Cagney and Lacey (my favorite show), and I decided that I wanted to be them. I wanted to be a detective. Mum and Dad were horrified and thought this was ridiculous, but the next day I applied to be a cop. I was 18 years old. Now I am of the same opinion — that was a ridiculous idea.
So I joined the police, and as a woman back then, I was put into the “female role.” I was provided with a handbag as my weapon of choice — well, actually, my only weapon. There were not many of us then, so we were apparently a huge asset when it came to looking after children and sexual assault victims. Again, at the time I was a child myself. I had zero knowledge of children and even less interest in them. Many other cops were far more qualified, but being a woman, this was my role.
Once I joined the police, I decided that I wanted to pursue my first love: dogs. I really wanted to be in the mounted section, but our force didn’t have one, so I decided to try out to be a dog handler. Every day I had off for months, I would run up and down a field allowing a police dog the opportunity to have a bite. I was sure this would secure me a position. I showed I was hardworking, dedicated, and a dog person. It wasn’t enough — I was the wrong gender.
Yes, I did get an interview, but I was told it was not going to happen. I mean, there were no female toilets. I said I would use the males. Nope. So back to looking after rape victims it was.
One day, I was looking after a lady who had been brutally raped. It was beyond horrific what she had gone through, and she had told me the details. I was struggling to keep it together. I wasn’t equipped for this, and clearly she sensed my struggle. She looked me in the eyes and said, “It’s going to be OK.” That moment changed my life. It changed my direction, and it made me really want to be Cagney or Lacey. I was going to be a detective to catch these perpetrators.
My career was amazing. I grew up in the Force; it was truly family. Then I became disillusioned — not with the Force, but with the corruption, the lazy officers, the racism, the sexism, the disregard for certain demographics and crimes. This was by no means the normal standard. Most cops are amazing, dedicated, caring, and hardworking, doing a thankless task not for money or notoriety, but because it’s a calling. But the minority — the bad guys — get the headlines, and they make being a good cop harder than it already is.
So I decided to go undercover and expose behaviors that were going unchallenged by an organization expected to be the best in every way. I went undercover for almost a year. Then the media became my voice. A documentary was made. I had no idea how it would be received. I knew there was a high chance I was going to prison. I held my breath as it aired — was I going to be the most hated or the most loved UK cop? It was the latter, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
I had no job, no career, but I had the support of a nation, with the pinnacle being a finalist for UK Woman of the Year for services to her country. I left the police as a highly decorated officer, recognized for my commitment and capabilities both as a detective and as a person showing empathy and care for her organization.
Fast forward two years, and having moved to Australia because we wanted more sunshine, my ex-husband joined the Australian police and we wanted a beach!! It would be much better if I could say we were chased out of the UK due to my police work, but that definitely was not the case, lol.
Newly in Australia and soon getting bored of the “ladies who lunch” lifestyle, I decided to start a business. That desk in the garage soon grew, with a call from the richest person in Australia. It was a midnight call, and I had no idea who this person was on the other end of the phone, but he needed help finding what proved to be a stalker with deadly intent. This moment also changed my life — again! And this was the start of a security business that allowed me to travel the world, do executive protection, high-end investigations, and still have the occasional gin and tonic and crazy adventures.
I got involved in protecting rhinos in Africa, working in the sex trafficking rescue world, being undercover for months, and still making it to the rowing regatta.
But then my kids (now grown) both ended up in America. My daughter had a scholarship in New York, then moved to LA and met her prince — now husband — a wonderful addition to the family, but American!!! And my son, a high school rugby player, was asked to go and play American football. Go figure.
So now came the dilemma of where to live. I didn’t want to always be on the other side of the world from my kids, who are my heartbeat. Not afraid of a new adventure, I moved to LA. With the breakdown of my 25-year marriage, I went it alone. Once in America, I continued in the only world I knew. I soon established myself and have worked with some of the biggest names in the world, quietly in the background, just doing my thing — protecting people, saving lives, and being the best mum I can be for my grown kids.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wouldn’t say it was a smooth road, but one with a few bumps and roadblocks. I work in a male-dominated world, one full of egos and testosterone — haha. Enough said!! Joking apart, it’s been hard. There are many times you doubt yourself, and many times that, as a woman, you have to keep proving yourself.
I have worked with many wonderful, supportive people, but I won’t lie — I’ve also worked with some who do not like having a woman as the boss. This has been a universal problem, but I want to say that those who doubted or didn’t like it learned they had to deal with it. If they didn’t, there were other jobs without women. I am always happy to help those people transition or teach them what I know; it’s their decision.
It’s not just about the work. In our industry, our work has a huge effect on family and personal life. As security experts, we protect others — we always put others first; it’s in our DNA. But that’s not always easy for our loved ones. We constantly make huge sacrifices, many of which are never recognized, and that means our families do too.
As an Executive Protection officer, you may get to go to fancy places, fly on private jets, and eat in nice restaurants, but it’s never your life — it’s always someone else’s.
I say I am the unicorn: a woman at the top of her career in a man’s world. I often pinch myself and feel incredibly privileged, but it hasn’t been handed to me. It comes through grit, determination, and bloody hard work. I was told yesterday that I can say “bloody” in America — apparently it sounds great!
So yes, lots of bloody hard work, lots of blood, sweat, and tears — always mine. Lots of times I wanted to throw in the towel and maybe try something else. But giving up is not in my nature. Giving this up is not an option. If something gets hard, I work harder — 12-hour days turning into 20-hour days if that’s what’s needed.
So please don’t think you can be in this industry if you’re lazy or just here for the title — you won’t last. Get some tough skin, because you’ll need it. But do it. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you look like, or your background — there is a place in this industry if you want it. But you need to want it, earn it, and do it!!!

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Torchstone Global?
I am so very privileged to be part of the most amazing security protection company I have ever known — and I know a lot!!! Torchstone Global.
We are not just experts in our field and exceptional at our jobs — we genuinely care about our clients and each other. That sets us apart. That’s what makes us the best of the best, because we always go the extra mile as a company and as individuals.
Torchstone Global is a discreet, high-end risk mitigation and security advisory firm providing customized solutions to protect people, property, places, and information for affluent individuals, celebrities, corporations, and families worldwide.
The team we have — I always joke and say a government wouldn’t be able to afford us. We have so much knowledge and skill. I couldn’t believe it when I found out our COO was also a psychologist and an expert in threat management. A security company with that skill set in-house is not the norm, and it gives us a huge advantage.
Our Corporate Security Director is an ex-FBI Special Agent and hostage negotiator. The Senior VP of the Executive Protection department is actually Kevin Costner!!!!!! Haha — he’s actually ex–Secret Service, protector of presidents, and now my mentor. Who gets that privilege, ever!!!!
The Director of People is the mum to us all. The SVP of Protective Intelligence is an author and world leader in his subject matter. And of course, Frank, the CEO, leads us with quiet authority, is respected globally, and is an honor to work for. He never fails to say thank you for your hard work.
I could go on and on, but needless to say, the entire team is my inspiration. We are made up of military and law enforcement backgrounds — Navy SEALs, you name it, we have it. We offer white-glove services across security, travel safety, crisis management, investigations, and more.
We handle the most complex global assignments, all centered around our GSOC — intelligence is the heart of our operations. I, along with my boss Chris, head up the Entertainment and Sports Division for the Executive Protection department. My (very fancy) title is Director of Global Protective Operations.
We understand that every client is different, that needs are individual and constantly changing, and we adapt to every situation to ensure client safety. It’s a big ask — protecting someone’s life — but we do it with professionalism, dedication, and authority.
Protecting a CEO and protecting a celebrity have the same fundamental requirements, but very different client-specific needs. What sets Torchstone apart is our ability to adapt to those needs, no matter who the client is or what they do. From athletes to actresses to CEOs and high-net-worth individuals, we often understand their requirements before they do and provide the best solution to protect them.
We are not just bodies — we are executive protection agents. Being proactive saves lives. Our state-of-the-art GSOC operates 24/7, gathering and analyzing every piece of information that could mean the difference between life and death, ensuring the safety of clients and corporations, and providing real-time intelligence using advanced technology and AI platforms — all while maintaining human judgment. And on top of that, it looks like a set from a Bond movie.
GSOC is not just the heart of operations — the heartbeat of the company is the people. The people I get to work with every day. The people who have my back. The people who ask, “Are you OK? What do you need?” The people who truly care about their clients and make sacrifices in their own lives to protect others.
So when you ask what sets us apart, the answer is simple: us.
The Torchstone family.

Any big plans?
My plans for the future are simple: keeping everyone safe, continuing to come home to my family, and—definitely—getting more sleep. I also hope to create more opportunities to share my knowledge and experience with communities that want an inside look at my profession, and to help others along the way.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamninahobson/

Image Credits
Ashley Balderrama