Kidnap inc.

The kidnapping of business executives is a growth industry in Latin America, thanks to increased opportunity, weak law enforcement and the continued disparity between poverty and wealth. For Samuel Doria Medina, it was the worst experience of his 37-year life: 45 days in captivity outside of Bolivia's capital La Paz. Medina, a wealthy cement producer, former planning minister and owner of Bolivian newspaper Hoy, found inspiration in remembering a quote from The Bible he read in …

…company offers a wide range of advice and training on how to deal with and prepare for kidnappings, including an extensive security program and several online, updated information sources, which includes kidnapping risk information for various countries. Outlook: Experts expect kidnappings will continue to increase as Latin America sees further economic growth and increased foreign investment, particularly while law enforcement simultaneously remains inefficient. "All expectations are that the level of kidnappings will increase," says Johnson.