With more than three decades of experience in global investigations, security, and risk management, George S. Papadopoulos has operated at the highest levels—shaping strategy, tackling complex threats, and building partnerships that strengthen resilience and investigative capabilities worldwide. As a member of the Guidepost Solutions Protective Services practice, he works closely with corporate executives, ultra-high net worth individuals, and family offices to maintain personal, business, and operational security, safety, and privacy.
A strategic and collaborative leader, Mr. Papadopoulos built a distinguished career with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He was appointed by the US Attorney General to serve as the Principal Deputy Administrator, second-in-command, of the 10,000-employee organization, overseeing operations across 334 offices in 70 countries and managing a $3B budget. In this role, he led a major organizational transformation and helped shift the agency’s focus beyond drug enforcement to saving lives. During his tenure, he restored critical partnerships across the world – including with China and Mexico, revamped internal policies, and streamlined operations while steering everything from investigations, intelligence, inspections and compliance to human resources, finance, and legal matters. He also advised senior US officials, delivering White House briefings, Congressional testimony, and time-sensitive insights to the National Security Council.
Mr. Papadopoulos also served as the DEA’s Deputy Chief of Operations where he directed multinational investigations and enforcement efforts worldwide, including a top-to-bottom operational review to overhaul processes and reallocate resources for efficiency, effectiveness, and alignment with strategic and global.
Mr. Papadopoulos’ career took him across domestic and international security operations—from serving as Head of Investigations of the DEA’s Special Operations Division to improving enforcement capabilities as Country Attaché for Greece, Romania, and Northern Macedonia. Throughout his career, he has spearheaded investigations targeting some of the world’s most insidious criminals and crime networks—bringing high-profile offenders to justice.
In recognition of his exceptional contributions, Mr. Papadopoulos was nominated for the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service.
