Meet our diverse roster of international experts, thought leaders, and practitioners. Discover the unique insights and experiences each guest brings to our discussions on global risk, security, and geopolitics.
Zsuzsanna is foreign policy specialist, former politician, author and founding director of the CEU Democracy Institute Leadership Academy. Before joining the CEU Democracy Institute, Zsuzsanna Szelényi was Richard von Weizsäcker fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin and Europe’s Future Fellow of the Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen. She is conducting research on…
Doug Weir is Director at the Conflict and Environment Observatory, where his work focuses on the environmental dimensions of armed conflict and military activity. His research examines how war and security policies contribute to environmental degradation, with a particular emphasis on pollution, ecosystem damage, and the long-term risks associated with military emissions. Doug is widely…
Edmund Fitton-Brown is a former British diplomat, counterterrorism specialist, and one of the leading British voices on terrorism, Iran, proxy warfare, and Middle East security. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where his work focuses on Arabian Peninsula issues, terrorism, and its enablers. He is also a Senior…
Frederick Otu-Larbi is a climate and environmental scientist whose work focuses on climate change, natural resource governance, and environmental management, particularly in West Africa. With over a decade of experience, he has delivered practical, climate-focused solutions for governments, businesses, and communities. He is currently based at the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Ghana,…
Benjamin Neimark is a Reader at the School of Business and Management and a former Fellow at the Institute of Social Science and Humanities (IHSS) at Queen Mary University of London. He is a human geographer and political ecologist whose research focuses on the environmental and social impacts of global supply chains, extractive industries, and…
Jon-Paul Gabriele is a crisis management practitioner and founder of Crisis City, where he helps organisations prepare for the moments every business hopes will never happen but many eventually face. With more than 15 years of experience managing real incidents across government and global enterprises, he understands the difference between a crisis plan that looks…
Jamie Shea CMG is Professor at the College of Europe Natolin. He is also a Senior Fellow responsible for security and defence programmes at Friends of Europe and a Senior Advisor with the European Policy Centre. Both of these think tanks are based in Brussels. More recently, Jamie Shea has assumed the position of Senior…
Dr Colin P. Clarke is one of the leading analysts of contemporary terrorism, with particular expertise in how violent organisations adapt under pressure, finance themselves, build international reach, and intersect with organised crime, proxy warfare, and geopolitics. Dr Clarke currently serves as Executive Director of The Soufan Center, having previously held roles as Director of…
Anja Shortland is Professor of Political Economy at King’s College London, where she studies private governance in some of the world’s most complex and hostile markets, including kidnapping, piracy, fine art theft, antiquities, and ransomware. Her work explores how people trade, negotiate, and create systems of order in environments where formal state enforcement is weak…
Dr. Florian Krampe is a German/Swedish political scientist and is the Director of Studies, Peace and Development, at SIPRI. He is also Director of the SIPRI Climate Change and Risk Programme. His particular focus is on peace and conflict research, environmental and climate security, and international security. With over 16 years of experience, Dr. Krampe…
