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.
Sophia Nina B-A has lived and worked for over a decade in Central Asia and Afghanistan, conducting geopolitical risk analysis and strategic advisory services in both the public and private sectors. Her particular area of focus is on transport infrastructure, particularly railways. She currently works as a freelance journalist and a consultant for the international…
Dr. Paal Hilde is professor of war studies at the Institute for Defence Studies (IFS), which is part of the Norwegian Defence University College. He earned his DPhil in politics at the University of Oxford (St. Antony’s College) in 2003. Paal has previously worked on policy planning and NATO at the Norwegian Ministry of Defence…
Jonathan Sumption, Lord Sumption, OBE, member of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, Fellow at the Society of Antiquaries of London, Royal Historical Society Fellow, is one of the most distinguished legal and intellectual figures in Britain. A former Justice of the UK Supreme Court, he joined the bench in 2012 after an exceptional…
Theresa Sabonis-Helf is based in the Georgetown School of Foreign Service Master’s Degree program, teaching and serving as the Chair of the Science, Technology and International Affairs concentration since 2021. Prior to joining Georgetown, she was a Professor of National Security Strategy at the National War College and an international development professional. She has lived…
Lev E. Breydo is a scholar of law, finance, and technology whose work examines how credit markets, digital assets and AI shape the world economy and global risk. His research has appeared or is forthcoming in leading journals, including the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, North Carolina Law Review, American Bankruptcy Law Journal, and the…
Romane Dideberg is a researcher at Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London. She works within the institute’s Africa Programme, engaging with policymakers, researchers, private sector, and international organisations on key policy challenges across the African continent. Her research focuses on peace and security dynamics and political developments in West Africa and the…
Dr Aidan Hehir is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Westminster. He gained his PhD from the University of Limerick in 2005 and previously worked at the University of Sheffield. His research interests include transitional justice, humanitarian intervention, and statebuilding in Kosovo. He is the author-editor of twelve academic books, the most recent…
Robert Pratten is a UK-based entrepreneur, transmedia storyteller, and simulation specialist, best known as the founder and CEO of Conducttr, an immersive crisis-simulation and information-operations platform used by governments, defense organizations, and enterprises. Originally trained in marketing and consultancy within the telecommunications sector, his background in narrative design became the foundation of his later work in transmedia…
Dr Andrew Mumford is the University of Nottingham’s first ever Professor of War Studies. He is the editor of the Bloomsbury book series ‘Studies in Contemporary Warfare’ and Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of International Security (published by Cambridge University Press). He has published 4 books on facets of modern conflict. He has extensive experience in researching and engaging…
Ambassador Hesham Youssef is a distinguished, former Egyptian diplomat and international peacebuilding expert, with more than thirty years of experience navigating some of the Middle East’s most complex political and humanitarian challenges. He began his diplomatic career at Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1985, serving in the Egyptian Embassy in Canada (1988–1992) and the Egyptian Mission in Geneva (1995–1999). Between 1992…
