Episode 399: The Real AI Risks with Craig Unsworth and Dominic Bowen

In Episode 399 of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic and Craig examine the real economics of artificial intelligence: how CFOs should measure AI returns, when automation becomes job displacement, why agentic workflows are changing competitive advantage, and how AI is becoming a geopolitical and governance challenge. They discuss:– How CFOs can distinguish durable AI value…

Episode 398: Does Chat Control Protect Children or Risk Privacy with Simeon de Brouwer

In this episode of the International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen is joined by Simeon de Brouwer, policy advisor at European Digital Rights (EDRi), Europe’s largest network of digital rights organisations. Simeon explains the controversial EU proposal known as “Chat Control” and explores what mandatory scanning of private communications could mean for encryption, privacy, security…

Episode 397: Occupied Alaska: How America Could Lose Territory Without a Shot Fired

In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen is joined by Dr. Holly Bell, economist, former professor and academic administrator at the University of Alaska Anchorage, and author of the geopolitical novel Occupied Alaska, to unpack how economic dependence on foreign capital can constrain a nation’s sovereignty just as effectively as military…

Episode 396:Unpacking the DRC: War, Power, Disease and Disinformation

In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Stephanie Wolters about security, governance, and stability across the Democratic Republic of Congo. Stephanie Wolters unpacks why the DRC cannot be ignored, and why the roots of the conflict stretch far beyond its own borders. The discussion examines the international intervention in DRC,…

Episode 395: Inside Nepal’s Catastrophic Flood: Trapped Workers, Drones & Climate Warnings

In this episode of the International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen is joined by Kirtan Pandit, conservation researcher and co-founder of GeoSutra, an environmental intelligence company whose team deployed drones within 24 hours of the catastrophic Nepal flood to carry out rapid damage assessments in Nuwakot district. Kirtan shares a firsthand account of the disaster…

Episode 394: Switzerland’s 10 Million Referendum – Immigration, Democracy & Europe’s Future with Vincent Maitre

In this episode of the International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen is joined by Vincent Maitre, Swiss lawyer and political representative in Switzerland’s National Council. Vincent examines Switzerland’s changing political and economic landscape and explains what the country’s controversial 10 million referendum reveals about immigration, housing, direct democracy, and political stability. Drawing on his experience…

Episode 393: Cybersecurity Threats in the Age of AI with Tal Kollender

In this episode of the International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen is joined by Tal Kollender, former military cyber specialist, cybersecurity expert, and CEO of Remedio. Tal explores the rapidly evolving cyber risk landscape and explains why businesses must rethink cybersecurity as a strategic and geopolitical risk—not simply an IT problem. Drawing on her experience…

Episode 388: The Truth About How Critical Minerals Work with Lisa Sachs

What do lithium batteries, Apple Watches and artillery shells have in common? They all trace back to the same tangled web of mines, minerals and geopolitics. In this episode of the International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen sits down with Lisa Sachs, Director of the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment at Columbia University’s Climate School,…

Episode 386: Is Hong Kong Still Safe for Business? with Megan Khoo

In this episode, we explore how Hong Kong’s changing political and legal landscape is reshaping the business environment, what international companies should understand before investing or expanding in the region, and how geopolitical risk is becoming a board-level issue. We discuss: About the guest: Megan Khoo is Policy Director at Hong Kong Watch, where she…

Episode 385: West Africa: What Does the Climate Crisis Look Like?

In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Ibrahim Aboubacar Hama about climate change and its impact on food security, livelihoods, and stability across West Africa. Ibrahim shares what climate change looks like on the ground, and why national strategies often don’t match lived reality. The discussion examines whether government frameworks like Senegal’s…