US treasury department hack and international risk

US Treasury Department Hacked: China’s Cyber Espionage and Global Risks

In the early days of December 2024, as the world prepared for the holiday season, a silent storm was brewing within the digital corridors of the US Treasury Department. Unbeknownst to its officials, a sophisticated cyber intrusion was underway, orchestrated by a state-sponsored actor from China. This breach would soon be recognised as a “major…

Episode 192: Navigating Crisis: The Role of UNRWA in Supporting Palestinian Refugees with Ms. Sahar Al-Jobury

In this compelling episode of The International Risk Podcast, we are honored to welcome Ms. Sahar Al-Jobury, Chief of the UNRWA Representative Office in Cairo. With over 30 years of humanitarian experience across multiple United Nations agencies, Ms. Al-Jobury brings unparalleled insights into the critical role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine…

Episode 191: Navigating Socioeconomic and Institutional Transformation in Post-Assad Syria with Zaki Mehchy

In this week’s midweek episode, we explore the institutional and socioeconomic risks and opportunities facing Syria in the aftermath of the Assad regime. Joined by Zaki Mehchy, we delve into the critical steps that both the international community and Syria’s next government must prioritize in the coming years. From resilience-building and community engagement to targeted…

Zaki Mehchy

Zaki Mehchy

Zaki Mehchy is a policy fellow at London School of Economics and Political Science Conflict and Civicness Research Group (CCRG), a researcher at the Peace and Conflict Resolution Evidence Platform (PeaceRep) and a co-founder of the Syrian Center for Policy Research. Zaki has dedicated his career to advancing development policies and addressing the complex socio-economic…

Episode 184: The US Election Results discussed with Lara Kristjándóttir

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil Join us on our analysis of another Trump term. We discuss with Lara Kristjansdottir what the consequences are for US, Chinese and EU businesses for the threatened import tariffs. In addition, we discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and what we think will happen now that Trump is in power….

Lara Kristjiandottir

Lara Kristjándóttir

Lara Kristjánsdóttir is an analyst at 2Secure, specialising in strategic advisory and international risk management. With a background in security studies and crisis management, Lara provides organisations with strategic guidance to develop and refine robust risk management structures. Through Lara’s expertise, she helps clients effectively identify, analyse, and mitigate risks, empowering them to pursue growth…

international risk terrorism

Corporate Preparedness: Mitigating The Threat of Terrorism

In today’s interconnected global business environment, European organisations face an unprecedented complexity of security challenges and international risks. Business leaders must recognize that terrorist threats can emerge from multiple vectors – both from within their own workforce and from the communities where they operate. This dual nature of risk requires a sophisticated and comprehensive approach…

Episode 156: Cybersecurity, Its Risks, and What Business Leaders Can Do with Steve Orrin

One of the key actions companies of all sizes have to take is to ensure that their cybersecurity is constantly up to date; but for many, the true scale of the risks surrounding poor cybersecurity remain largely unknown; so to help us unpack the risks and opportunities associated with cybersecurity, we are thrilled to be…

Steve Orrin

Steve Orrin is Intel’s Federal CTO and a Senior Principal Engineer. He leads Public Sector Solution Architecture, Strategy, and Technology Engagements. He has held technology leadership positions at Intel where leading cybersecurity programs, custom hardware and software architecture and solutions, products, and strategy. Steve is a cybersecurity expert and sought-after advisor to public and private…

Episode 148: The International Risks of Human Trafficking and People Smuggling with Roy McComb

A few weeks ago, we spoke to Nathan Paul Southern, who gave us a deep dive into the links transnational criminal organisations have to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Transnational crime is a topic so vast, it would be an injustice to only cover one aspect of it, given  its impact on international risk. Today,…