The way in which we find information has changed over the last few decades, and with this change, we have foregone much of the reliability of the information we immerse ourselves in.   Misinformation, often referred to as false or inaccurate information, has become a prevalent issue in the digital age. With the rapid growth of social media platforms and the easy access to information online, misinformation can spread quickly and widely, influencing public opinion, shaping beliefs, and even...

As of June 2023, the UN estimated there to be around 110 million displaced people worldwide; among these are around 36.4 million refugees. We are currently in the midst of a refugee crisis, spurred on by a rising number of people fleeing persecution, violence, and human rights violations caused by the negative effects of climate change and disasters need international protection. In 2022, 84% of refugees and asylum seekers fled nations particularly vulnerable to climate change, compared to...

At the international risk podcast we strive to uncover the different facets of the world of risk we find ourselves in. But these risks do not occur in a vacuum. Today we are in a permicrisis, and year after year we hear about how the climate crisis is tightening its grip on the earth’s natural resources, and threatens the balance of the natural world. Similarly, both new and long-existing conflicts all over the world negatively affect geopolitics, and all over the world, both governments and...

It has been nearly six months since Israel began its campaign to eliminate Hamas in Gaza, following the horrific terrorist attack on October 7th. Today, Ben Lawson, intern at the International Risk Podcast is joined by Dominic Bowen, the host of the podcast to discuss some of the new developments in the conflict, as well as some of the key risks coming out of the region. Join us for this special edition of the International Risk Podcast as we discuss a range of topics including Israel-US...

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 joined by Steve Orrin. Steve Orrin is Intel’s Federal CTO and a Senior Principal Engineer.Steve is a cybersecurity expert, and a leading authority on Public Sector/Federal...

When most people think about organised crime, their minds will instantly turn towards mafia style organisations; and these days no-where do mafias hold more of a reputation than in Latin America. According to the UNCAC Coalition (a global network of over 350 civil society organizations (CSOs) in over 100 countries, committed to promoting the ratification, implementation and monitoring of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC)) Latin America is considered the most violent region on the...

Achieving personal growth often requires experiencing discomfort. What if instead of tolerating discomfort (e.g., feeling awkward or uncomfortable), people actively sought it out?  To explore this pressing question, we are joined by Kaitlin Woolley. Kaitlin is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, specializing in motivation science. Leveraging insights from marketing, psychology, behavioural economics, and organizational behaviour, her research...

Last week, we heard from Ben Dubow, who gave us some fascinating insights into how he sees Putin’s next presidential term playing out and the implications of who comes second in the Russian presidential elections.   This week, we thought it crucial to hear from someone who has real world experience in international diplomacy, Ambassador John E Herbst.  Ambassador John Herbst is the senior director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center. Ambassador Herbst served for thirty-one years as a...

As we step into 2024, a critical year for democracy worldwide, the stage is set for 64 national elections, marking an unprecedented turnout at the polls. The backdrop is a canvas of escalating international tensions, the daunting specter of climate change, and stretched thin inter-governmental organizations like the UN and NATO. In a year of potential transformative elections, with prospects of Kier Starmer as UK’s Prime Minister and scrutiny of Joe Biden’s presidency, Russia presents a...

Today, we are joined by Ted McKenna. Ted is co-author of the bestselling book The JOLT Effect: How High Performers Overcome Customer Indecision, and a founding partner of DCM Insights. He is an accomplished sales and customer experience researcher whose work has appeared in the pages of Harvard Business Review and a sought-after speaker and advisor to sales, business development, and customer experience teams around the world.   Prior to co-founding DCMi, Ted held numerous executive...

Over the last few weeks we have talked about some of the facets of transnational organised crime, and today's episode will continue to explore these international risks.   According to the UK Government, the illicit drugs market is big business, worth an estimated £9.4 billion a year in the UK alone.   Globally, over 236.1 million ransomware attacks occurred globally in the first half of 2022.   The international drug trade and cybercrime are two independent but interconnected concerns that...

In recent podcasts, we have talked a lot about ESG, and the corporate responsibilities companies must take into account in their day-to-day working. The ways in which consumers view companies has changed dramatically over the last two decades, and corporate reputation is more important than ever, and reputations and brands are scrutinized than ever before. To help us unpack the importance of corporate reputation, as well as the risks companies can incur by not upholding a positive reputation,...

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, we are going to discuss a hugely pertinent issue, human trafficking and people smuggling. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, ‘Human trafficking is a global...

As we have seen in the recent COP28 conference, and our episode with Valentina Lira, the nature of business for both leaders and stakeholders is vastly different to what it used to be at the start of the millennium. The rising importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance issues  for businesses brings opportunities and risks and we are thrilled to be joined by Chris Coulter, CEO of GlobeScan.   Chris works with businesses leaders, NGOs and governmental organisations to help them better...

Parliamentary elections were held in Serbia on 17 December 2023 to elect members of the National Assembly. While they were initially scheduled to be held by 30 April 2026, Aleksandar Vučić, the president of Serbia, called a snap election in November 2023, after previously announcing that snap elections could be either held in 2023 or 2024. In addition to the parliamentary elections, the Vojvodina provincial and local elections were held in 65 cities and municipalities, including the capital,...

Today, we are thrilled to be joined by Nathan Paul Southern, an investigative journalist, a PhD Candidate at the University of St. Andrews, and a senior investigator at KSI, an independent investigative and research consultancy. As a non-traditional security specialist, he focuses on the links between organised crime, governance and armed groups. His work explores Chinese organised crime and the BRI, human trafficking, the global war on drugs, environmental crime, and the transnational trade...

Today we are thrilled to be joined by Thammy Evans, a non-resident Senior Fellowat the GeoTech Center of the Atlantic Council and a member of its Global China Hub. She is also a Senior Research Associate of the Climate Change (In)Security Project – a collaboration between Rueben College of Oxford University and the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research (CHACR).   Thammy has spent much of her career working in the dual areas of security sector reform and...

  We are thrilled to be joined today by Valentin’s Lira. Valentina is an Industrial Engineer from the University of Chile, with a postgraduate degree in Environmental Economics from the University of California Berkeley.  She worked as a Development Engineer at CMPC Holding and as Director of the Development and Conservation Program of Fundación Chile, achieving the first sale of carbon credits from forestry projects in Chile.  Since 2011, Valentina Lira the Sustainability Division at Viña...

In today's episode of The International Risk Podcast, we turn our attention to the intricate and dynamic process of EU enlargement in the Balkans. The region, known for its complex political and ethnic landscape, is at a pivotal moment in its integration into the European Union. We will explore the influence of the EU's policies on the Balkans, the socio-economic and political hurdles faced by countries in the region, and the broader geopolitical consequences of their potential accession to...

Today we are joined by Zion Lights, a passionate science advocate and writer who wants to change the world for the better. She is the author of the book The Ultimate Guide to Green Parenting, the nature poetry book Only a Moment, and was a former spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion. She was the UK director of the pro-nuclear lobby group Environmental Progress, and currently the Founder Emergency Reactor, and a well-known public speaker. We are very grateful to have Zion on The International...

Today, our podcasted is hosted by Ben Lawson, Intern at the International Risk Podcast, as we talk to Dominic Bowen. Every week we hear about the work Dominic does in the world of international risk, and in every episode Dominic shares some of his knowledge about international risk, to contextualise the questions he asks his guests; and today, we thought it would be interesting to put Dominic in the guest’s chair. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine at the time of recording, been taking place...

Today we are thrilled to be joined by Professor Bruce Jones, a senior fellow with the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. His research expertise and policy experience are in international security, with his current research focusing on US strategy, international order, and great power relations. Professor Jones will help us explore what this expansion means for the future of international collaboration,...

The International Risk Podcast is a weekly podcast for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors. In these podcasts, we speak with risk management specialists from around the world. Our host is Dominic Bowen, originally from Australia, is one of Europe’s leading international risk specialists. Having spent the last 20 years successfully establishing large and complex operations in the world’s highest-risk areas and conflict zones, Dominic now joins you to speak with exciting guests...

The International Risk Podcast is a weekly podcast for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors. In these podcasts, we speak with risk management specialists from around the world. Our host is Dominic Bowen, originally from Australia, is one of Europe’s leading international risk specialists. Having spent the last 20 years successfully establishing large and complex operations in the world’s highest-risk areas and conflict zones, Dominic now joins you to speak with exciting guests...