The International Risk Podcast
The International Risk Podcast offers high-level insights into global risk dynamics, hosted by senior advisor Dominic Bowen. Each episode delivers expert analysis on geopolitical tensions, economic upheavals, cybersecurity threats, and environmental challenges. Tailored for CEOs, board members, and risk professionals, the podcast features distinguished guests from diverse sectors and geographies. It aims to equip listeners with actionable intelligence to navigate volatile environments and capitalize on emerging opportunities.
Episodes
Episode 409: Inside Damascus: Is Syria Ready for Reconstruction?
Almost two years after the fall of the Assad regime, where is Syria heading? In this episode of the International Risk Podcast, producer and researcher Andrea Crafoord-Wiklund flips the script and interviews regular host Dominic Bowen, who joins from Damascus after a week of meetings with Syrian government ministries.Dominic shares what he is seeing on the ground, from the professionalization of t
408: Marquita Bradshaw
What is at stake in the upcoming US Midterms? In this episode, Dominic Bowen sits down with Marquita Bradshaw, the Democratic nominee for the US Senate Elections on November 3rd. The conversation spans what challenges working people within the USA are currently facing, what change is necessary for Americans, and the dynamics within the political system today. It is clear there is a loss of faith.
Episode 407: The Rise of the AfD and What It Means for Germany
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Sophie Schmalenberger about the AfD’s historic result in the Saxony-Anhalt state election and what it means for Germany’s political future. The discussion examines what is driving the party’s rise, particularly in eastern Germany, and whether Germany’s postwar “firewall” against the far right can still hold. It also explo
Episode 406: The World Is Normalising the Taliban with Shaharzad Akbar
More than five years after the Taliban returned to power, millions of Afghan women and girls remain shut out of education, work and public life, while governments around the world are quietly normalising relations with Kabul.In this episode of the International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen speaks with Shaharzad Akbar, former chairperson of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission an
Episode 405: US Midterm Elections with Alex Tarascio
What happens when voters hear promises about cheaper living — but see their government focused elsewhere? Dominic Bowen puts that question to international pollster Alex Tarascio of Cygnal in episode #405 of The International Risk Podcast. Their conversation examines voter frustration, the US #midterm #elections and the gap between political headlines and the choices people make at the ballot box.
Episode 404: Sweden's Stalemate: Why a Winning Bloc Still Can't Form a Government
Sweden's voters handed the centre-left opposition a win by just three seats, 176 to 173, and yet no one can form a government. The Sweden Democrats lost ground at the ballot box, but they may still hold the key to what happens next. With investors, NATO allies and Ukraine supporters watching closely, this is a stress test for one of Europe's steadiest democracies.Host Dominic Bowen is jo
Episode 403: Can You Trust AI, With Herbert Roitblat
Before you let ChatGPT or Claude influence your next business decision, ask yourself: are you trusting the evidence or how convincing the answer sounds?Dominic Bowen joins AI researcher Herbert Roitblat, author of Algorithms Are Not Enough, to examine what business leaders should demand from artificial intelligence, and where human judgment remains essential.Drawing on his experience as a senior m
Episode 402: Inside the Fight for Africa's Minerals
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Sarah Logan about the global race to secure Africa's critical minerals. The discussion examines how China, the US, and Europe are positioning themselves in this race, and whether African countries can move beyond simply hosting the competition. It also explores why refining is the real choke point in this race, and w
Episode 401: The Death of Reading: A Neuroscientist's Warning
In this episode, Dominic sits down with Dr. Maryanne Wolf, a cognitive neuroscientist at UCLA who has spent her career studying what she calls "the reading brain." Maryanne explains why reading doesn't come naturally to us the way language or vision does. It's a skill the brain has to build, circuit by circuit, and one that can atrophy if we stop exercising it.The numbers are s
Episode 400: Is Domestic Politics Driving Netanyahu's War with Iran? | Tzvi Gottlieb
The International Risk Podcast with Tzvi GottliebIn this episode, Dominic Bowen and Tzvi Gottlieb examine the intersection of war, politics and national security in Israel, asking how domestic political pressures are shaping decisions over Iran, Gaza and the wider Middle East. From Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future and Israel’s confrontation with Iran to the resilience of Israeli democratic in
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 from hype- Why some c
Episode 398: Does Chat Control Protect Children or Risk Privacy?
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 and child pr
Episode 397: 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. Holly shares the real events that inspired her book, drawing on her own work opposing a proposed $43 billion Chinese-backed gas pipeline deal in Alaska,
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, including MONUSCO, and what daily
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 response, drawing on his wor
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.
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 working with global enterpr
Episode 392: Exposure Isn't Destiny: How Not to Lose Your Job in the Age of AI | Lucy Wark
The International Risk Podcast with Lucy WarkIn this episode, we explore how artificial intelligence is actually reshaping labour markets, not the headline version where everyone loses their job overnight, but the messier, still-unfolding reality visible in the data so far. We break down what economists mean when they say a job is "exposed" to AI, why that word gets misread as a predicti
Episode 391: Geopolitical Risk in Europe - How Should Businesses Prepare? with Federico Saleri
The International Risk Podcast with Federico SaleriIn this episode, we explore how Europe’s rapidly changing security environment is reshaping the risks facing businesses, why geopolitical disruption can no longer be treated as a temporary shock, and how companies can build resilience against an increasingly unpredictable threat landscape. From Russia’s war in Ukraine and hybrid warfare to sabotag
Episode 389: Third-Party Risk - What Companies Get Wrong with Tom Garrubba
Third-Party Risk: What Companies Get Wrong | The International Risk Podcast with Tom GarrubbaAs organisations increasingly rely on outsourcing, cloud providers, and complex global supply chains, third-party risk has become one of the biggest challenges facing business leaders. But where do organisations most often go wrong—and how can they build more resilient supplier relationships?In this episod
Episode 388: The Truth About How Critical Minerals Work with Lisa Sachs
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen is joined by Lisa Sachs, Director of the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment at Columbia University's Climate School, to unpack why critical minerals have become one of the defining forces in global geopolitics, economics and security, and why the countries richest in them so often stay poor.Sachs draws on two decades
Episode 387: Law and Employment in the Age of AI: Where Does Accountability Lie?
In this episode, we explore how artificial intelligence is transforming power, accountability, and trust inside organisations. From algorithmic hiring and performance management to the legal risks of "shadow AI" and workplace surveillance, we discuss what businesses need to understand as AI increasingly shapes employment decisions.We discuss:How far AI has already moved into hiring, perf
Episode 386: Is Hong Kong Still Safe for Business? | The International Risk Podcast with Megan Khoo
Is Hong Kong Still Safe for Business? | The International Risk Podcast with Megan KhooHong Kong has long been regarded as one of the world's safest and most attractive places to do business. But following the introduction of the National Security Law, growing geopolitical tensions between China and the West, and increasing scrutiny from international governments, many organisations are reasse
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
Episode 384: AUKUS and the New Reality of Indo-Pacific Security with Jennifer Parker
Jennifer Parker examines the rapidly changing security environment across the Indo-Pacific and explains why maritime competition, strategic deterrence, and AUKUS matter far beyond defence circles. Drawing on her experience as a former Royal Australian Navy warfare officer and defence strategist, she explores the growing risks posed by China's military expansion, the future of Australia's
Episode 383: Is Andy Burnham Ready for a World at War?
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen is joined by Lord Peter Ricketts, the UK's first National Security Advisor, former Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign Office, and former British Ambassador to France, to unpack what Andy Burnham's rise to Downing Street means for Britain's place in the world.Ricketts examines why Burnham, arriving as the UK&
Episode 382: Re-release – Inside the War in Ukraine: Strategy, Technology and the Future of Security with Elizabeth Bullock
This re-released and condensed episode with Elizabeth Bullock examines the lived reality of modern conflict in Ukraine, drawing on her three years providing frontline humanitarian aid. From evacuating civilians under fire to navigating the evolving threats of drones, hypersonic missiles, and weaponised infrastructure, Elizabeth provides an unflinching look at how war shapes both society and strate
Episode 381: Abortion, Power, Democracy: Who Controls a Woman's Body?
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen is joined by Professor Michele Goodwin, a leading bioethicist and constitutional law scholar at Georgetown Law, to unpack the history, law, and power structures shaping reproductive rights in America.Goodwin challenges the assumption that abortion criminalization has always been the norm, tracing its roots to the U.S. Civil War
Episode 380: The Future of Global Services: Risk, Resilience and AI
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen is joined by Peter Bendor-Samuel, founder and executive chairman of Everest Group and one of the world's leading experts on IT services and enterprise transformation, to unpack the forces reshaping global outsourcing, offshoring and near-shoring.Bendor-Samuel challenges the assumption that AI is set to end labor arbitrage,
Episode 379: Outsourcing to India: Managing Cyber, Legal, and Data Risks
As India cements its position as one of the world's leading technology and outsourcing hubs, international organisations face an increasingly complex cyber, legal, and regulatory environment.In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with N.S. Nappinai, Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India and one of the country's leading experts on cyber law, data p
Episode 378: Climate Change and the Future of War: Energy, the Arctic, and Military Readiness
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Dr Duncan Depledge about climate change and its growing impact on the world's militaries.This conversation looks at the geopolitics of the Arctic, the role of energy and logistics in warfare, and the growing competition across the High North, exploring how environmental change has become a central concern in defence
Episode 377: What They're Not Telling You About the 2026 World Cup
This could be the most controversial World Cup in history. In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen is joined by Professor Simon Chadwick, one of the world's leading experts on the geopolitical economy of sport, to unpack the politics behind the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Chadwick challenges the term "sportswashing," arguing it has been selectively applied by t
Episode 376: Humanitarian Aid Landscape One Year After the Dismantling of USAID with Nicholas Enrich
For more than six decades, USAID sat at the centre of the global humanitarian and development system. A little over a year ago, USAID became one of the first targets of the Trump administration’s DOGE campaign. Today, the hum and development sector is grappling with profound uncertainty at precisely the moment humanitarian needs are growing, especially with the rise in intrastate conflicts. What h
Episode 375: Mapping Power: Gerrymandering, Redistricting, and the Future of US Political Power with David Daley
This episode hosts David Daley to examine the accelerating role of gerrymandering in shaping American democracy and what it reveals about the pressures facing modern electoral systems. The conversation explores his argument that democratic strain is driven not only by electoral cycles or individual political choices, but by the deliberate drawing of electoral maps that enables political actors to
Episode 374: The Illusion of Separation: Civil-Military Coordination in Modern Conflict with David Higgins
This episode hosts David Higgins to explore the complex and often misunderstood boundary between military operations, humanitarian action, and political stabilisation in modern conflict environments. Drawing on two decades of experience across the British Army, the United Nations, and geopolitical advisory work, we look at how different institutions operating in the same space can interpret the sa
Episode 373: Social Norms and Political Violence with Erez Levin
This episode hosts Erez Levin to examine the shifting boundaries of acceptable public speech and what this reveals about the health of modern democratic societies. The conversation explores his central argument that liberal democracies depend not only on formal legal frameworks, but also on informal social guardrails, shared moral taboos that limit the public acceptability of overt hateful bigotry
Episode 372: Who Controls Your Health Data? Palantir, the NHS and the Risks of Digital Dependency
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Phil Booth, coordinator of medConfidential and a long-standing campaigner on medical confidentiality, patient consent and data governance, about what Palantir’s growing role in the NHS reveals about public trust, private technology companies and the data infrastructure increasingly underpinning the modern state. The conve
Episode 371: Mali at the Breaking Point: Insurgency, Military Rule, and the Future of the Sahel with Ulf Laessing
This episode with Ulf Laessing examines the recent escalation of unrest in Mali and what it reveals about the deeper fragmentation of authority across the central Sahel. The conversation explores how sustained insurgent pressure, weak state institutions, and shifting alliances between military governments and armed groups are reshaping the trajectory of the Malian state.We discuss why Mali has bec
Episode 370: The Global Race to Detect the Next Outbreak: Ebola, Hantavirus, and the Politics of Public Health Response with Professor Meru Sheel
In this episode, we host Professor Meru Sheel to examine whether global health systems are prepared for the next major infectious-disease outbreak. Drawing on her work in infectious-disease epidemiology, vaccine research, emergency preparedness and global health security, Professor Sheel explores the difficult questions now facing governments, public-health agencies and international institutions:
Episode 369: Reopening the Strait: Hormuz, Sea Power, and the Fragility of Global Trade with Dr Emma Salisbury
This episode with Dr. Emma Salisbury explores how the closure of the Strait of Hormuz exposed the vulnerabilities of the global maritime system, revealing how a regional conflict can rapidly become a global economic and security crisis. The conversation examines why critical maritime chokepoints remain central to international trade, energy security, and geopolitical competition, and what recent d
Episode 368: Shadow Policing and Transnational Repression: China’s Global Campaign Against Critics with Sam Goodman
In this episode, we host Sam Goodman to explore China’s global campaign of transnational repression, shadow policing, and pressure against critics abroad. Drawing on his work on Hong Kong, UK-China relations, sanctions, the BN(O) community, and economic transnational repression, Sam explains how Chinese and Hong Kong authorities project power beyond their borders through surveillance, diaspora int
Episode 367: From Rodents to Cruise Ships: Hantavirus and the Risks of a Hyperconnected World with Dr Giulia Gallo
In this episode, we host Dr Giulia Gallo to explore hantavirus, the recent MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak, and why a rare but serious infectious disease can generate global headlines without necessarily becoming a pandemic-style threat. Drawing on her work in molecular virology, viral-host interactions and viral glycoproteins at The Pirbright Institute, Dr Gallo explains what hantaviruses are, wh
Episode 366: The UAE Exit from OPEC: Geopolitics, Energy Security, and the Shifting Gulf Balance
The Gulf is entering a period of profound geopolitical and economic uncertainty. As tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue and global energy markets face mounting pressure, the United Arab Emirates has taken the extraordinary decision to leave OPEC, raising major questions about the future of energy coordination, regional alliances, and global economic stability.Today on The International R
Episode 365: After the Fighting Stops: Landmines and the Cost of Conflict with James Denselow from The HALO Trust
In this episode we explore the lasting impact of landmines. Across Ukraine, Syria, Myanmar, Afghanistan, and dozens of other conflict-affected countries, landmines and unexploded ordnance continue to kill, injure, and displace civilians long after wars have ended. Fields cannot be farmed, schools cannot reopen, refugees cannot safely return home, and communities remain trapped by the hidden legacy
Episode 364: Water Weaponisation in Modern Conflict with Dr. Marcus King
Across Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and now the Gulf, water systems are no longer just collateral damage. They are becoming targets and tools of coercion. Dams, desalination plants, pumping stations, rivers, reservoirs, and electricity grids are being pulled into the battlespace, with civilians paying the highest price.This matters far beyond the battlefield. When water infrastructu
Episode 363: Physical Security and Workplace Safety with Michael Julian
This episode with Michael Julian explores the growing realities of workplace violence, active threats, and organisational preparedness in an increasingly volatile security environment. The conversation examines why physical violence is becoming a more pressing concern for companies, schools, and public institutions, and how rising social instability, economic pressure, insider risks, and wider geo
Episode 362: The Amazon Rainforest, Gold Mining, and the Development Dilemma in Suriname with John Goedschalk
This episode hosts John Goedschalk to examine the relationship between environmental sustainability, economic development, and long-term climate resilience in the Amazon rainforest and the Guiana Shield. The conversation explores why the forests of Suriname are disproportionately important to global climate stability, regional rainfall systems, and food production across South America. Drawing on
Episode 361: How World Wars Begin: Great Power Competition and the Global Order with Jake Clapham
This episode with Jake Clapham explores the growing fragility of the international order, examining how institutional collapse, strategic miscalculation, and great power rivalry can transform regional crises into global conflicts. Drawing on the history of Imperial Japan, the Second World War, and contemporary flashpoints including Ukraine, Taiwan, and the Strait of Hormuz, the conversation consid
Episode 360: Hungary After Orbán: Democratic Reset or Political Reconfiguration in Europe? with Zsuzsanna Szelényi
This episode with Zsuzsanna Szelényi explores Hungary's dramatic political transformation following the end of Viktor Orbán's 16-year rule, examining how an entrenched illiberal system was dismantled through democratic means and what this reveals about the resilience of liberal democracy in Europe. The conversation traces the structural factors that converged to break Orbán's grip o
Episode 359: Conflict Pollution: How Modern War Damages Climate with Doug Weir
This episode hosts Doug Weir from the Conflict and Environment Observatory to examine the environmental consequences of modern warfare and the wider ecological risks created by armed conflict. The conversation explores how conflict generates complex forms of pollution, from toxic air emissions and oil fires to groundwater contamination and long-term ecological damage, often with impacts that persi
Episode 358: The Long Arm of Tehran: Proxies, Criminals and State-Backed Threats with Edmund Fitton-Brown
In this episode, we host Edmund Fitton-Brown to explore how Iran projects power beyond its borders through proxies, criminal networks, intelligence services, and deniable operations. Drawing on his experience as a former British Ambassador to Yemen and former senior United Nations expert on ISIS, al-Qaeda and the Taliban, Edmund explains why Iran’s external operations cannot be understood simply t
Episode 357: 100 Years to Extinction: Dr Peter Solomon on Emerging Technologies and the Risks that Come with Them
This episode hosts Dr Peter Solomon to examine the widening gap between our capacity to build transformative technologies and our ability to govern them, with a particular focus on the international risks that emerge when innovation outpaces regulation. The conversation explores how rapid technological advancement is reshaping the global risk landscape at unprecedented speed and scale, with artifi
Episode 356: War on the Climate: Conflict, Carbon, and the Hidden Cost of War in Iran with Benjamin Neimark and Frederick Otu-Larbi
This episode hosts Benjamin Neimark and Frederick Otu-Larbi to examine the environmental and climate consequences of modern warfare, with a particular focus on the ongoing conflict involving Iran and its rapidly escalating global impact. The conversation explores how conflict is generating emissions at unprecedented speed and scale, with millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide released in just weeks
Episode 355: Leading under Pressure in a More Volatile and Compounded Crises Environment with Jon-Paul Gabriele
Business leaders are operating in a harsher, more expensive, and more politically volatile environment, where geopolitics is now showing up directly in fuel costs, inflation, supply chains, capital markets, alliance structures, and executive decision-making. I’m Dominic Bowen, host of The International Risk Podcast, where we unpack the issues shaping business, leadership, and global risk.Today, th
Episode 354: Beyond Strikes: The Ripple Effects of the US–Iran Conflict with Dr Jamie Shea
This episode with Professor Jamie Shea explores how contemporary conflict is no longer confined to the battlefield but unfolds across multiple interconnected domains, generating effects that extend far beyond the immediate theatre of operations. The conversation examines how the confrontation involving the United States, Israel, and Iran is producing systemic shockwaves across energy markets, supp
Episode 353: Terrorism Rewired: AI, Crime-Terror Networks and the New Global Threat Landscape with Dr Colin P. Clarke
In this episode, we host Dr Colin P. Clarke to explore how terrorism is evolving in an era of AI, organised crime, proxy warfare, and great power competition. Drawing on decades of work on terrorism, insurgency, illicit finance, and political violence, Dr Clarke explains why today's threat landscape is no longer defined solely by hierarchical jihadist organisations, but by decentralised netwo
Episode 352: Inside the Ransomware Economy: Incentives, Governance, and Risk with Anja Shortland
This episode hosts Professor Anja Shortland, returning to the podcast following her previous appearance in 2021, to examine how ransomware has evolved into a sophisticated and highly organised form of cybercrime, operating as a global market shaped by incentives, reputation, and weak governance. The conversation explores the scale of the threat, with billions in annual losses, and how attacks ext
Episode 351: Climate, Infrastructure, and Nuclear Risk: Rethinking Strategic Stability with Dr Florian Krampe
This episode with Dr Florian Krampe explores how climate change is no longer a peripheral environmental issue but a central factor reshaping global security. The conversation examines how environmental shifts are already degrading critical military infrastructure, from Arctic early warning systems built on melting permafrost to changing ocean conditions that affect submarine detection and strategi
Episode 350: The Human Blind Spot in Cybersecurity with Robert Siciliano
In this episode, we host Robert Siciliano to examine why the biggest vulnerability in cybersecurity is so often not the technology, but the people using it. Drawing on decades of work in fraud prevention, identity protection, and security awareness, Robert argues that most organisations still treat cyber risk as a compliance issue rather than a human one. He explains why trust, routine, distractio
Episode 349: Latin America's Violence Economy: Inequality, Growth, and State Capacity with Irvin Waller
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Irvin Waller about the often-overlooked role of interpersonal violence as a driver of international risk. While violence is frequently treated as a domestic issue, this conversation explores how high levels of homicide and violent crime can shape economic performance, weaken governance, and contribute to broader regional
Episode 348: Disinformation as Risk: Trust, Markets, and Influence with Thomas Barton
This episode with Thomas Barton, founder of the Council for Countering Online Disinformation (CCOD), explores the growing threat of online disinformation, examining how it has evolved from a political and media issue into a systemic risk for markets, institutions, and businesses. We discuss the often-overlooked domestic drivers of disinformation, how false narratives spread through financial syste
Episode 347: Cartels, State Power, and Security in Mexico with David Mora
This episode with David Mora examines the evolving landscape of organised crime in Mexico, moving beyond narratives focused solely on drug trafficking to explore the broader systems of control, violence, and economic extraction that underpin cartel activity. We discuss how criminal groups have diversified across sectors, why strategies targeting cartel leaders have often led to fragmentation rathe
Episode 346: Life on the Frontier: Kaliningrad and the New Geography of European Security
In this episode, we host Dr Stanislaw Domaniewski to explore life on Europe’s eastern borders, focusing on Kaliningrad, the Polish-Russian frontier, and the politics of the European Union’s external edge. Drawing on his work on cross-border cooperation, border mobility, and the lived experience of border communities, Dr Domaniewski explains why these regions matter far beyond lines on a map. They
Episode 345 The AI Bet: Huge Investment, Job Cuts, and Uncertain Returns
Today on The International Risk Podcast, we turn to the accelerating transformation of the global economy through artificial intelligence. Firms are making aggressive bets on future demand, and mid-market companies are grappling with rising costs, limited visibility, and mounting pressure to prove ROI.To help us make sense of this, we’re joined by Craig Unsworth, a portfolio Chief Product Officer
Episode 344: Israel's Dahiyeh Doctrine Returns to Lebanon with Paul Hefel-James
Today on The International Risk Podcast, we turn to Lebanon, where Israel’s invasion, the subsequent displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians, and political fracture are colliding in ways that could reshape Lebanon for years. As the conflict on the Lebanese front deepens, the questions are no longer just about ceasefires or border tensions, but about forced displacement, civilian surviva
Episode 343: Canada’s Defence Dilemma: Sovereignty, NATO, and the U.S. Alliance with Norman Leach
In this episode, we host Norman Leach to explore whether Canada is entering a new era in defence policy. Drawing on his background in military history, defence commentary, and international business, Norman examines the deeper strategic questions now facing Ottawa: how sovereign Canadian defence policy really is, how far Canada can afford to depend on the United States, and what a more uncertain r
Episode 342: You Can't Kill an Idea: War, Power and 40 Years as a Foreign Correspondent with Humphrey Hawksley
The global landscape feels increasingly unsettled. Conflict in the Middle East, Sudan and Ukraine to wider geoplitical, technological and climatic shifts, the world is going though a period of rapid change. At the same time, the nature of conflict and the way it’s reported has changed dramatically over the past few decades.So today we’re stepping back to look at the bigger picture: how the global
Episode 341: Taiwanese Politics, Shifting Attitudes, and the ‘China Question’
In this episode we host Ava Shen to unpack the dynamics of Taiwanese politics, the role of the DPP, KMT, and TPP, and how cross-strait tensions shape both domestic discourse and international perceptions. The conversation explores disinformation, shifting political priorities among younger voters, and key misunderstandings in the West about Taiwan and its strategic environment.Ava Shen covers Taiw
Episode 340: Iran Escalates: How Geopolitical Shocks and the Strait of Hormuz Becomes an Organisational Crisis
In this episode, we host K. Campbell to examine how the escalating conflict with Iran should be understood not only as a military confrontation but as a wider risk event with implications for shipping, supply chains, critical infrastructure, and corporate decision-making. Drawing on his background in intelligence and security risk management, Campbell explains why the key escalation indicator is t
Episode 339: Disinformation, Information Disorder, and Democratic Resilience in a Fragmented Media Environment with Natalie Martin and Eliot Higgins
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Natalie Martin and Eliot Higgins about the growing impact of disinformation, digital media, and information disorder on global security and democratic resilience. As the information environment becomes faster and largely fragmented, the episode explores how trust in institutions is being challenged and how information its
Episode 338: Louis Theroux & the Manosphere: When Misogyny Goes Mainstream with Dr. Allysa Czerwinsky
You might've seen the recent Inside the Manosphere documentary by Louis Theroux. About a year ago we had this episode with Dr. Allysa Czwerinsky discussing this exact topic! If Louis Theroux’s Netflix series Inside the Manosphere opened the door, this episode of The International Risk Podcast goes further. We unpack the red pill, the black pill, online misogyny, grievance, power, and the digi
Episode 337: Inside Russia’s Political War Against the West with Professor Mark Galeotti
In this episode, we host Professor Mark Galeotti to explore how Russia wages political warfare against the West beyond the conventional battlefield. Drawing on decades of work on Russian power, intelligence, organised crime, and state coercion, Professor Galeotti explains why Moscow’s challenge to Europe is not best understood simply through hard power but rather through sabotage, disinformation,
Episode 336: Climate Change as a Threat Multiplier: Why the Lake Chad Basin Matters for Global Security with Cedric de Coning and Andrew E. Yaw Tchie
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Cedric de Coning and Andrew E. Yaw Tchie about the complex relationship between climate change, conflict, and human security in the Lake Chad Basin. Once a vital lifeline for millions of people across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, the region has become a powerful example of how environmental pressure, weak governanc
Episode 335: Water Scarcity and Systemic Risk in Iran with Milad Jafari
Iran is facing what many experts describe as a looming state of “water bankruptcy”, a crisis where demand has so profoundly outstripped supply that the very foundations of economic stability, social cohesion, and national security are under strain. From drying reservoirs in Tehran to collapsing aquifers and land subsistence, water is no longer just an environmental issue, it’s a political one. In
Episode 334: North Korea: Strategic Signalling, Economic Constraint, and Regional Risk with Rachel Minyoung Lee
This episode with Rachel Minyoung Lee examines the evolving risk landscape surrounding North Korea, moving beyond headlines focused solely on nuclear escalation to explore the country’s broader strategic behaviour. We discuss how Pyongyang balances military signalling with pragmatic decision making, why weapons tests and military exercises are often calibrated rather than impulsive, and how sancti
Episode 333: Securing the State: Crisis Management and Counterterrorism Strategy with Professor Sir David Omand
In this episode, we host Professor Sir David Omand to explore crisis management, counterterrorism, and intelligence at the highest levels of the British state. Drawing on a career that includes senior roles at GCHQ, the Home Office, the Cabinet Office, and the Joint Intelligence Committee, Sir David reflects on how governments prepare for crises, why some threats are missed despite warning signs,
Episode 332: Who Pays for Climate Damage? Climate Litigation, Risk, and Accountability with Dr Rupert Stuart-Smith
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Dr Rupert Stuart-Smith about the rapid expansion of climate litigation and what it means for corporate strategy, financial stability, and international risk. The discussion explores how climate lawsuits have evolved from targeted environmental challenges into a structural feature of the climate transition, reshaping legal
Episode 331: Hypersonic Missiles, Nuclear Deterrence and the New Arms Race
In this episode of the International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Ankit Panda, Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and author of The New Nuclear Age: At the Precipice of Armageddon.The conversation moves beyond the hype to examine the structural drivers of today’s nuclear competition, ranging from missile defence and deep
Episode 330: Current State of Sudan in 2026
This episode with Hamid Khalafallah examines the current state of Sudan’s civil war beyond shifting battlefield developments. We explore how patterns of territorial control have altered the structure of authority across the country, why governance capacity remains limited even where military advances have occurred, and how elite bargaining and the “political marketplace” logic have become further
Episode 329: Inside Russia's War: Strategy, Technology and the Future of Security with Elizabeth Bullock
This episode with Elizabeth Bullock examines the lived reality of Russia’s modern warfare, drawing on her three years working in frontline Ukraine.From evacuating civilians under fire to navigating the evolving threats of drones, hypersonic missiles, and weaponised infrastructure, Elizabeth provides an unflinching look at how war shapes both society and strategy and what it reveals about the futur
