In this week's episode, we dive into the intensifying crisis in the Red Sea with Professor Jamie Shea.

Dominic and Professor Shea unpack the surge of Houthi attacks on commercial shipping, the strategic responses of global powers including China, the United States, France, and Gulf states, and the regional and global ramifications of these disruptions. They explore the risks of unintended escalation in this vital maritime corridor, the impact on 12% of global trade, the challenges of countering non-state actors, the evolving nature of hybrid warfare, and the fragility of maritime security norms. From asymmetric threats to the pressures on the global commons, this episode examines the complex dynamics threatening one of the world’s most critical trade routes and the potential for broader geopolitical fallout.

Jamie Shea is a globally recognized authority on security and strategy, with 38 years at NATO, including as Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges. He currently holds senior positions at prominent European think tanks, providing unparalleled insights into global security, maritime strategy, and geopolitical risks. His extensive experience includes shaping NATO’s response to emerging threats, from piracy to hybrid warfare.

The International Risk Podcast is a must-listen for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors. This weekly podcast dives deep into international relations, emerging risks, and strategic opportunities. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe’s top risk consulting firms, the podcast brings together global experts to share insights and actionable strategies. With over 20 years of experience managing complex operations in high-risk environments, combined with his roles as a public speaker and university lecturer, Dominic is uniquely positioned to guide these conversations. From conflict zones to corporate boardrooms, he explores the risks shaping our world and how organizations can navigate them.

The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.

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Dive into the current crisis in Iran with Joseph Daher! Dominic and Joseph discuss the US and Israel's strategic operations, Iran's response and regional implications these might have, the global consequences and international reactions, the potential for an outright regional war, the nuclear ambitions of Iran, regional security and the growing insecurity, the role of global powers and more!

Joseph Daher is a Swiss-Syrian academic and activist. He currently teaches at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), and at the University of Ghent (Belgium) and has been an affiliated professor at the European University Institute(EUI). He has worked with the EUI on the conflict in Syria and the aftermath of the war. Herewith Joseph has published multiple papers, which aimed to produce quality, strategic and accurate reports and analysis of wartime perspectives, challenges, trends and policy options in anticipation of post-conflict stabilisation in Syria.

Moreover, Joseph is an expert on Syria, Lebanon, and the Middle East, and has worked for various UN Agencies, NGO’s and research centers in consulting and expert mandates to conduct programs, trainings, and research for them. He is the author of three books: Hezbollah: The Political Economy of Lebanon’s Party of God, Syria After the Uprising: The Political Economy of State Resilience and Palestine and Marxism . Finally, he is the founder of the blog Syria Freedom Forever. He is also co-founder of the Alliance of Middle Eastern and North African Socialists.

The International Risk Podcast is a must-listen for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors. This weekly podcast dives deep into international relations, emerging risks, and strategic opportunities. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe's top risk consulting firms, the podcast brings together global experts to share insights and actionable strategies.

Dominic's 20+ years of experience managing complex operations in high-risk environments, combined with his role as a public speaker and university lecturer, make him uniquely positioned to guide these conversations. From conflict zones to corporate boardrooms, he explores the risks shaping our world and how organisations can navigate them.

The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.

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Today host Dominic Bowen is joined by Mauro Lubrano. Mauro is a Lecturer in International Relations and Politics at University of Bath and earned his PhD from the University of St Andrews with his research revolving primarily around terrorism and political violence. 

The rise of AI coinciding with the rise and intensification of global crises shows a surgence of groups who want to dismantle the technological system as we know it today. It raises the question as to whether anti-technology extremism has the potential to become a significant driver of political violence. In our conversation with Mauro today, we hope to gain an insight on Anti-Technology Extremism. He recently published a new book Stop the Machines: The Rise of Anti-Technology Extremism which discusses this topic. 

Mauro's PhD thesis and more recent works examine the processes of terrorist innovation, seeking to understand the rationale and dynamics of operational and strategic changes in terrorist organisations. His most recent project has embarked on a systematic analysis of organisational dynamics in horizontal and ‘leaderless’ terrorist networks, looking at how ‘informal’ leaders manage to provide operational guidance and inspiration in decentralised settings. Mauro’s work has been published in multiple leading journals, including Terrorism and Political Violence, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, and Perspectives on Terrorism, and he has collaborated with several think tanks and public institutions across Europe and the USA.

The International Risk Podcast is a must-listen for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors. This weekly podcast dives deep into international relations, emerging risks, and strategic opportunities. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe's top risk consulting firms, the podcast brings together global experts to share insights and actionable strategies.

Dominic's 20+ years of experience managing complex operations in high-risk environments, combined with his role as a public speaker and university lecturer, make him uniquely positioned to guide these conversations. From conflict zones to corporate boardrooms, he explores the risks shaping our world and how organisations can navigate them.

The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.

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This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Almudena Azcárate Ortega to explore the rising role of commercial entities like Starlink in space security. Many commercially operated systems are dual-use, intermingling civilian and military services in manners that are often ambiguous and can heighten tensions, raising questions about targetability and the responsibilities of commercial actors. Certain commercial technologies, such as debris removal systems, also raise concerns as their capabilities could potentially be repurposed to harm other actors, thus blurring the lines of what constitutes a weapon in outer space. In this context, Almudena highlights the risks of further militarization, geopolitical tensions, and the urgent need for transparency and regulation.

Almudena Azcárate Ortega is the lead Space Security Researcher at UNIDIR and an Academic Fellow at Georgetown University, where she is pursuing her doctorate in space security law. She led UNIDIR’s participation in the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Reducing Space Threats and holds an LL.M. in National Security Law from Georgetown and an LL.B. from the University of Navarra.

The International Risk Podcast is a must-listen for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors. This weekly podcast dives deep into international relations, emerging risks, and strategic opportunities. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe’s top risk consulting firms, the podcast brings together global experts to share insights and actionable strategies.

Dominic’s 20+ years of experience managing complex operations in high-risk environments, combined with his role as a public speaker and university lecturer, make him uniquely positioned to guide these conversations. From conflict zones to corporate boardrooms, he explores the risks shaping our world and how organisations can navigate them.

The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.

Follow us on LinkedIn  and Instagram for all our great updates.

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This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Dr. William Potter to explore the escalating risks and eroding norms surrounding nuclear weapons in today’s fractured global order. As traditional arms control mechanisms falter and new technologies complicate deterrence, Dr. Potter outlines the mounting dangers of miscalculation, norm erosion, and geopolitical mistrust in nuclear decision-making.

Drawing on decades of firsthand experience, from every NPT Review Conference since 1995 to advising the United Nations, Dr. Potter walks us through critical developments including Russia’s nuclear signaling, China’s evolving posture, and the destabilizing potential of non-state actors. From radiological weapons to AI-enabled crisis simulations, this conversation highlights how fragile the global nuclear architecture has become, and what it will take to rebuild trust and transparency.

Dr. William Potter is the Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar Professor of Nonproliferation Studies and Founding Director of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at MIIS. He has served on the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters and participated in every major NPT negotiation since 1995. He is the author or editor of over 20 books, including his latest: Death Dust: The Rise, Decline, and Future of Radiological Weapons Programs.

Related Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Book: Death Dust: The Rise, Decline, and Future of Radiological Weapons Programs (Stanford Universityi Press, 2023).

The International Risk Podcast is a must-listen for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors. This weekly podcast dives deep into international relations, emerging risks, and strategic opportunities. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe's top risk consulting firms, the podcast brings together global experts to share insights and actionable strategies.

Dominic's 20+ years of experience managing complex operations in high-risk environments, combined with his role as a public speaker and university lecturer, make him uniquely positioned to guide these conversations. From conflict zones to corporate boardrooms, he explores the risks shaping our world and how organisations can navigate them.

The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.

Follow us on LinkedIn  and Instagram for all our great updates.

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Today Dominic Bowen hosts Dr. Olivia Mason. They dive into the intricacies of post-colonial states, environmental collapse and how the colonial era has influenced this collapse, post-colonial neglect, the re-shaping of colonial control in a post-colonial era through for example international conservation efforts, green colonialism as a form of resource control, environmental degradation and its impact on migration from the Global South, climate reparations and how those would look like, and more!

Dr. Olivia Mason is a Lecturer in Political Geography at Newcastle University. Her research explores mobility politics and resource colonialism, with a focus on Jordan and the South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region. She is particularly interested in how colonial legacies continue to shape environmental governance, nature, and cultural heritage. Olivia is committed to environmental and social justice and has worked extensively with NGOs, policymakers, artists and local communities to produce more equitable environmental futures.

Her research on mobility politics explores how movement is shaped by colonial legacies, culture, and infrastructure building, with published work on the politics of walking and cultural geographies of trail making in Jordan and the infrastructural geopolitics of walking trails across the SWANA region. Her work on resource colonialism examines how historical and contemporary forms of colonialism shape the environment. She is currently leading a UKRI-funded project that examines the relationships between resource extraction, indigenous rights, and postcolonialism in nature reserves in Jordan. This resource has resulted in publications that trace how nature conservation in Jordan is shaped by colonial frameworks and imaginations. She has also used participatory methods with communities living around nature reserves sites in Jordan today and published on the politics of indigeneity and the complex relationships between local communities, cultural heritage, and conservation sites.

The International Risk Podcast is a must-listen for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors. This weekly podcast dives deep into international relations, emerging risks, and strategic opportunities. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe's top risk consulting firms, the podcast brings together global experts to share insights and actionable strategies.

Dominic's 20+ years of experience managing complex operations in high-risk environments, combined with his role as a public speaker and university lecturer, make him uniquely positioned to guide these conversations. From conflict zones to corporate boardrooms, he explores the risks shaping our world and how organisations can navigate them.

The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.

Follow us on LinkedIn  and Instagram for all our great updates.

Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly briefs.

Tell us what you liked!

This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Nils Duquet to explore the complex threat of conventional weapons diversion. As firearms and ammunition move from legal manufacture to illicit possession, they fuel global violence, empower organized crime, and destabilize post-conflict regions. In this episode, Nils breaks down how weapons are diverted through fraud, theft, non-regularization, and battlefield capture, shedding light on the real-world impact of these flows on both local and international security.

Drawing on his work across major European research initiatives—including Project DIVERT and the European Gun Violence Monitor—Nils unpacks the links between firearms and drug trafficking, the vulnerabilities in Europe's legal arms systems, and how legacy weapons from past wars continue to circulate in modern conflicts. He also shares lessons from Belgium and Sweden, two European countries grappling with increasing gun violence, and the policy reforms needed to tighten arms control and reduce diversion risks.

Nils Duquet is the Director of the Flemish Peace Institute and a leading expert on illicit firearms trafficking, arms control, and gun violence in Europe. He has authored over 70 publications and leads several large-scale EU projects focused on weapons diversion. Nils also chairs PEACE, a network of peace researchers, and created the AI-powered European Gun Violence Monitor.

The International Risk Podcast is a must-listen for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors. This weekly podcast dives deep into international relations, emerging risks, and strategic opportunities. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe's top risk consulting firms, the podcast brings together global experts to share insights and actionable strategies.

Dominic's 20+ years of experience managing complex operations in high-risk environments, combined with his role as a public speaker and university lecturer, make him uniquely positioned to guide these conversations. From conflict zones to corporate boardrooms, he explores the risks shaping our world and how organisations can navigate them.

The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.

Follow us on LinkedIn  and Instagram for all our great updates.

Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly briefs.

Tell us what you liked!

This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Julien Haye to explore how psychological safety shapes effective risk management and strategic decision-making. In today’s complex, fast-moving environment, fear and silence can be hidden risk factors that undermine resilience, innovation, and performance. Julien explains how cultures of fear derail traditional risk programs, why disagreement is essential for good governance, and how organizations can foster accountability while embracing intelligent risk-taking.

Drawing on his experience as  Chief Risk Officer and his new book The Risk Within, Julien unpacks the evolving role of risk leaders, how organizations can detect cultural blind spots, and why psychological safety must be embedded into business strategies. From corporate boardrooms to global financial institutions, this episode offers insights on how to build resilient, self-aware teams and turn risk into a strategic advantage.

Julien Haye is the founder of Aevitium Ltd and author of The Risk Within. With over 26 years of global experience in financial services, he has led major transformations of risk and compliance functions, served as Chief Risk Officer at DWS and Fidelity International.

Get Julien’s new book: The Risk Within: Cultivating Psychological Safety for Strategic Decision-Making

The International Risk Podcast is a must-listen for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors who need more than headlines. Each week, Dominic Bowen cuts through the noise to bring you unfiltered insights on emerging risks, geopolitics, international relations flashpoints, boardroom blind spots, and strategic opportunities. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe's top risk consulting firms, The International Risk Podcast brings together global experts to share insights and actionable strategies from the people who have been there, done it, and shaped outcomes at the highest levels.

Dominic's 25 years of experience managing complex operations in high-risk environments, combined with his role as a public speaker and university lecturer, make him uniquely positioned to guide these conversations. From conflict zones to corporate boardrooms, he explores the risks shaping our world and how organisations can navigate them. Whether he is speaking with intelligence operatives, CEOs, political advisors, or analysts, Dominic helps leaders gain competitive advantage through these conversations.

The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.

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This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Dr. Sarah Case Lackner to explore the emerging risks and evolving opportunities at the intersection of artificial intelligence and nuclear security. With increasing attention on the resilience of global infrastructure, Dr. Case Lackner unpacks how AI is reshaping nuclear supply chains, the hidden dangers of counterfeit components, and the urgent need for cybersecurity preparedness across the sector.

From predictive maintenance tools to the threat of ransomware and supply chain sabotage, this conversation highlights both the promise and peril of integrating AI into one of the world’s most high-consequence industries. Dr. Case Lackner shares her insights on AI explainability, capacity building, the role of red-teaming in nuclear facilities, and the broader international risks facing today’s critical infrastructure professionals.

Dr. Sarah Case Lackner is a Senior Fellow at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP). She previously served as a Senior Nuclear Security Officer at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and held roles at the U.S. Department of State and the National Academy of Sciences. With a PhD in Physics from the University of Chicago, she brings both scientific expertise and extensive policy experience to the global nuclear security conversation.

Related Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Nuclear Security and the Nuclear Supply Chain in the Age of Artificial Intelligence – Co-authored by Dr. Case Lackner, this report explores the intersection of AI technologies and nuclear security.
• Securing the Nuclear Supply Chain: A Handbook of Case Studies on Counterfeit, Fraudulent and Suspect Items – A key report mentioned in the episode, offering real-world examples of supply chain vulnerabilities.

The International Risk Podcast is a must-listen for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors who need more than headlines. Each week, Dominic Bowen cuts through the noise to bring you unfiltered insights on emerging risks, geopolitics, international relations flashpoints, boardroom blind spots, and strategic opportunities. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe's top risk consulting firms, The International Risk Podcast brings together global experts to share insights and actionable strategies from the people who have been there, done it, and shaped outcomes at the highest levels.

Dominic's 25 years of experience managing complex operations in high-risk environments, combined with his role as a public speaker and university lecturer, make him uniquely positioned to guide these conversations. From conflict zones to corporate boardrooms, he explores the risks shaping our world and how organisations can navigate them. Whether he is speaking with intelligence operatives, CEOs, political advisors, or analysts, Dominic helps leaders gain competitive advantage through these conversations.

The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.

Follow us on LinkedIn  and Instagram for all our great updates.

Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly briefs.

Tell us what you liked!

This week we hope to gain an insight on Grassroot Communities and the challenges faced by underserved communities and the wider voluntary sector. In an era of rising inequality, political polarisation, and climate instability, grassroots organisations are becoming critical pillars of resilience, not just locally, but globally. 

Today we explore how hyper-local community action intersects with global risk trends. From youth mental health to climate resilience and institutional trust, grassroots organisations are absorbing the fallout from geopolitical instability, austerity, and fractured public infrastructure. We’ll unpack how these organisations are adapting under pressure, and what their struggle tells us about state fragility, systemic failure, and the strategic risks we’re ignoring.

Ben Carpenter is the Founder & CEO of Grassroot Communities, a Youth and Community worker, Educator, Environmentalist, and City Fellow. He’s passionate about supporting individuals, communities and organisations to be the changes they want to see.

If you are interested in this, Grassroot Communities have an upcoming event called: The Bristol Birdman. Also check out this Grassroot Communities 2 page Delivery overview for info on the wider work of Grassroot Communities. 

In his episode, Ben discusses their GAP project. You can find out more about the Mini GAP overview and young leader showreels, the need for Yearlong GAP, what Yearlong GAP is, and Yearlong GAP Young Leaders. 

The International Risk Podcast is a must-listen for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors who need more than headlines. Each week, Dominic Bowen cuts through the noise to bring you unfiltered insights on emerging risks, geopolitics, international relations flashpoints, boardroom blind spots, and strategic opportunities. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe's top risk consulting firms, The International Risk Podcast brings together global experts to share insights and actionable strategies from the people who have been there, done it, and shaped outcomes at the highest levels.

The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.

Follow us on LinkedIn  and Instagram for all our great updates.

Tell us what you liked!