The International Risk Podcast

Around the world, more and more communities are finding that climate change isn’t only about rising temperatures or shifting weather patterns, but for many communities, the first signs of climate change appear in far more everyday pressures: a harvest that doesn’t come in, a water source that no longer lasts the season, a job that disappears because the land or sea can no longer sustain it. And where pressures stack up, especially in places where institutions are weak, where inequalities run deep or where people feel excluded, climate pressure can widen fault lines and expose new vulnerabilities and present new risks.Today, we explore how climate stress becomes violence, and why understanding this nexus between violence and climate stress matters for governments, business, communities and for all of us thinking about future security threats.To do that, we are joined by Peter Schwartzstein, an award-winning British-American environmental journalist and researcher. He has reported on the conflict-climate nexus across 30+ countries in the Middle East, Africa, and beyond, writing for National Geographic, The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, BBC, Bloomberg, and Foreign Policy. He is a fellow at the Center for Climate and Security, as well as the Stimson Center’s Environmental Security Program.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.Tell us what you liked!

Our conversation today with Felix Neumann traces the shifting landscape of far-left extremism, beginning with the broader global pressures shaping today’s political climate. We unpack how certain ideological threads have evolved, splintered, and re-formed, creating a movement that is at once fragmented and unexpectedly resilient. Along the way, we examine the role of foreign influence and funding, and how these forces complicate efforts to distinguish between genuine activism and the kinds of behaviours that cross into extremism.We explore the tactics used by today’s far-left extremist actors, as well as their potential to impact systems, institutions, and critical infrastructure. The discussion expands into the programs designed to prevent radicalisation and support disengagement, highlighting what’s working, and what remains challenging, in addressing these dynamics. From the spread of conspiracy theories to the emerging trends that may define the next decade, we look ahead to what the future might hold. The result is a wide-ranging, thought-provoking exploration of ideology, vulnerability, and resilience in a rapidly changing world.Felix Neumann has been working at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Berlin since 2022. In this role, he deals with all extremist and violent movements in Germany, Europe, and worldwide. His focus is particularly on online-based movements and conspiracy ideologies. He holds a master's degree in War and Conflict Studies from the University of Potsdam. The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe’s business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!

In a world where geopolitical camps are hardening, India continues to play by its own rules on the world stage. It buys oil from Russia, deepens technology and security ties with the US, while trading extensively with China and positions itself as a voice for the Global South – all while tensions simmer across its border, protectionism is on the rise and global power balances shift in an increasingly fractured world. What does strategic autonomy look like in 2025? And can India keep engaging everyone without choosing sides? I’m joined by a familiar voice, Dominic Bowen, the host you are used to listening to on this podcast, to discuss India’s multi-alignment strategy and its broader regional and global impacts. The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.Tell us what you liked!

In this episode, we journey into the heart of a cultural battleground shaped by war, identity, and resistance with Olha Mukha. Our conversation unpacks how Ukraine’s cultural resilience has become a force of national survival, even as attempts at cultural erasure intensify. We explore grassroots efforts to preserve language, art, and memory, alongside the quieter, yet powerful, ways communities refuse to let their heritage be rewritten.The discussion also turns to Russia, where artistic expression faces tightening suppression and where acts of creativity have become acts of rebellion. We trace surprising cultural parallels that surface amid conflict, the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in shaping wartime narratives, and the ways cultural diplomacy and propaganda intertwine on the global stage. Finally, we examine the long history of suppressing Ukrainian culture and look ahead: What might the future hold for Ukrainian society, identity, and artistic life once the war’s dust settles? A thoughtful, far-reaching exploration of culture as both a battlefield and a beacon.Olha Mukha, PhD, is a cultural analyst and philosopher, cultural manager, curator and expert on international communication and human rights. Known for her extensive work in cultural diplomacy and human rights. She is Co-Founder and Programme Director of the Ukrainian Association of Cultural Studies - Lviv and Head of Educational and International Department of Memorial Museum “Territory of Terror”. Senior Strategist at strategic communications (IN2). She is an expert in crisis communication, creating participant journeys for sensitive topics, aesthetic perception, and memory studies, including oral history practices. The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe’s business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!

What happens when the world’s hunger for copper collides with a province where 63% live in poverty, most households lack reliable electricity and water, and dissent is met with disappearance? I’m Dominic Bowen, and this is The International Risk Podcast—where we cut through the noise to examine the risks that leaders have to grapple with every day.Today: Reko Diq—one of the largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits on the planet—touted as Pakistan’s ticket to foreign capital and the energy transition. The Western pitch: jobs, growth, “responsible mining.” Local human rights actors have complained about decades of militarisation, enforced disappearances, and communities sidelined from decisions about their land and water.Our guest is Lateef Johar Baloch—human rights researcher, member of the Human Rights Council of Balochistan,In our conversation with Lateef today, we want to look beyond the headlines of Reko Diq as a multi-billion-dollar mining project and dig into what it represents on the ground, who benefits, and what are the risks.  The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.Tell us what you liked!

Today, Dominic Bowen hosts Dr Tim Stevens on The International Risk Podcast to examine how hybrid threats, cyber operations and infrastructure vulnerabilities are reshaping Europe’s security environment. They discuss how adversaries exploit the interdependence of digital, physical and informational systems, why hybrid activity sits deliberately below the threshold of open conflict, and how these pressures are redefining strategic risk for governments, businesses and critical-infrastructure operators across Europe. Together they explore how cyber intrusions, sabotage, supply-chain exposure and targeted information operations generate cumulative effects that undermine resilience, erode trust and complicate decision-making.Dr Tim Stevens is Reader in International Security at King’s College London and co-director of its Cyber Security Research Group. His work analyses the politics of cybersecurity, hybrid threats, cyber risk and the global contest over technological infrastructures. He is the author of several leading publications in the field, including Research Handbook on Cyberwarfare (2024) and What Is Cybersecurity For? (2023). His research examines how cyber operations intersect with societal vulnerabilities, strategic signalling and governance capacity, offering perspectives that inform policymakers, security professionals and institutions responding to the rapidly evolving cyber-hybrid threat landscape.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe’s business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!

Today, Dominic Bowen hosts Dr Florian Krampe on The International Risk Podcast to examine how climate insecurity is reshaping conflict dynamics, governance pressures, and Europe’s expanding risk perimeter. They discuss how environmental stress interacts with fragility, why climate impacts compound existing vulnerabilities, and how these pressures influence patterns of violence, mobility, and institutional strain across regions from the Sahel and the Horn of Africa to South Asia and Europe. Together they explore how climate change acts as a risk multiplier, deepening livelihood insecurity, affecting the legitimacy of state institutions, and altering the operational landscape for policymakers and businesses.Dr Krampe outlines the pathways through which climate variability translates into insecurity, explaining how deteriorating livelihoods, internal displacement, armed actor behaviour, and resource exploitation shape conflict environments. The conversation highlights the challenges facing regional and European institutions as they attempt to incorporate climate-security into policy and operational planning, including issues of institutional fragmentation, competing priorities, and the diversion of resources. Dr Krampe also discusses the implications for Europe’s strategic posture, supply chains, and the growing need to understand climate impacts not only as external pressures but as domestic security concerns.Dr Florian Krampe is the Director of Studies, Peace and Development at the SIPRI and the Acting Director of SIPRI’s Climate Change and Risk Programme. His work examines the intersection of climate change, environmental stress, fragility, and security, providing analysis that informs international organisations, governments, and regional actors. His research focuses on how climate impacts interact with governance capacity, peacebuilding processes, and long-term resilience, and he has contributed to some of SIPRI’s leading frameworks for understanding climate-related security risks.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Tell us what you liked!

In this episode, Dominic Bowen and Susannah Streeter discuss France’s increasing fiscal challenges, recent credit downgrades, and the political gridlock complicating meaningful political reform. Find out more about how markets are reacting to rising public debt, the renewed debate over wealth taxes, and the risk of broader European contagion. The conversation also addresses the growing economic divergence between the US and Europe, alongside shifting investor sentiment. Finally, they explore key geopolitical flashpoints -from China–Taiwan tensions to Arctic competition- and their implications for global risk.Susannah Streeter is a renowned financial commentator, international broadcaster, and former BBC business anchor known for translating complex global trends into clear, actionable insights. She has led money and markets analysis for the UK’s largest retail investment platform and appears widely across outlets such as the BBC, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and CNBC. Fluent in English and French, Susannah is a sought-after keynote speaker and conference chair who moderates high-level discussions on economics, geopolitics, climate policy, and technological disruption at events worldwide—from the World Green Economy Summit and Arctic Frontiers to major OECD and Paris Club forums. A former RAF Squadron Leader, she brings a deep understanding of defence and strategic issues, complementing her expertise in financial markets, AI, and macroeconomics. She also hosts leading investment and technology podcasts, writes columns for The Evening Standard and City AM, and has received multiple Headlinemoney Awards for her impactful financial analysis.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge. Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!Tell us what you liked!

Dive into a high-stakes conversation with geopolitical strategist John Sitilides as he unpacks global risks! From shifting tariff strategies and corporate resilience to supply-chain de-risking, digital decoupling, sanctions, energy markets, and the future of the U.S. dollar. A must-listen for leaders navigating an increasingly divided world.John Sitilides is a professional keynote speaker on geopolitics at corporate, investor, and industry conferences, and before government, military and intelligence community audiences, on geopolitical risk management and the business impacts of international security policies, John Sitilides is Principal at Trilogy Advisors LLC in Washington, D.C., and is Senior Fellow for National Security at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Delivering exclusive geopolitical risk reports, webcasts, and related products and services to institutional capital market and retail clients, he explores the complex geopolitical and geo-economic decisions that impact markets in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and worldwide, helping corporate executives, investment managers and civic audiences better understand, anticipate, and mitigate risk in a disrupted international financial and security environment.  The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe’s business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!

Human trafficking isn’t a single story, it’s a global web of exploitation that takes many forms. In this episode with Dr. Ludmila Bogdan, we explore the different types of human trafficking and the challenges in accurately estimating its scope. We dive into the contrasts between sex trafficking and labour trafficking, uncover operational constraints and data biases, and examine how systemic differences in victim identification and gender stereotypes distort our understanding of who is affected.We also discuss the urgent need to reeducate the public, the role of the shadow economy and legitimate businesses, and how media narratives shape perceptions of trafficking. Finally, we look at how armed conflicts exacerbate international risks, and what it will take to confront this crisis with clarity and compassion.Dr. Ludmila Bogdan is an independent researcher and policy consultant specialising in human trafficking, labour migration, and international security. Trained in diplomacy and political science, she combines rigorous academic research with hands-on policy work to bridge the gap between scholarship and real-world impact. Her research focuses on labour exploitation, migration governance, and human rights, offering evidence-based insights that inform both policy and practice.Ludmila has held research and teaching positions at Harvard University, the University of Copenhagen, Stanford University, and Georgetown University, as well as policy roles with the United Nations. Her work has guided criminal justice and migration reforms, strengthened anti-trafficking responses, and advanced women’s rights and migrant integration. She is the author of a forthcoming book on human traffickers, to be published by Routledge, and continues to advise international organisations and governments on labour exploitation, migration policy, and human rights.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our updates!Tell us what you liked!