

The International Risk Podcast
Dominic Bowen
Welcome to The International Risk Podcast — the premier destination for high-level insights into global risk dynamics. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, an accomplished senior advisor, each episode delivers expert analysis and actionable intelligence on today’s most pressing international risks. From geopolitical tensions and economic upheavals to cybersecurity threats and environmental challenges, we bring clarity to the complex risks shaping our world.Tailored for CEOs, Board Members, senior managers, and risk professionals, our weekly episodes are essential listening for those making strategic decisions in volatile environments. With distinguished guests from diverse sectors and geographies — including renowned industry experts, policymakers, and thought leaders — we provide a multidimensional perspective, equipping you with insights to stay ahead of emerging threats and capitalize on new opportunities.Our host, Dominic Bowen, is a senior business leader, and Partner at 2Secure where he is Head of Strategic Advisory and leads a team of senior management consultants and advisors.Join us for engaging, thought-provoking conversations that go beyond the headlines. Stay informed, stay ahead, and transform the way you perceive and manage international risks. The International Risk Podcast is not just a podcast; it’s is crucial listening for today's leaders.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 19, 2026 • 37min
Episode 312: The Disorderly Society: Global Governance in an Age of Fragmented Power with Dr Bobo Lo
This episode with Dr Bobo Lo explores the breakdown of the post-Cold War rules-based international order and what is emerging in its place. We examine why today’s global system is better understood as a condition of disorder rather than a coherent new order, shaped by diffuse power, weakening institutions, and growing mistrust of Western norms, and how the erosion of democratic practice within Western societies has undermined their global credibility, and how Russia and China have exploited, rather than created, these weaknesses. We also unpack the limits of concepts such as multipolarity, the strategic differences between Moscow and Beijing, and why global challenges like climate change, pandemics, inequality, and technological disruption cannot be addressed without revitalised forms of international cooperation.Dr Lo is one of the most respected analysts of global order and great power politics and is widely known for his analysis of global governance, strategic competition, and the structural forces driving international instability. A former deputy head of mission at the Australian Embassy in Moscow, he previously led the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House and is now a Non-Resident Fellow at the Lowy Institute. He is the author of several influential books, including Axis of Convenience: Moscow, Beijing, and the New Geopolitics (2008) and his latest book The Disorderly Society: Rethinking Global Governance in an Age of Anarchy (2026), which covers the topics discussed in this episode extensively.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 is sponsored by Conducttr, a realistic crisis exercise platform. Conducttr offers crisis exercising software for corporates, consultants, humanitarian, and defence & security clients. Visit Conducttr to learn more.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.Follow us on LinkedIn and Tell us what you liked!

Jan 15, 2026 • 41min
Episode 311: Grey Zones at Europe’s Edge: Ceuta, Melilla and Maritime Power with Dr. Ángeles Jiménez
In this episode, Dominic Bowen and Ángeles Jiménez discuss the geopolitical significance of Ceuta and Melilla as Europe’s only land borders with Africa, and why these two Spanish cities embody sovereignty disputes and migration pressure between Spain, Morocco, and the European Union. They unpack how these enclaves function as “grey zones” where coercion, leverage, and competition occur below the threshold of armed conflict.Find out more about how migration has become a tool of geopolitical pressure, how EU border externalisation shapes incentives on both sides of the Mediterranean, and why securitisation has repeatedly failed to prevent humanitarian tragedies at these borders. The discussion highlights how local events in Ceuta and Melilla are embedded in wider regional dynamics involving EU–Morocco relations, Western Sahara, and strategic bargaining.The conversation also addresses the often-overlooked maritime dimension of the dispute, including continental shelf claims, maritime boundary delimitation, and the role of international law under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Ángeles Jiménez explains how technical legal processes can become politicised and why maritime claims matter for resources, influence, and long-term strategic positioning.Finally, they explore the concept of grey zone strategy more broadly, examining how states pursue territorial and political objectives through legal acts, narrative framing, migration management, and civilian mobilisation, without triggering open conflict. The episode reflects on what Ceuta and Melilla reveal about modern geopolitics, international risk, and the limits of legal and institutional solutions.Ángeles Jiménez García-Carriazo holds a Ph.D. in Law, specializing in the Law of the Sea and Public International Law. She is currently a Research Fellow at the University of Cádiz (Spain), where she leads various academic and policy-oriented initiatives on ocean governance and human rights at sea. She also serves as Legal Advisor to the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and is a member of the Spanish Delegation to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS). She is the Director of the Observatory for Migration and Human Rights of the European University of the Seas Alliance (SEA-EU). Her scholarly output includes a monograph, edited volumes, numerous book chapters, and peer-reviewed articles addressing key areas of the law of the sea: the continental shelf, maritime boundary delimitation, underwater cultural heritage, peaceful settlement of disputes, and human rights at sea.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 is sponsored by Conducttr, a realistic crisis exercise platform. Visit Conducttr to learn more.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 buTell us what you liked!

Jan 14, 2026 • 28min
Episode 310: Reengineering Life, Reshaping Risk: Synthetic Biology’s Benefits and Risks for the Global Community with Dr Tae Seok Moon
This episode with Dr Tae Seok Moon explores how synthetic biology is rapidly transforming medicine, climate innovation, and industrial production, while introducing new layers of international risk, ethical tension, and governance challenges. We examine how engineered biology is already being used to fight disease, reduce emissions, and address pollution, alongside growing concerns about dual-use risk, biosecurity, and the accessibility of powerful biological tools. The discussion looks at the limits of existing global governance frameworks, including the Biological Weapons Convention, and what it means to regulate technologies that evolve faster than law and policy. We also unpack whether synthetic biology is becoming a new domain of geopolitical competition, and why international collaboration, rather than purely national competition, may be essential to managing risk at scale.Dr Moon is a leading researcher and practitioner in synthetic biology, working at the intersection of science, policy, and global collaboration. He is a professor, entrepreneur, and Director of a National Science Foundation Global Center, with extensive experience in biomanufacturing, climate applications, and medical innovation. His work focuses on translating cutting-edge biological engineering into real-world solutions, while actively engaging on biosafety, biosecurity, ethical oversight, and the need for inclusive global governance as synthetic biology reshapes the future of risk and opportunity.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 is sponsored by Conducttr, a realistic crisis exercise platform. Conducttr offers crisis exercising software for corporates, consultants, humanitarian, and defence & security clients. Visit Conducttr to learn more.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!

Jan 11, 2026 • 29min
Episode 309: Corridors of Power: Political Risk and the New Global Supply Chain Map with Sophia Burna-Asefi
From Central Asia’s emerging transport corridors to Iran’s sanctions and water stress, this episode of the International Risk Podcast explores how political risk, geopolitics, and climate change are reshaping the global trade map - revealing why supply chain durability is no longer just an economic question, but a strategic one for governments and companies alike.Sophia Nina B-A has lived and worked for over a decade in Central Asia and Afghanistan, conducting geopolitical risk analysis and strategic advisory services in both the public and private sectors. Her particular area of focus is on transport infrastructure, particularly railways. She currently works as a freelance journalist and a consultant for the international development sector, with her recent assignment consulting for the IFC based in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.In 2024, she founded Train of Thought, a project that researches, maps and offers strategic analysis on railway development in Iran, Central Asia and Afghanistan. She has published over 30 articles on railways and transport infrastructure with bylines in RUSI, The Diplomat, Le Monde, The BBC, and The Economist. Sophia is a native English speaker and fluent in Uzbeki, Russian, Dari and conversational Tajiki. 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 is sponsored by Conducttr, a realistic crisis exercise platform. Visit Conducttr to learn more.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!

Jan 9, 2026 • 25min
Episode 308: The Arctic and the High North: Evolving Security Dynamics and Strategic Narratives with Dr Paal Hilde
This episode with Dr Paal Hilde explores how climate change, alliance dynamics, and geopolitical competition are reshaping the Arctic and the High North, and why this region is becoming increasingly significant in global risk calculations. We examine how melting sea ice is altering maritime access and infrastructure stress, while also challenging long-held assumptions about security, commercial opportunity, and militarisation in the Arctic. The discussion looks at NATO’s evolving posture in the European Arctic, the implications of Finland and Sweden joining the alliance, and the realities behind often exaggerated narratives of great power competition. We also unpack the environmental, societal, and operational risks associated with low infrastructure density, fragile ecosystems, and hybrid activity, as well as what the Arctic reveals about escalation management and restraint in contemporary geopolitics.Dr Hilde is a defence scholar at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, with expertise in Arctic security, Russian and Northern European defence policy, and alliance strategy. His work focuses on how climate transformation, military posture, and geopolitical signalling intersect in the High North, and how risk in the Arctic is shaped as much by misperception and hype as by material capability. He regularly engages with policymakers, defence communities, and researchers on Arctic governance, NATO strategy, and the security implications of environmental change.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 is sponsored by Conducttr, a realistic crisis exercise platform. Conducttr offers crisis exercising software for corporates, consultants, humanitarian, and defence & security clients. Visit Conducttr to learn more.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!

Jan 6, 2026 • 32min
Episode 307: UK and world politics: how do we adapt to dying party systems? With special guest Lord Jonathan Sumption
In this episode, Dominic Bowen and Jonathan Sumption discuss the fragility of democratic institutions, the strain on the rule of law, and how electoral systems — particularly First-past-the-post — shape political incentives, polarisation, and ultimately public trust. They unpack why so many citizens feel increasingly disconnected from their leaders, and what this means for the future of liberal democracies.Find out more about how constitutional norms erode not with dramatic collapse, but through incremental shifts in political behaviour, rhetoric, and executive overreach — and why institutional resilience depends as much on culture and restraint as on legal frameworks.The conversation also addresses the rise of populism, the backlash against globalization, protectionism, and the geopolitical consequences of Russia’s refusal to accept the post–Cold War settlement. They consider the economic and social drivers behind public anger, and the tensions between identity, sovereignty, and prosperity.Finally, they explore whether existing political systems can adapt, what realistic reforms might look like, and how leaders — and voters — can help rebuild legitimacy, accountability, and trust.Lord Jonathan Sumption, OBE, is one of the most distinguished legal and intellectual figures in Britain. A former Justice of the UK Supreme Court, he joined the bench in 2012 after an exceptional career at the Bar, becoming one of only a handful of barristers since the 19th century to be appointed directly to the highest court. Before entering the law, he studied history at Magdalen College, Oxford, later serving as a Fellow in History and publishing his first major work on medieval pilgrimage. Over the following decades, he built a great practice in commercial, public, EU, and constitutional law, taking Silk in 1986 and serving in various judicial and advisory roles, including as a Judicial Appointments Commissioner.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 is sponsored by Conducttr, a realistic crisis exercise platform. Conducttr offers crisis exercising software for corporates, consultants, humanitarian, and defence & security clients. Visit Conducttr to learn more.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 Tell us what you liked!

Jan 5, 2026 • 36min
Episode 306: Electricity on the Frontlines: Russia's War Against Ukraine's Energy Infrastructure with Theresa Sabonis-Helf
Since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has systemically targeted Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure–especially its energy systems–as a core part of Russia’s strategy. Since the start of the war, there has been over 2000 air, drone, and artillery attacks on energy infrastructure in Ukraine. Electricity grids, nuclear power plants, transmission lines, gas facilities, dams and water supply systems have all been turned into battlegrounds. This week alone, Russia’s overnight strikes hit energy and industrial infrastructure so hard that more than a million households in Odessa were left without power. This conflict is redefining what modern war looks like, where critical infrastructure is not just collateral damage but a deliberate target, where the frontlines runs not only through trenches but through the power grids. To unpack this further, we are joined by Theresa Sabonis-Helf, she is a professor at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service Masters program, serving as the Chair of the Science, Technology and International Affairs concentration. Prior to joining Georgetown, she was a Professor of National Security Strategy at the National War College. She has lived and worked in seven countries of the former USSR and has assisted two of these countries with the development of their National Security Strategies.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 is sponsored by Conducttr, a realistic crisis exercise platform. Conducttr offers crisis exercising software for corporates, consultants, humanitarian, and defence & security clients. Visit Conducttr to learn more.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!

Dec 31, 2025 • 42min
Episode 305: Lessons Learned 2025 - Part Two with Melanie and Dominic
In this episode, Dominic Bowen and Melanie Meimoun discuss how organizations can move beyond static risk registers to leveraging risk intelligence as a true strategic advantage, from decentralizing decision-making to preparing for multiple possible futures rather than trying to predict the next crisis.Find out more about why gold prices have surged to record highs, how central banks are using gold as a geopolitical hedge, and what this reveals about anxiety, sovereignty, and declining trust in global financial systems.The conversation also addresses the K-shaped economy, what it really means to be “on the right side” of it, and the concrete leadership behaviors that separate those who thrive in volatility from those who merely survive -including clarity on risk appetite, forward-looking indicators, and practicing leadership at every level.Finally, they explore memory, justice, and global insecurity — from Srebrenica and the limits of international protection, to the resurgence of extremist violence and the uncomfortable truth about how hatred, fragmentation, and collective fear continue to shape world events.Melanie Meimoun is an International Relations and Communication Specialist working for the International Risk Podcast. Recently graduated from a Master's in International Public Policy at University College London, where she researched forced migration memory through the case of Tunisian Jews, she leverages a background in Politics and Philosophy at three different universities -Paris, London, and Madrid- to assess International Risk, and stay up to date on Global affairs.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 is sponsored by Conducttr, a realistic crisis exercise platform. Conducttr offers crisis exercising software for corporates, consultants, humanitarian, and defence & security clients. Visit Conducttr to learn more.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!

Dec 29, 2025 • 29min
Episode 304: Debt as Leverage: Sovereign Lending and Geopolitical Influence with Dr Lev Breydo
*This episode was recorded in October 2025*This episode with Dr Lev Breydo explores how sovereign debt has evolved into a strategic instrument of power in an era of heightened geopolitical risk. We examine how credit markets, financial infrastructure, and legal design now shape state behaviour, constrain autonomy, and function as tools of coercion below the threshold of open conflict. The discussion looks at political default, sanctions, and the weaponisation of finance, alongside record global debt levels and the growing risks facing emerging and frontier economies. We also unpack the role of the United States at the centre of the global credit system, and how domestic fiscal politics can generate international instability. Finally, the episode considers how artificial intelligence and digital finance may reshape sovereign risk, transparency, and future fault lines in the global financial order.Dr Breydo is a scholar of law, finance, and technology whose research focuses on sovereign debt markets, financial institutions, digital assets, and artificial intelligence. His work examines how legal frameworks and market structures shape power, risk, and governance in the international system, with particular attention to debt distress, sanctions, and the strategic use of financial infrastructure. He engages regularly with policymakers, academics, and market participants on issues at the intersection of geopolitics, financial stability, and emerging technologies.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 is sponsored by Conducttr, a realistic crisis exercise platform. Conducttr offers crisis exercising software for corporates, consultants, humanitarian, and defence & security clients. Visit Conducttr to learn more.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!

Dec 25, 2025 • 29min
Episode 303: Traceability of Critical Raw Material with Romane Dideberg
This episode with Romane Dideberg explores responsible mineral sourcing in the context of rising geopolitical risk, with a focus on the Sahel. We examine how insecurity, military coups, and shifting alliances are reshaping control over critical minerals, driving resource nationalism, and complicating governance in fragile and conflict-affected states. Moreover, we also look at corruption, the role of civil society, and the realities of artisanal and small-scale mining. We unpack what traceability can, and cannot, achieve in mineral supply chains, and why responsible sourcing must go beyond tick-box compliance to genuinely improve governance, livelihoods, and long-term stability.Romane Dideberg is a researcher at Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London. She works within the institute’s Africa Programme, engaging with policymakers, researchers, private sector, and international organisations on key policy challenges across the African continent. Her research focuses on peace and security dynamics and political developments in West Africa and the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, and the Great Lakes region. Her areas of expertise include the political economy of conflict, resource governance, extractive industries, African statehood, and state–society relations. Before joining Chatham House, she worked at LSE IDEAS, the London School of Economics’ foreign policy think tank.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 is sponsored by Conducttr, a realistic crisis exercise platform. Conducttr offers crisis exercising software for corporates, consultants, humanitarian, and defence & security clients. Visit Conducttr to learn more.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!


